bigpigeon.us webpage WWII-Germany > The ETO > Central Europe > Germany Surrenders, © 2023 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 9 Nov 2022.
Webpage being modified. Early content will be moved to new webpages.
Webpage being modified. Early content will be moved to new webpages.
In the winter and spring of 1945, Soviet forces advancing through Poland overran the part of Germany north of Czechoslovakia, including the German capital of Berlin, while the Western Allies crossed the Rhine in March and then fought east through the remainder of Germany.
Here are some memorable dates, including Soviet operations, for this, the last phase of World War II in Europe:
Here are some memorable dates, including Soviet operations, for this, the last phase of World War II in Europe:
- 1 Apr 1945 - Ruhr, Germany's largest industrial area, surrounded.
- 12 Apr 1945 - Anticipating future Holocaust-deniers, General Eisenhower visits the liberated concentration camp at Ohrdruf near Buchenwald.
- 12 Apr 1945 - President Roosevelt dies suddenly in Warm Springs, Georgia.
- 16 Apr 1945 - Russians begin Battle of Berlin.
- 25 Apr 1945 - American and Russian troops meet at Torgau on the Elbe River northeast of Leipzig.
- 30 Apr 1945 - Adolf Hitler suicides in his Berlin bunker.
- 2 May 1945 - Berlin falls after massive, lengthy, and bloody Russian attack.
- 7 May 1945 - Germany surrenders at Reims, France.
- 8 May 1945 - V-E (Victory in Europe) Day, European hostilities cease.
Occupying the Ruhr - March-April 1945
Elements of the US First Army began crossing the Rhine with the siezure of the bridge at Remagen on March 7. The Ninth Army crossed with Montgomery's 21st Army Group in Operation Plunder near Wesel beginning on March 23.
Once across the Rhine, the Ninth Army was returned from British control to become part of Bradley's 12th Army Group. The Ninth and the First Armies then coordinated their efforts to seal off and then capture the Ruhr, on the east side of the Rhine and Germany's largest industrial area. Most German forces in the Ruhr Pocket surrendered on April 16. Organized resistance ended on April 18. By then, much of the Ninth and First Armies had advanced well to the east. |
The Western Allies Drive Across Central Germany - April-May 1945
By April 19, the Ninth and First Armies had reached the west bank of the Elbe River, with Russian forces already on the east bank.
During the last several weeks of the war, Patton's Third Army, to the south of the First Army, occupied most of southeastern Germany, penetrating into small portions of Czechoslovakia and Austria. The Seventh Army and the French 1st Army focused on occupying southwestern Germany, with elements of the Seventh Army making contact with the US Fifth Army at Brenner Pass on the Austrian - Italian border. The Canadian First Army continued liberating the Netherlands. Much to the chagrin of General Montgomery, the British Second Army's primary responsibility was flank protection as the US Ninth Army raced across the north German plain. |
Germany Surrenders - 7 May 1945
Germany forces in Italy had already surrendered effective May 2.
In the final weeks of the war, some high-ranking German figures attempted to negotiate a conditional surrender to the Western Allies. These attempts were rebuffed. The unconditional German surrender to the Allies occurred on May 7, 1945 at General Eisenhower's ETO headquarters in Reims, France, in a building now housing a museum. General Jodl, who represented Germany, was one of the Nazi leaders later executed in 1946. Although the surrender document was signed early on 7 May 7, hostilities were to cease late on 8 May. I know of two events where smaller German military units acted independently and with compassion before the German government's surrender.
How the world celebrated on May 8! |
The Allied Armies at the End of the War with Germany
The accompanying map shows the position of the Allied armies just after hostilities ended. Some commentary:
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After the Surrender
Germany was divided into four occupation zones, with Berlin in the middle of the Russian zone.
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Sources for Big Pigeon's The ETO > Central Europe > Germany Surrenders webpage:
Pottawattamie Area WW II Dead - Central Europe > Germany Surrenders: (distributed elsewhere)
† Baraks, Frederick August, served as Barracks Frederick A, SN 36-448-659, US Army, Rock Island Co., IL
- The page header photo, Soviet Flag on the Reichstag, is courtesy of rarehistoricalphotos.com. The Battle of Berlin raged from 16 Apr to 2 May. 80,000 Russian troops died; German losses, including civilians, were higher. The first Soviet flag was raised at night on 30 Apr and removed by German soldiers. This photo, taken on 2 May by Yevgeny Khaldei, was subject to a bit of editing, including adding smoke.
- The Enveloping the Ruhr map is courtesy of historynet.com.
- The Final Phase of the Central European Campaign map is courtesy of the United States Military Academy History Department.
- The photo of General Jodl at the surrender table is courtesy of ww2db.com.
- The V-E Day Buckingham Palace photo is courtesy of the Imperial War Museum in London.
- I found The Allied Armies at Wars End map at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_of_contact#/media/File:Allied_army_positions_on_10_May_1945.png.
- The Germany after WW II map is courtesy of http://germanhistorydocs.ghi-dc.org.
Pottawattamie Area WW II Dead - Central Europe > Germany Surrenders: (distributed elsewhere)
- Taken from the bigpigeon.us WWII Roster module.
† Baraks, Frederick August, served as Barracks Frederick A, SN 36-448-659, US Army, Rock Island Co., IL
- 449th Military Police Co., assigned to unknown corps, landed at Utah Beach 6 Jun 1944, served in the Battle of the Bulge; KIA 4 Apr 1945, death location unknown; Central Europe > Beyond the Rhine.
- Co. K, 22nd Inf. Regt., 4th Inf. Div., XXI Corps, Seventh Army; KIA 5 Apr 1945 near Ochsenfurt, SE of Würzburg, Bavaria, Germany; Central Europe > Southern Germany.
- 712th Tank Bn., Seventh Army; KIA 1 Apr 1945 in Germany; Central Europe > Beyond the Rhine.
- Co. E, 254th Inf. Regt., 63rd Inf. Div., VI Corps, Seventh Army; KIA 8 Apr 1945 near Weißbach, SW of Würzburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany; Central Europe > Southern Germany.
- Co. D; 786th Tank Bn., attached to 99th Inf. Div., III Corps, First Army; KIA 28 Mar 1945 near Giessen, Hesse, Germany; Central Europe > Beyond the Rhine.
- Co. I, 357th Inf. Regt., 90th Inf. Div., Third Army; KIA 18 Apr 1945, SE Germany, near Schwartzenbach & Hof, Bavaria; Central Europe > Central Germany.
- Co. K, 406th Inf. Regt., 102nd Inf. Div., XIII Corps, Ninth Army; KIA 18 Apr 1945, E of Hanover, near the Elbe River, Germany; Central Europe > Central Germany.
- Co. A, 60th Armored Inf. Bn., 9th Armored Div., V Corps, First Army; KIA 31 Mar 1945 attacking Luftwaffe airfield near Fritzlar, SW of Kassel, Hesse, Germany; Central Europe > Beyond the Rhine.
- Co. A, 61st Armored Inf. Bn., 10th Armored Div., Third Army (10th Armored Div. attached to Seventh Army 8 Apr 1945); KIA 8 Apr 1945 near Wolpertshausen, E of Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg, Germany; Battle of Heilbronn - Central Europe > Central Germany.
- C.O., Co. K, 346th Inf. Regt., 86th Inf. Div., III Corps, Third Army; WIA 30 Apr 1945 near Berglern, Bavaria ~ 30 miles NE of Munich; DOW 1 May 1945; Central Europe > Southern Germany.
- Co. G, 330th Inf. Regt., 83rd Inf. Div., VII Corps, First Army; captured 5 Jan 1945 during German counterattack on Hill 108 near Lansival, W of Vielsalm, Belgium; perhaps processed at POW camp Stalag 12A, Limberg, E of Koblenz, Germany and then transferred to Stalag 9B, Bad Orb, NE of Hanau, Hesse, Germany; DNB 3 Mar 1945; pneumonia; Central Europe > Central Germany.
- Field Artillery, unit unknown; KIA 26 Mar 1945 unknown location in Germany; Central Europe > Beyond the Rhine.
- Co. F, 33rd Armored Regt., 3rd Armored Div., VII Corps, First Army; KIA 30 Mar 1945 E of the Ruhr, near Schloss Hamborn, S of Paderborn, eastern North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany; Central Europe > Beyond the Rhine.
- 33rd Armored Regt., 3rd Armored Div., VII Corps, First Army; KIA 26 Mar 1945 25 miles E of Bonn near Altenkirchen, eastern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany; Central Europe > Beyond the Rhine.
- Troop B, 116th Cavalry Recon. Sqdn., 101st Cavalry Gp., attached to 12th Armored Div., XXI Corps, Seventh Army; KIA 16 Apr 1945 W of Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany; Central Europe > Southern Germany.
- Co. K, 399th Inf. Regt., 100th Inf. Div., VI Corps, Seventh Army; KIA 21 Apr 1945 Waldenbronn, near Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany; Central Europe > Southern Germany.
- Co. B, 756th Tank Bn., attached to 3rd Inf. Div., XV Corps, Seventh Army; WIA 18 Apr 1945 Bavaria, Germany; DOW 21 Apr 1945 in hospital, France; Battle of Nuremberg - Central Europe > Southern Germany.