January 1945

Eastern Front

Allenstein falls to the 48th Army and Deutsch Eylau to the 5th Guards Tank Army. During the night of January 21-22, Gen Hossbach begins to withdraw sizeable units of the 4th Army away from inland positions to create a strike force closer to the sea. Despite Hitler's withdrawal order of the 21st, this move has not been sanctioned and Hossbach is acting withoug approval.

On the main Polish front, the 47th Army reaches Bromberg while the 2nd Guards Tank Army takes Gneizno. The 3rd Shock Army, following in the wake of the 47th, begins to invest Bromberg.

The 1st Ukrainian Front also gains significant territory, the 4th Tank Army taking Rawicz while other units take Kronstadt and Gross Strehlitz. Elements of the 5th Guards Army reach the Oder at Brieg. Assault units quickly cross and establish a bridgehead on the west bank. During the night the 4th Tank Army throws units across the river near Goeben. The Germans are unaware that Soviet forces have penetrated this far west.

The Grossdeutschland Panzer Corps, fighting in isolation, is strengthened as Nehring's ragged XXIV Panzer Corps joins it. Both forces continue their retreat to the Oder.

Heavy fighting rages south of Budapest as the 4th SS Panzer Corps hits the 4th Guards Army. The Russians are also under pressure from the 6th Army and begins to concede land to the Germans around Szekesfehervar. After heavy fighting Szekesfehervar falls to the Germans.

Hitler decides to form a new army group on the Vistula, as suggested by Guderian. Guderian had proposed Gen von Weichs as commander but Hitler decided upon the Reichsführer SS, Heinrich Himmler, a man without any military experience whatsoever.