1. Scorched Earth Policy Stressed Eric, Tom Bruton

2. What was the scorched earth policy? When the Germans invaded the soviet union, the Soviet troops had to retreat. To make sure that the land could not be used by the advancing Germans, the Soviets destroyed everything of possible use to the Germans. For example, the soviets put salt on the fields to render them useless. Stalin followed in the footsteps of Napoleon, with this policy

3. When was the scorched earth policy enacted? 22 nd June 1941, while the Soviet Union was in the grips of a vicious war with Nazi Germany

4. How successful was the scorched earth policy? YES Created serious problems for advancing German troops, who needed food, ammo, and shelter. Potentially stopped the invasion going further as a full invasion would take years and this would be impossible after the destruction of the areas that the Germans occupied NO Severely damaged some of the only fertile land in Russia, leading to food shortages. Severely damaged the standard of living in the areas affected, due to destroyed infrastructure

5. Stalin’s speech “the red army, the red navy, and all citizens of the Soviet union must defend every inch of Soviet soil, must fight to the last drop of blood for our towns and villages…” – contradictory as they are running away and burning the areas? “the enemy must not be left a single engine, railway truck, pound of grain or gallon of fuel” - endorsing the destruction of Soviet infrastructure.

6. Scorched Earth Policy By Laura Finn

7. Тактика выжженной земли (Scorched Earth Policy) The Scorched Earth Policy was introduced by both Soviet and German troops during WWII. The idea was to destroy any useful infrastructure so that invading troops would have little success when they arrived.

8. Когда он был использован? (When was it used?) When Germany attacked the Soviet Union in 1941, Stalin ordered both soldiers and civilians to initiate a scorched earth policy to deny the invaders basic supplies as they moved eastward. The process was repeated later in the war by the retreating German forces, which burned or destroyed farms, buildings, weapons, and food to deprive Soviet forces of their use.

9. Сталина речи (Stalin’s speech, June 1941) The Red Army, the Red Navy, and all citizens of the Soviet Union must defend every inch of Soviet soil, must fight to the last drop of blood for our towns and villages, must display the daring, initiative and mental alertness characteristic of our people. In case of forced retreat of Red Army units, all rolling stock must be evacuated, the enemy must not be left a single engine, a single railway truck, not a single pound of grain or gallon of fuel. Collective farmers must drive off all their cattle and turn over their grain to the safe keeping of the state authorities, for transportation to the rear. If valuable property that cannot be withdrawn, must be destroyed without fail. In areas occupied by the enemy, partisan units, mounted and on foot, must be formed; sabotage groups must be organized to combat enemy units, to foment partisan warfare everywhere, blow up bridges and roads, damage telephone and telegraph lines, set fire to forests, stores and transport. In occupied regions conditions must be made unbearable for the enemy and all his accomplices. They must be hounded and annihilated at every step, and all their measures frustrated.

10. Финляндия (Finland) The Scorched Earth Policy was also used in Finland by German troops who were forced to retreat to Norway in November 1944, due to strategic situations. More than one-third of the dwellings in the area were destroyed, and the provincial capital Rovaniemi was burned to the ground. All but two bridges in Lapland Province were blown up and roads mined. In Northern Norway, which was at the same time invaded by Soviet forces in pursuit of the retreating German army in 1944, the Germans also undertook a scorched earth policy, destroying every building that could offer shelter and thus interposing a belt of "scorched earth" between themselves and the allies.

11. Эффекты (The Effects) The areas that were affected by the Scorched Earth Policy were badly damaged, and living condition were pushed to the brink. Land was destroyed for years so crops could not be grown and infrastructure had been completely removed from many towns. This put a further strain on the Russian economy as there were already food shortages across the country and a lack of development.

12. OPERATION BARBAROSSA INTENDED AIMS  Hitler claimed that the German populace needed more living space, and was especially interested in the Soviet Union, particularly Ukraine, where he planned to develop a German colony.  Hitler intended that the Ukraine would be to Germany what India had been to England, basing it off the British occupation of India.  "What India was for England the territories of Russia will be for us... The German colonists ought to live on handsome, spacious farms. The German services will be lodged in marvellous buildings, the governors in palaces... The Germans - this is essential - will have to constitute amongst themselves a closed society, like a fortress. The least of our stable-lads will be superior to any native.” – Adolf Hitler  Hitler intended to force Norwegians, Swedes and Danes to move to these territories in the East, and although he believed that, due to its enormous size, the Soviet Union would take longer than other countries to occupy.  However, he was confident it could still be achieved during the summer months of 1941. By Rachel & George

13. OPERATION BARBAROSSA INTENDED AIMS  The plan was for the invasion of the Soviet Union to start on the 15th May, 1941. Hitler believed that this would give the German Army enough time to take control of the country before the harsh Soviet winter set in.  He also hoped that a quick victory against the Red Army would encourage Britain to accept peace terms.  The ultimate strategy Hitler and his assistants decided on, involved three separate army groups assigned to capture specific regions and large cities of the Soviet Union, once the invasion began: 1). Army Group North was assigned to march through the Baltics, into northern Russia, and either capture or destroy the city of Leningrad. 2). Army Group Center would take a straight line to Moscow, marching through what is now Belarus and through the west-central regions of Russia proper. 3). Army Group South was poised to strike the heavily populated Ukraine region, taking Kiev, continuing eastward toward the steppes of Southern Russia, all the way to the Volga River. By Rachel & George

14. OPERATION BARBAROSSA INTENDED AIMS  Due to the Yugoslavs'’ stubborn resistance, Operation Barbarossa for a few weeks, as Hitler had at first expected them to surrender immediately.  On 21st June, 1941, a German sergeant deserted to the Soviet forces and informed them that the German Army would attack at dawn the following morning. Stalin was reluctant to believe the soldier's story and it was not until the German attack took place that he finally accepted that his attempts to avoid war with Germany until 1942 had failed.  The German forces, made up of three million men and 3,400 tanks, advanced in three groups. The north group headed for Leningrad, the centre group for Moscow and the southern forces into the Ukraine. Within six days, the German Army had captured Minsk.  General Demitry Pavlov, the man responsible for defending Minsk, and two of his senior generals were recalled to Moscow and were shot for incompetence. By Rachel & George

15.  The first few months of the war was disastrous for the Soviet Union. The German northern forces surrounded Leningrad while the centre group made steady progress towards Moscow. German forces had also made deep inroads into the Ukraine.  Kiev was under siege and Stalin's Chief of Staff, Georgi Zhukov, suggested that the troops defending the capital of the Ukraine should be withdrawn, thus enabling them to take up strong defensive positions further east.  Stalin insisted that the troops stayed and by the time Kiev was taken, the casualties were extremely high. It was the most comprehensive defeat experienced by the Red Army in its history. OPERATION BARBAROSSA INTENDED AIMS By Rachel & George

17. Reasons for Invasion In summer 1940, when German raw materials crises and a potential collision with the Soviet Union over territory in the Balkans arose, an eventual invasion of the Soviet Union looked increasingly like Hitler's only solution. While no concrete plans were made yet, Hitler told one of his generals in June that the victories in western Europe "finally freed his hands for his important real task: the showdown with Bolshevism", though German generals told Hitler that occupying Western Russia would create "more of a drain than a relief for Germany's economic situation. “The Führer anticipated additional benefits: When the Soviet Union was defeated, the labour shortage in the German industry could be relieved by demobilization of many soldiers. Ukraine would be a reliable source of agriculture. Having the Soviet Union as a source of slave labour would vastly improve Germany's geostrategic position. Defeat of the Soviet Union would further isolate the Allies, especially the United Kingdom. The German economy needed more oil and controlling the Baku Oilfields would achieve this; as Albert Speer, the German Minister for Armaments and War Production, later said in his interrogation, "the need for oil certainly was a prime motive" in the decision to invade.

18. Tactical Planning Operation Barbarossa was to combine a northern assault towards Leningrad, a symbolic capturing of Moscow, and an economic strategy of seizing oil fields in the south beyond Ukraine. Hitler and his generals disagreed on which of these aspects should take priority and where Germany should focus its energies; deciding on priorities required a compromise. Hitler thought himself a political and military genius. While planning Barbarossa in 1940-1941, in many discussions with his generals, Hitler repeated his order: "Leningrad first, the Donetsk Basin second, Moscow third. "Hitler was impatient to get on with his long-desired invasion of the east. He was convinced Britain would sue for peace, once the Germans triumphed in the Soviet Union, the real area of Germany's interests. General Franz Halder noted in his diaries that, by destroying the Soviet Union, Germany would destroy Britain's hope of victory. Hitler had grown overconfident from his rapid success in Western Europe and the Red Army's ineptitude in the Winter War against Finland in 1939–1940. He expected victory within a few months and therefore did not prepare for a war lasting into the winter. This meant his troops lacked adequate warm clothing and preparations for a longer campaign when they began their attack. The assumption that the Soviet Union would quickly capitulate would prove to be his undoing.

19. Army Sizes According to Taylor and Proektor (1974), the Soviet armed forces in the western districts were outnumbered, with 2.6 million Soviet soldiers vs. 4.5 million for the Axis. These figures, however, can be misleading. For the Russians it only counts the First Strategic Echelon, not the second, so they actually had more men then this. The total Axis strength is also exaggerated; 3.3 million German troops were earmarked for participation in Barbarossa, but that figure includes reserves which did not take part in the initial assault. A further 600,000 troops provided by Germany's allies also participated, but mostly after the initial assault. Total Axis forces available for Barbarossa were therefore in the order of 3.9 million.

20. Leningrad Jon Aldridge 13A

21. Battle of Leningrad Key Dates: 8 September 1941 - 27 January 1944 On the 8 th September this is when the battle officially started as this was when the last Soviet link to the city was severed. Leningrad was helped majorly when the Soviets managed to gain a small foot holding into the city on 18 th January 1943. The siege was one of the longest and most destructive in known history lasting 872 days.

22. Leningrad The main idea behind the capture of Leningrad was that it was once the capital city of the country and was also the heart of the Russian Revolution of 1917. It also stood as one of the more strategically important places in the Nazi plan of Operation Barbarossa. Hitler deemed Kiev, Minsk and Leningrad to be the most important cities to capture in order to get the Soviets to surrender on the Eastern Front and thus allowing him to free up his troops to defend against an immanent attack from the USA and Britain on the Western Front.

23. The Finns and Hitler The Finns were greatly helpful for Hitler during the siege of Leningrad as they helped to supply up to date intelligence for him. The Finns had managed to break some of the more basic codes that gave them access to the Soviet intelligence.

24. The Finns Advance On the day, that The Battle of Leningrad started the Finns advanced to within 20 km of the suburbs of Leningrad. They then refused to advance any further as they had regained the land that they had lost to the Soviets during the Winter War. They stayed there to regain the land that was formally their before the winter war. This gave them their borders back and therefore they did not take any more active part in the Battle Of Leningrad despite desperate pleas from Hitler. The only role that they played was giving further intelligence to The Germans.

25. Supplying the Defenders To supply the city during the siege the Soviets kept them supplied using boats and other watercraft over Lake Ladoga. They also managed to get a small land passage into the city but this did take some time to regain as it was lost to the invaders so the city was supplied by Air support and parcels from the air by parachute.

26. The Occupants of Leningrad The Battle of Leningrad has created the largest ever known loss of life in a modern city with 1.5 million troops and civilians dying in the siege and 1.4 million civilians being evacuated, but many of these died from famine and constant bombardment from German shelling and air attack.

27. Photographic Evidence of the Siege German Shelling during the siege. The death in Leningrad during the Siege.

28. Photos continued Soviets defending with their lives. Rogue Soviet Sniper.

29. Battle of Stalingrad

30. Where and When? The city of Stalingrad (now Volgograd). South Western Russia. 17 July 1942 – 2 February 1943.

31. Why did it happen? The primary aim of the Nazi offensive in the summer of 1942 was to capture the oil fields of Baku. The seizure of these fields would have deprived the Red Army, and the rest of the Soviet Union, of its main fuel supply. As part of the attack, the German Sixth Army under General von Paulus was supposed to take Stalingrad, located on the west bank of the Volga. Apart from the military significance of occupying the land from the Don to the Volga, the psychological upper hand that would be gained by capturing the city named after Stalin obviously weighed in on Hitler's decision to divert forces from Baku to the siege of Stalingrad.

32. Why was it important for Russia to ensure Stalingrad did not fall? The Russians, already devastated by the power of Blitzkrieg during Operation Barbarossa, had to make a stand. Especially as the city was named after the Russian leader, Joseph Stalin. One historian has claimed that he saw Stalingrad "as the symbol of his own authority." Stalin also knew that if Stalingrad was taken, the way would be open for Moscow to be attacked from the east. If Moscow was cut off in this way, the defeat of the Soviet Union was virtually inevitable. For simple reasons of morale, the Russians could not let this city fall. Likewise, the Russians could not let the Germans get hold of the oil fields in the Caucasus. Stalin’s order was "Not a step backwards".

33. Events Von Paulus invaded on 21st August 1942. Utilising Blitzkrieg he enjoyed initial success, sweeping through the outer reaches of the city until the German army occupied the suburbs. On August 23rd, the Germans dropped incendiary bombs from 600 planes, killing appx. 40,000 civilians. Nine-tenths of the city was destroyed. But with their backs to the Volga and mindful of Stalin's Order No. 227 ("Not One Step Back!"), the Soviet defenders held on, engaging the besiegers in house by house combat. On November 19, Soviet forces commanded by General Georgii Zhukov and numbering approximately a million soldiers attacked both German flanks in a massive pincer movement. After five days, the Red Army had trapped approximately 250,000 of the enemy. The Luftwaffe's attempts to provide food and fuel supplies by air were thwarted by Soviet artillery. Rations dwindled, soldiers froze to death, and ammunition ran out. Compared to an original contingent of 400,000 troops, the Sixth Army contained only 110,000 including two thousand officers by the time Paulus surrendered on February 2, 1943. Soviet casualties were estimated at 750,000 killed, wounded or missing in action.

34. Significance of the Battle The failure of the German Army was nothing short of a disaster. A complete army group was lost at Stalingrad and 91,000 Germans were taken prisoner and a further 150,000 died during the siege. With such a massive loss of manpower and equipment, the Germans simply did not have enough manpower to cope with the Russian advance to Germany when it came. Despite resistance in parts – such as a Kursk – they were in retreat on the Eastern Front from February 1943 on. In his fury, Hitler ordered a day’s national mourning in Germany, not for the men lost at the battle, but for the shame von Paulus had brought on the Wehrmacht and Germany. Paulus was also stripped of his rank to emphasise Hitler’s anger with him. Hitler commented: ‘The God of War has gone over to the other side.’

35. The Battle of Stalingrad is seen by many historians as a turning point in WW2. The battle at Stalingrad bled the German army dry in Russia and after this defeat, the Germany Army was in full retreat.

36. Casualties and losses: Germany est. 750,000 killed, missing or wounded 91,000 captured Aircraft: 900 (including 274 transports and 165 bombers used as transports)122–123 Total: 841,000 casualties Soviet Union 478,741 killed or missing 650,878 wounded and sick 40,000 civilians dead 4,341 tanks 15,728 guns and mortars 2,769 combat aircraft Total: 1,129,619 casualties

37. The battle is marked by its brutality and disregard for military and civilian casualties. It was amongst the bloodiest battles in the history of warfare with the higher estimates of combined casualties amounting to nearly two million deaths.

38. Stalingrad and World War Two by Megan Barnett and Jenny Carroll

39. The City Formerly known as Tsaritsyn (from 1589- 1925), the city was renamed Stalingrad, and remained so until 1961. During the time of de-Stalinisation, the city was renamed once again, now known as Volgograd. It is an important industrial city and the administrative centre of Volgograd Oblast, Russia. During the Second World War, however, it was made famous for the extensive damage and resistance it suffered during the Battle of Stalingrad.

40. Stalingrad Timeline July 17, 1942 - Battle of Stalingrad begins as the Luftwaffe begins to bomb the city and Soviet shipping on the Volga River August 23, 1942 - Panzer column reaches Volga River just north of Stalingrad September 13, 1942 - German ground offensive starts in the city November 19, 1942 - Red Army begins Operation Uranus to encircle German 6th Army November 23, 1942 - Encirclement is complete trapping roughly 290,000 Axis troops December 12, 1942 - Field Marshal von Manstein's army group launches an attack to relieve the 6th Army in Stalingrad. German advance is pushed back by the Soviets. February 2, 1943 - German troops trapped at Stalingrad surrender

41. What was it? The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad The battle took place between 17 July 1942 and 2 February 1943 and was among the largest on the Eastern Front, and was marked by its brutality and disregard for military and civilian casualties. It was amongst the bloodiest battles in the history of warfare with the higher estimates of combined casualties amounting to nearly two million deaths.

42. The Battle of Stalingrad German ArmyRussian Army Led by Paulus Led by Zhukov 1,011,500 men1,000,500 men 10, 290 artillery guns 13,541 artillery guns 675 tanks894 tanks 1,216 planes1,115 planes

43. The battle for the city descended into one of the most brutal in World War Two. Individual streets were fought over using hand-to-hand combat. The Germans took a great deal of the city but they failed to fully assert their authority, and areas captured by the Germans during the day, were re-taken by the Russians at night. On November 19th, the Russians were in a position whereby they could launch a counter-offensive. Marshal Zhukov used six armies of one million men to surround the city. The 5th tank regiment led by Romanenko attacked from the north as did the 21st Army (led by Chistyakov), the 65th Army (led by Chuikov) and the 24th Army (led by Galinin). The 64th, 57th and 521st armies attacked from the south. The attacking armies met up on November 23rd at Kalach with Stalingrad to the east. The bulk of the Sixth Army – some 250,000 to 300,000 men - was in the city and Zhukov, having used his resources to go around the city, north and south, had trapped the Germans in Stalingrad. The Battle of Stalingrad

44. Paulus could have broken out of this trap in the first stages of Zhukov’s attack but was forbidden from doing so by Hitler. Supreme Commander to 6 Army, January 24, 1943 "Surrender is forbidden. 6 Army will hold their positions to the last man and the last round and by their heroic endurance will make an unforgettable contribution towards the establishment of a defensive front and the salvation of the Western world." Hitler's communication with von Paulus. Unable to break out, the Germans also had to face the winter. Temperatures dropped to well below zero and food, ammunition and heat were in short supply.

45. The Battle of Stalingrad "My hands are done for, and have been ever since the beginning of December. The little finger of my left hand is missing and - what's even worse - the three middle fingers of my right one are frozen. I can only hold my mug with my thumb and little finger. I'm pretty helpless; only when a man has lost any fingers does he see how much he needs then for the smallest jobs. The best thing I can do with the little finger is to shoot with it. My hands are finished." Anonymous German soldier Hitler ordered that Paulus should fight to the last bullet, and to encourage Paulus, he promoted him to field marshal. However, by the end of January 1943, the Germans could do nothing else but surrender. Paulus surrendered the army in the southern sector on January 31st while General Schreck surrendered the northern group on February 2nd, 1943.

46. The Battle of Stalingrad "I was horrified when I saw the map. We're quite alone, without any help from outside. Hitler has left us in the lurch. Whether this letter gets away depends on whether we still hold the airfield. We are lying in the north of the city. The men in my unit already suspect the truth, but they aren't so exactly informed as I am. No, we are not going to be captured. When Stalingrad falls you will hear and read about it. Then you will know that I shall not return." Anonymous German soldier

47. Why was it important? The battle of Stalingrad was the battle that finally stopped German progression across Russia. It was where the Russian troops were sent by Stalin where they not only stopped German troops but surrounded them and left them with no way to get supplies or help in or out. Also Hitler ordered Paulus' entire 6th army to take Stalingrad, which helped to stop the drive for Moscow. Paulus' entire army was destroyed when Hitler ordered them to "Stand fast!"

48. Casualties The Battle of Stalingrad was the bloodiest in modern history, with combined casualties estimated at over 1,530,000 killed, wounded or captured. Historical reference regarding Stalingrad casualties varies greatly, so while this figure is just an estimate, it may be conservative. Soviet archives put military casualties closer to 2.6 million (excluding civilians). 790,000 Soviet casualties (750,000 Soviet military, 40,000 civilians) 740,000 Axis casualties (91,000 captured) To put this in perspective, the United States lost 416,800 service members during World War II, both in Europe and in the Pacific. The life expectancy for a Soviet private sent to the front was less than 24 hours, while that of a Soviet officer was 3 days. The battle took a toll of roughly 7,700 casualties per day Of the 91,000 German troops taken prisoner, less than 6,000 lived to return home

50. Battle of Kursk Tom Daniel & mike Pugh

51. Background After the battle of Stalingrad the axis lost up to 800,000 troops including the entire German sixth army seriously weakening Germany in the east Germany planned to mirror the Hindenburg line of the first world war by creating the panther woten line. They intended to use this defence to create an war of attrition against the Russians However in the defensive line the Russians held a large 200 km (120 mi) wide and 150 km (90 mi) deep salient The eastern front at the time of Operation Citadel. Orange areas show the destruction of an earlier Soviet breakthrough that ended with the Kharkov offensive operation. Green areas show German advances on Kursk.

52. Background contd. Most of the German front commanders agreed a defensive stance should be the priority, to contain Soviet offensives and deliver counter blows. Hitler accepted this advice. However Erich von Manstein insisted a first strike was still an option and an offensive to pinch out the Soviet salient at Kursk would be achievable before moving further south to recover more lost territory. Manstein wanted to attack in May but, owing to the poor tank strength of the German Army, Hitler delayed until July when newer tanks minimized the risk of defeat. The High Command hoped to regain the initiative on the Eastern Front by following Mansteins attack German plans

53. Events German army wanted to do a pincer movement to trap a fifth of the Soviet army and take the important city of Kursk through the tactic of Blitzkrieg, attacking in the north and south. After huge delays in planning, Hitler finally attacked on the 5 th July in the North. It had early success, but failed to capitalise, mainly because of successful Soviet defence and lack of German resources as they advanced. The Germans also attacked the south, but were similarly unsuccessful. Early successes were countered by a lack of resources as they got further. On 10th July, Hitler cancels the operation and moves troops away to Sicily. This has often been criticised because Germany still had a chance of victory. In the wake of Hitler cancelling and lack of German forces, the Soviets launch a counter-offensive in July in the North and in August in the South. This was successful.

54. German army

55. Casualties and significance Victory came at a cost for the Soviets. It actually suffered many more losses than Germans, both in men and machinery. German losses are estimated at around 54,000 whilst Russian losses are estimated at around 177,000. Russian losses were mainly suffered in the German offensive, with the huge depth of the Russian defences. It is also widely regarded as the ‘greatest tank battle in history’ as it witnessed some of the fiercest tank battles of the war. It is the largest series of armoured clashes of the war and the costliest single day of aerial warfare.

56. Tanks

57. Results The campaign was a decisive Soviet success. For the first time, a major German offensive had been stopped before achieving a breakthrough. The Germans, despite using more technologically advanced tanks than in previous years, were unable to break through the in-depth defences of the Red Army This was an outcome that few had predicted, and it changed the pattern of operations on the Eastern Front. The victory however had not been cheap the Red Army, although preventing the Germans from achieving their goals, lost considerably more men and materiel than the Wehrmacht. After the battle of Kursk the German army did not recover and found it’s self in strategic retreat for the remainder of the campaign in the east. The battle also led to Hitler becoming more involved in the military because he thought his general staff were incompetent because of this the Germans went from loss to loss To the West! calls this Soviet poster, while a Soviet soldier destroys the German To the East! sign

58. Russian victory and liberation of Berlin By Joel Peters and Samantha Cook Can you spot the picture of cheeky Stalin on each slide?

59. Mammoth efforts to create tanks All resources were put into mobile aggressive military measures and units (tanks, a million paratroopers !!, tactical attack aircraft, etc), not into defensive or 'static' measures ( land mines, fortifications, anti-aircraft units, long range bombers etc.). The entire doctrine of the Russian armed forces was aggressive. Defensive tactics were not taught at all and were considered defeatist in an army that by definition was intended to conquer all other countries.

60. Second Front June 1944 Russia wanted the other Allies to invade Europe and put pressure on the Axis from another direction. This would mean that Germany would have to divide their forces as well as supplies. If the Germans didn't do that the British, Americans and Canadians could march unopposed into Germany. The landing at D-Day created the second front the Russians wanted.

61. The Berlin War As the Red Army pushed across Poland to the River Oder they could muster a very strong fighting force - and completely outnumbered the Germans in terms of men and equipment. Joseph Stalin ordered his two leading generals - Zhukov and Konev - to race to the German capital. With such a huge advantage in manpower and equipment, getting to the actual capital was relatively easy in that the Germans were constantly retreating whereas the Russians had the advantage of forward momentum. Despite the obvious hopelessness of the situation, Hitler still planned to direct the defence of the city himself putting his faith in the German 12th Army that had withdrawn from the western front. Over two million artillery shells were fired into Berlin and the surrounding area in three weeks and 1 million Russian infantry troops took part in the assault on the city. Russia's vast tank superiority counted for little in the debris ridden streets of Berlin. The Germans who fought there were issued with portable anti-tank weaponry and could use hit-and-run tactics against Russian tanks. Areas had to be taken street by street and building by building. Casualty figures on both sides were high. The Russians simply destroyed a complete building if they had been fired on from somewhere within that building.

62. GermanyRussia Soldiers596,5001,670,000 Artillery8,23028,000 Tanks7003,300 Aircraft1,30010,000 "The amount of equipment deployed for the Berlin operation was so huge I simply cannot describe it and I was there.........“Alex Popov, 5th Shock Army 1945.

63. The End German forces in Berlin surrender: The Battle of Berlin ended on 2 May 1945. On this date, General of the Artillery Helmuth Weidling, the commander of the Berlin Defense Area, unconditionally surrendered the city to General Vasily Chuikov of the Soviet army.On the same day the officers commanding the two armies of Army Group Vistula north of Berlin, (General Kurt von Tippelskirch commander of the German 21st Army and General Hasso von Manteuffel commander of Third Panzer Army) surrendered to the Western Allies The Russians lost 80,000 men killed and 275,000 wounded or missing in the lead up to the battle and in the battle itself. Two thousand Russian tanks were destroyed. 150,000 Germans were killed during the battle. In Berlin, the NKVD troops found 3 tons of uranium oxide – so Russia could develop their first nuclear weapon