Race for Berlin 1944 – 1945

· After France was liberated, the next countries to be set free were Holland, Belgium, Luxemburg, Denmark and Norway

· The German army would attempt one more major offensive to try to push the allies back

· The Battle of the Bulge (December 1944) would be somewhat successful until the German forces ran out of reserves of food and ammunition

· This three week offensive would be stopped by the allies who have the advantage with numbers and equipment (Canadians, British, French, Americans and Australians)

· The Allied Forces would concentrate on pushing the Germans from the west

· The Russians are pushing very quickly on the east of Germany, racing to capture Berlin

· The German forces are squished in the middle and are forced to fight on two fronts

· The Allies on the west are liberating death camps, setting the remaining Jews free

· All the major German cities have been totally destroyed by the Allied bombs by January 1945 (Cologne, Hamburg, Berlin and Dresden)

· German citizens are protesting against the Nazi government, demanding that Hitler end the war

· The German soldiers have lost their will and spirit to fight and are surrendering by the thousands

· Hitler’s youth groups are defending the outskirts of Berlin

· German aircrafts and tanks were non-existent

· German manufacturing plants are completely destroyed

· Water, sewage and electricity are knocked out

· There is neither radio nor radar left. People are confused and do not know if the Germans are winning or losing the war

· Hitler and some of the top generals are hiding in huge concrete bunkers in Berlin