April 16, 1945
The Oder–Neisse offensive begins
The 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian Fronts attack from bridgeheads east of Berlin while the 2nd Belorussian Front prepares to move farther north. Searchlights, artillery, armor, and massed infantry do not erase the difficulty of the terrain or the surviving German defenses.
WHAT TO NOTICEThe final offensive is a multi-front operation over rivers and prepared ground, not an instant breakthrough.