The Fall of Berlin 1945

Like Cornelius Ryan's "The Last Battle" and John Toland's "The last Hundred Days", this terrific new book by acclaimed British historian Antony Beevor ("Stalingrad") is both an entertaining thought piece and an incredibly well researched and infinitely detailed description of the fall of Berlin at the end of World War Two. Plagued by food and heating fuel shortages, endangered by increasingly devastating bombardment from a sky full of Allied planes, and badgered by the frantic desperation of the Nazi leadership, the people of Berlin awaited the denouement of the long raging conflict and the terrible retribution they felt certain would rage from the Russians, who had been savaged themselves at the hands of the Wehrmacht during the blitzkrieg of 1941-42. When their moment came, the Soviets ruthlessly pursued it to ensure taking the last full measure of terror.With strict (but secret) orders from Hitler to quickly annihilate what he and the Nazi leadership considered to be the "subhuman Slavs" in order to make "liebenstraum" (living room) for future German colonization, the Germans had conducted a campaign of such staggering and unparalleled brutality, of such senseless slaughter during their sweep east toward Stalingrad and Moscow that afterward the Russians literally seethed with a profound bloodlust, aching for a chance at revenge. Now that the tide had turned and the Soviet army was flooding over the eastern borders of the fatherland, their chance had arrived, and the day of reckoning was fast approaching.Beevor's treatment of the story of the fall of Berlin in 1945 is rich with detail and anecdotal information, which helps bring the story to life, putting a human face on the horrific specifics of life in a city under siege. While Hitler cowered deep beneath the city in his bunker, fantasizing about his imminent rescue, Zhukov's Russian shock troops were encircling the city. Yet, it never deteriorated into a situation of "every man for himself'. The author's narrative is filled with examples of individual bravery and personal sacrifice for the benefit of others. Amid the savagery and carnage that surrounded them, ordinary men and women went about their ruined lives, just trying as best they could to survive. Yet hundreds of thousands perished, succumbing to the numbing effect of shelling, bombs, fires, gun-battles and random rape, victims of a half-starved and hate-filled foe hell-bent on bloody revenge.The author masterfully employs previously unavailable Soviet and German archives to thread a storyline very well told. In so doing, Beevor delivers a very compelling vision of the people and events that shaped the progressive collapse of Berlin under the constant bombardment and attacks of the Russian army, and the horror that awaited ordinary Berliners in the line of fire. What he gives us is an indelibly colored portrait of a time of great pitch and moment in the history of the modern world, a snapshot of two titans, the Germans and Russians, locked in mortal combat in one of the great cities of Europe. The aftermath of that struggle was felt for decades afterward. This is a well-written and very carefully researched book, one that added to my personal knowledge of the history of the Second World War. I heartily recommend it. Enjoy!

Excellent book about the last weeks of the capital.

First of all, if you truly want to know what this author is capable of then I strongly recommend you read his book 'Stalingrad: The Fateful Seige, 1942-1943' instead of 'Berlin 1945'. That said, there were many things I both enjoyed about this book, and there were many subjects left untouched or just brushed upon that needed further explanation.Unlike his book 'Stalingrad' Beevor never spends too much time on any one individual, thereby not allowing the reader to get an intimate character portrayal of many key figures. The maps are almost an afterthought, and while the book covers the periods of January to May of 1945 almost all the maps pertain to the months of April and May. While he clearly is focused on the Eastern Front and "Army Group Vistula" he spends next to no time explaining what happened that caused such dire consequences as Germany faced in 1945. The book spent no time at all revelaing the ultimate fate of any of these key players, whether they perished in captivity, won their freedom or escaped across the Elbe and the relative paradise of the Western Allies. And the book generally followed a predictable course, with the Volksturm, Wehrmacht and Hitler Youth only fighting to escape either capture from the Red Army or a hanging at the hands of the SS or Feldgendarmie. The Red Army, on the other hand, were bent solely on rape, pillage, wanton destruction and random execution. While I realize this is certainly true and often characteristic of the Ostfront, Beevor shed no light on the brave and selfless actions of so many, both Soviet or German. This book contains no heroes.However, as usual, Beevor paints a graphic portrait of human suffering, and this book, unlike so many others, spends a good deal of time on the civilian population. The hardships were hard to comprehend. The suffering (often taken in stride and with dark humor by German civilians) was brutal, depressing, and savage. If nothing else one can come away with a better understanding of the carnage suffered by all. The largest migration in world history was due to the advance of the Red Army. The Nazi leadership, unwilling to admit defeat, arrogantly called for "fighting to the last man" and "no retreat of civilians" until it was often too late. The Gauletiers in charge of each town would then slip away, leaving the civilians to suffer the wrath of the Red Army. This is explored in depth. As was the Soviet practice of whipping their soldiers into a hysterical, alchohol induced frenzy of revenge. The Red Army was a band of ruthless rapists on the prowl, and everyone knew not to move until morning, when the soldiers were sleeping off their drunkeness. It was often to no avail. To this day the former Soviet Union would never admit their wanton cruelty and wretchedly excessive use of force. The scale of this brutality is staggering. Unfortunately, the many hundreds of thousands who died so that others had a chance to escape out of this cauldron were never recognized. A great disservice to these brave men and women.Definitely worth reading.

Mr Beevor is one of my favourite war historians.This book gives the reader an impression of what went on at the end of the war and the chaos in Berlin. Highly recommended.

“The Fall of Berlin” is an exciting, detailed account of the Russian assault on Berlin that finally brought down the Nazi regime in May 1945. The drama comes to life through riveting anecdotes of German and Russian soldiers, officers and the civilians who lived through the relentless shelling and street battles. Author Anthony Beevor outlines troop strengths, objectives and tactics. He takes us into the Fuhrer’s bunker to witness the increasing madness and futility and into the Kremlin where Stalin’s steely calculations about victory and the spoils of war are formed. He draws memorable portraits of generals on both sides. Especially interesting was the intense rivalry between Russian Generals Konev and Zhukov, each determined to be the first to enter Berlin, each observed day and night by the NKVD and Communist Party political operatives.Beevor describes scenes of utter terror: the German army, south of Berlin, fleeing through the dense forests of the Halde Kessel; women suffering mass rapes by the Russian soldiers. And there are plenty of heroics: the street by street, building by building, even room by room fighting by which the Soviets made their way to the center of Berlin; the efforts of the Kreigsmarine to save German civilians trapped behind Russian lines along the Baltic coast; the final fierce attack on the Reichstag. There’s an excellent discussion of the race to Berlin from both the west and east, ultimately conceded to the Russians, and the misreading by the dying President Roosevelt of Stalin’s intentions in Soviet-controlled territory. Along the way, you learn about the role of drinking in the Red Army’s advance, the cowardly end many Nazi leaders chose through flight or suicide, and just what happened to Hitler’s remains.“The Fall of Berlin” is a real page-turner, exciting from beginning to end, with great insight into the military, political and social aspects of the final campaign that destroyed the Nazis. I highly recommend it.