King Tiger's World War 2 Battlefield Tour (Europe)

King Tiger · May 1, 2015

41. Advance into the Third Reich

By early 1945, events favored the Allied forces in Europe.

Allied invasion of Germany was conducted in the final months of the European theatre in World War II.
The invasion started with the Western Allies crossing the Rhine and overrunning all of western Germany
from the Baltic in the north to Austria in the south before the Germans surrendered on 8 May 1945.

On the Eastern Front, the Soviet Red Army had captured most of Poland and were nearing Berlin.
The Soviets also pushed into Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria and eastern Czechoslovakia.

King Tiger · May 1, 2015

On the Western Front

April 1945 - Destroyed Panther tank in Cologne
The 3rd Armored Division advance on the Cologne center and the cathedral on March 1945 after a fierce tank battle.

Oct 2008 - Cologne Present Day
Photo taken during my family holiday trip to Western Europe in Oct 2008.

King Tiger · May 1, 2015

Apr 1945 - Ruining city of Dresden
The bombing of Dresden took place in the final months of the Second World War.
The raids by 722 heavy bombers of the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and 527 of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF)
dropped more than 3,900 tons of high-explosive bombs and incendiary devices on the city.
The bombing and the resulting firestorm destroyed over 1,600 acres of the city centre.
An estimated 25,000 people were killed.

Sep 2013 - Dresden Present Day
Photo taken during my family holiday trip to Eastern Europe in Sep 2013.

King Tiger · May 1, 2015

On the Eastern Front

Feb 1945 - The ruins of Széchenyi Chain Bridge and the Buda Castle
The Battle of Budapest was a 50 days encirclement of the Hungarian capital of Budapest by Soviet forces near the end of World War II.
During the battle, about 38,000 civilians died from starvation and military action.
The city surrendered on 13 February 1945. It was a strategic victory for the Allies in their push towards Berlin.

Sep 2013 - Széchenyi Chain Bridge and the Buda Castle today
Photo taken during my family holiday trip to Eastern Europe in Sep 2013.

King Tiger · May 1, 2015

Jan 1945 - Warsaw's Old Town Market Place is the center and oldest part of the Old Town of Warsaw, capital of Poland.
Immediately after the Warsaw Uprising, 85% of the city was deliberately destroyed by the German forces.

Sep 2013 - Warsaw's Old Town Market Place today, the centre was undergoing major renovation to restored to its prewar appearance.
Photo taken during my family holiday trip to Eastern Europe in Sep 2013.

King Tiger · May 2, 2015

42. Battle of Berlin
The Battle of Berlin was the final major offensive of the European theatre of World War II.

Two Soviet fronts (army groups) attacked Berlin from the east and south, while a third overran German forces positioned north of Berlin.
The battle within the city lasted from 20 April until the morning of 2 May.

King Tiger · May 2, 2015

The first defensive preparations at the outskirts of Berlin were made on 20 March,
when the newly appointed commander of Army Group Vistula, General Gotthard Heinrici,
correctly anticipated that the main Soviet thrust would be made over the Oder River.
Before the main battle in Berlin commenced, the Soviets managed to encircle the city as
a result of their success in the battles of the Seelow Heights and Halbe.

During 20 April 1945, the 1st Belorussian Front led by Marshal Georgy Zhukov started shelling Berlin's city centre,
while Marshal Ivan Konev's 1st Ukrainian Front had pushed from the south through the last formations of Army Group Centre.

King Tiger · May 2, 2015

The German defences were mainly led by Helmuth Weidling and consisted of
several depleted, badly equipped, and disorganised Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS divisions,
which included many SS foreign volunteers, as well as poorly trained Volkssturm and Hitler Youth members.
Within the next few days, the Soviets rapidly advanced through the city and reached the city centre where close-quarters combat raged.

King Tiger · May 2, 2015

On 29 April the Soviet 3rd Shock Army crossed the Moltke bridge and started to fan out into the surrounding streets and buildings.
It saw the heaviest fighting, with street to street, house to house, room to room and hand to hand combat.
The Soviet were hampered heavily by the German defenders.

On the next day 30 April, the Soviets solved their bridging problems and with artillery support, they launched an attack on the Reichstag.
German entrenchments and support from 12.8 cm guns, defend till the end, it was not until that evening that the Soviets were able to enter the building.
The German troops inside made excellent use of this and were heavily entrenched.
Fierce room-to-room fighting ensued.
Latter of the day, a large contingent of German soldiers in the basement launched counter-attacks against the Red Army.
It was not until 02 May, the Red Army finally controlled the building entirely, at a very heavy cost to both sides.

King Tiger · May 2, 2015

Apr 1945 - Soviet tanks moving towards Reichstag

Oct 2013 - Reichstag today. Me waiting for the right moment, precise timing and take the same shot inside the tour bus during my Berlin tour in Oct 2013.

King Tiger · May 2, 2015

Apr 1945 - The Battle for the Reichstag was the vicious and final phase of the Battle of Berlin in which
the Soviet 150th Rifle Division fought against a 1,000-men German garrison who entrench inside the Reichstag.
These men fought tenaciously, causing heavy losses to the Soviet forces.
Finally, on May 2, 1945, the Red Army was able to control the whole building.

Oct 2013 - Reichstag today, me waiting for the right moment and take the shot inside the tour bus during my Berlin tour in Oct 2013.

King Tiger · May 2, 2015

Apr 1945 - Soviets commanders debrief the troops after the battle at Brandenburg Gate