Battle of The Seelow Heights - Battle

Battle

In the early hours of 16 April, the offensive began with a massive bombardment by thousands of artillery pieces and Katyushas. Well before dawn, the 1st Belorussian Front attacked across the Oder and the 1st Ukrainian Front attacked across the Neisse. The 1st Belorussian Front was the stronger force, but it had the more difficult assignment since it was facing the bulk of the German forces.

The initial assault by the 1st Belorussian Front turned into a disaster for them. Heinrici and Busse had anticipated the attack and withdrawn their defenders from the first line of trenches just before the Soviet artillery would have obliterated them. The swampy ground proved to be a great hindrance, and a German counter-barrage caused heavy Soviet casualties. Frustrated by the slow advance, Zhukov threw in his reserves, which according to his earlier plan were to be held back until the expected breakthrough. By early evening, an advance of 4–6 km (2.5–3.7 mi) had been achieved (the 77th Rifle Corps from the 3rd Shock Army had advanced 8 km (5.0 mi)), but the second German defensive line remained intact. Zhukov was forced to report that his battle was not going as planned. However, in the south the attack by Konev's 1st Ukrainian Front was going according to plan. To spur Zhukov on, Stalin told him that he would let Konev direct his tank armies north, toward the great prize of Berlin.

Losses of 16 April:

Armor losses: 71 tanks and SPGs knocked out, 77 damaged, 40 by other causes (breakdowns, getting stuck, etc.).

On the second day, the 1st Belorussian Front's troops continued to advance in accordance with the initial plan. By nightfall on 17 April, the German second defensive line (Stein Stellung) was broken by the 5th Shock Army and 2nd Guards Tank Army. The right flank of the 4th Guards Rifle Corps of the 8th Guards Army—together with the 11th Tank Corps of the 1st Guards Tank Army—had taken advantage of the success of their comrades who had broken through the second defensive line. The 47th and the 3rd Shock Armies progressed another 4–8 km (2.5–5.0 mi).

Losses of 17 April:

Armor losses: 79 tanks and SPGs knocked out, 85 damaged, 15 from other causes.

To the south however, the 1st Ukrainian Front was pushing back the 4th Panzer Army; the left flank of Army Group Center under Ferdinand Schörner was beginning to crumble. Schörner kept his two reserve panzer divisions in the south covering his center, instead of using them to shore up the 4th Panzer Division. This was the turning point in the battle, because the positions of both Army Group Vistula and the center and right sectors of Army Group Center were becoming untenable. Unless they fell back in line with the 4th Panzer Division, they faced envelopment.

In effect, Konev's successful attack on Schörner's poor defenses to the south of Seelow Heights was unhinging Heinrici's brilliant defense.

On 18 April, both Soviet fronts advanced with heavy losses. The Seelow Heights was bypassed from the north, during which Soviet troops met counter attacks by German reserves (11th SS Panzergrenadier Division Nordland, 23rd SS Panzergrenadier Division Nederland and SS-Panzer Abteilung 103 (503rd). By nightfall, an advance of 3–5 km (1.9–3.1 mi) on the right flank and 3–8 km (1.9–5.0 mi) in the center had been achieved, and the 1st Belorussian Front had reached the third and final German line of defense.

Losses of 18 April:

Armor losses: 65 tanks and SPGs knocked out, 86 damaged, 13 from other causes.

On 19 April, the 1st Belorussian Front broke through the final line of the Seelow Heights and nothing but broken German formations lay between them and Berlin. The remnants of the 9th Army and the 4th Panzer Army were enveloped by the 1st Belorussian Front and by elements of the 1st Ukrainian Front which had broken through and turned north. Other armies of the 1st Ukrainian Front raced west toward the Americans. By the close of 19 April, the German Eastern Front line had ceased to exist. All that remained were pockets of resistance.

Losses of 19 April:

Armor losses: 105 tanks and SPGs knocked out, 76 damaged, 8 from other causes.

Total losses of 1GTA, 47A, 61A, 69A, and 3SA 16–19 April: 3957 killed, 15590 wounded.

Losses of the 33rd Army 15–20 April: 1,687 killed, 7,213 wounded, 128 missing, 13 non-battle, 206 disease.

Losses of the 5th Shock Army 11–30 April: 3,628 killed, 13,702 wounded, 60 missing, 476 from other causes.

Losses of the 8th Guards Army 16–20 April: 12-13,000 total casualties.

Losses of the 2nd Guards Tank Army (only three corps without army troops) 16–21 April: 265 killed, 1,530 wounded.