Richard W. Harrison - Prelude to berlin: the red armys offensive operations in poland and eastern germany, 1945

Prelude to Berlin: The Red Armys Offensive Operations in Poland and Eastern Germany 1945 offers a panoramic view of the Soviet strategic offensives north of the Carpathians in the winter of 1945. During the course of this offensive the Red Army broke through the German defences in Poland and East Prussia and eventually occupied all of Germany east of the Oder River.

The book consists primarily of articles that appeared in various military journals during the first decade after the war. The General Staffs directorate charged with studying the war experience published these studies, although there are other sources as well. A particular highlight of these is a personal memoir that offers a rare insight into Soviet strategic planning for the winterspring 1945 campaign. Also featured are documents relating to the operational-strategic conduct of the various operations, which were compiled and published after the fall of the Soviet Union.

The book is divided into several parts, corresponding to the operations conducted. These include the VistulaOder operation by the First Belorussian and First Ukrainian Fronts out of their respective Vistula bridgeheads. This gigantic operation, involving over a million men and several thousand tanks, artillery and other weapons sliced through the German defences and, in a single leap, advanced the front to the Oder River, less than 100 kilometres from Berlin, from which they launched their final assault on the Reich in April. Equally impressive was the Second and Third Belorussian Fronts offensive into Germanys East Prussian citadel. This operation helped to clear the flank to the north and exacted a long-awaited revenge for the Russian Armys defeat here in 1914. This effort cut off the German forces in East Prussia and concluded with an effort to clear the flanks in Pomerania and the storming of the East Prussian capital of Knigsberg in April. The study also examines in considerable detail the First Ukrainian Fronts Upper and Lower Silesian operations of FebruaryMarch 1945. These operations cleared the armys flanks in the south and deprived Germany of one of its last major industrial and agricultural areas.

Richard W. Harrison earned his undergraduate and masters degrees from Georgetown University, where he specialized in Russian area studies. In 1994 he earned his doctorate in War Studies from Kings College London. He also was an exchange student in the former Soviet Union and spent several years living and working in post-communist Russia.

Dr. Harrison has worked for the US Department of Defense as an investigator in Russia, dealing with cases involving POWs and MIAs. He has also taught Russian history and military history at college and university level, most recently at the US Military Academy at West Point.

Harrison is the author of two books dealing with the Red Armys theoretical development during the interwar period: The Russian Way of War: Operational Art, 19041940 (2001), and Architect of Soviet Victory in World War II: The Life and Theories of G.S. Isserson (2010). He has also authored a number of articles on topics in Soviet military history. He is currently working on a history of the Red Armys high commands during World War II and afterwards.

Dr. Harrison currently lives with his family near Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

PRELUDE TO BERLIN

THE RED ARMYS OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS IN POLAND AND EASTERN GERMANY, 1945

The Red Armys Offensive Operations in Poland and Eastern Germany, 1945

Soviet General Staff

Edited and translated by Richard W. Harrison

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Published by Helion & Company 2016, in cooperation with the Association of the United States Army

Designed and typeset by Mach 3 Solutions Ltd, Bussage, Gloucestershire

Cover designed by Paul Hewitt, Battlefield Design ( www.battlefield-design.co.uk )

Text and maps Association of the United States Army. English edition translated and edited by Richard W. Harrison. Maps drawn by David Rennie.

ISBN 978-1-910777-16-9

eISBN 978-1-91217-456-0

Mobi ISBN 978-1-91217-456-0

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

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Overall Situation by the Start of the 1945 Campaign in Europe.

The Situation along the First Belorussian and First Ukrainian Fronts Sectors by the Beginning of January 1945.

The Decision by the Commanders of the First Belorussian and First Ukrainian Fronts on the Conduct of the Operation along the Poznan and Breslau Directions.

The Course of Operations (January 12-February 7, 1945).

The Plan of the East Prussian Operation and the Overall Situation by its Start.

Combat Activities in the East Prussian Operation (January 13-April 25, 1945).

The Soviet Offensive in Eastern Pomerania, Silesia and the Carpathians, February-March 1945.

III/1.1 Approximate Number of Fortified Concrete Pillboxes in the Second Belorussian Fronts Offensive Sector

III/3.1 1st Air Army Strength, January 1945

III/3.2 Correlation of Aviation Forces in the Third Belorussian Fronts Operational Zone

III/3.3 Preparatory Work in the Third Belorussian Fronts Zone

III/3.4 Railroad Capacity in the Third Belorussian Front Zone

III/3.5 Provision of Supplies for the Third Belorussian Front, 13 January 1945

III/3.6 Expenditure of Supplies by the Third Belorussian Front

III/3.7 Provision of Food and Forage (in Daily Rations) for the Third Belorussian Front

III/3.8 Correlation of Forces in the Third Belorussian Fronts Zone

III/3.9 Correlation of Forces Along the Axis of the Main Attack of the Third Belorussian Front

III/3.10 Artillery Density within Army Breakthrough Zones of the Second Belorussian Front

III/3.11 Distribution of Tanks & Self-Propelled Guns, Second Belorussian Front

III/3.12 4th Air Army Strength, 14 January 1945

III/3.13 Distribution of Aircraft, 4th Air Army

III/3.14 Provision of Ammunition and Fuel, 4th Air Army

III/3.15 Engineering Preparation Within Bridgeheads, Second Belorussian Front

III/3.16 The Second Belorussian Fronts Provision for Bridge Crossings

III/3.17 Supply Reserves, Second Belorussian Front

III/3.18 Front and Army Base Depots, Second Belorussian Front

III/3.19 Food and Forage Provisioning (in Daily Rations), Second Belorussian Front

III/3.20 Supply of Fuel Refills, Second Belorussian Front

III/3.21 Planned Expenditure of Fuel, Second Belorussian Front

III/3.22 Provision of Ammunition, Second Belorussian Front

III/3.23 Availability of Automobiles, Second Belorussian Front