The Western Allied invasion of Germany was the last great offensive of the war in Europe, carried out by American, British, Canadian and French armies in the final months of the Second World War. After the Rhine crossings in February and March 1945 had broken the German defenders, the Allied invasion east of the river began on 22 March 1945. The armies then fanned out and overran western Germany from the Baltic to the Alpine passes. On 25 April 1945, on the day known as Elbe Day, they met the Red Army and cut Germany in two. The capture of Berchtesgaden ended any hope of a last stand in a national redoubt in the Alps, and Germany surrendered unconditionally on 8 May 1945. American military histories call the campaign the Central Europe Campaign.
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Source Western Allied invasion of Germany (Wikipedia)
Source Western Allied invasion of Germany (Wikipedia)
Source Western Allied invasion of Germany (Wikipedia)
Source Western Allied invasion of Germany (Wikipedia)
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Source Western Allied invasion of Germany (Wikipedia)Lead, locationQuote, Lead, location
overrunning all of western Germany from the Baltic in the north to the Alpine passes in the south
Sources
1. Western Allied invasion of Germany (Wikipedia)
Lead, start date
The Allied invasion of Germany east of the Rhine started with the Western Allies crossing the river on 22 March 1945
Lead, outcome
shortly followed by unconditional German surrender on 8 May 1945
Lead, end date
shortly followed by unconditional German surrender on 8 May 1945
Lead, location
overrunning all of western Germany from the Baltic in the north to the Alpine passes in the south
Part Of: World War II, Lead, war
The Western Allied invasion of Germany was coordinated by the Western Allies during the final months of hostilities in the European theatre of World War II.
Fought In: Canadian Army, Army group sections
Within 21st Army Group the Canadian First Army (under Harry Crerar) held the left flank of the Allied line, with the British Second Army (Miles C. Dempsey) in the center and the U.S. 9th Army (William Hood Simpson) to the south.
Fought In: British Army, Army group sections
Within 21st Army Group the Canadian First Army (under Harry Crerar) held the left flank of the Allied line, with the British Second Army (Miles C. Dempsey) in the center and the U.S. 9th Army (William Hood Simpson) to the south.
Fought In: United States Army, Army group sections
Within 21st Army Group the Canadian First Army (under Harry Crerar) held the left flank of the Allied line, with the British Second Army (Miles C. Dempsey) in the center and the U.S. 9th Army (William Hood Simpson) to the south.
Fought In: Wehrmacht, Background
Additional losses in the Rhineland further weakened the German Army, leaving shattered remnants of units to defend the east bank of the Rhine.
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