History of Wars Summary 11 - WWII 17 Germany's Final Days and the Fall of Berlin

In the spring of 1945, the Allied forces launched their final offensive into mainland Germany. In the west, American and British troops crossed the Rhine and advanced into Germany, while in the east, Soviet forces approached Berlin. The German army was short on troops and equipment, and its cities and industrial facilities had suffered heavy damage from Allied bombing. When Soviet troops reached the outskirts of Berlin in April, urban warfare began. Hitler attempted to command the war from his underground bunker until the very end, but he could not prevent Germany's defeat. Hitler committed suicide on April 30th, and German resistance in Berlin rapidly weakened. The Berlin garrison surrendered on May 2nd, followed by the surrender of major German army units. Germany's new government negotiated surrender terms with the Allies and signed the surrender document on May 7th. On May 8th, Germany's unconditional surrender took effect in Europe, ending the war in Europe. However, the war with Japan continued in the Pacific.