February 1945

Eastern Front

Army Group Vistula assembles its force for the counterattack at Stargard. Arrayed on a 30-mile front, the attack force is split into 3 groups. The Central Group comprises Decker's III SS Panzer Corps with the SS Nordland and Nederland, the Führer-Begleit Division and SS Langemarck and aims to relieve Arnswalde. The Western Group deploys Unrein's XXIX Panzer Corps (Holstein and 10th SS Panzer Divisions, Polizei and Wallonien SS Divisions). The Eastern Group is to push the left flank toward Landsberg on the Warthe. It has the Führer Grenadier Division, 281st and 163rd Infantry Divisions. The Russians are will aware of the German build up and have moved their 2nd Guards Tank and 61st Armies into defensive positions to counter the attack. The 1st Guards Tank, 47th and 3rd Shock Armies form a second echelon.

The 5th Guards Army launches a strong attack from Brieg and lins up with the 3rd Guards Army near Breslau, encircling 80,000 civilians and 35,000 soldiers inside the city. Most of the 269th Infantry Division is isolated. The Soviet 6th Army invests Breslau with 150,000 men. A counterattack by the 19th Panzer Division establishes a tenuous connection with the garrison, but an immediate Russian counterattack prevents the escape of any forces or reinforcement of the garrison.

Other elements of the 1st Ukrainian closes up to the Niesse and takes Sorau and Grunberg. A 4th Panzer Army counterattaack with the Grossdeutschland and XXIV Panzer Corps west of the Bobr fails to halt the Russian drive.

In Pomerania the Soviet attacks succeed in taking Schneidmuhl and Deutsch Krone. Arnswalde continues to resist. Heavy fighting also rages along the Oder near Berlin, the 9th Army launching fierce counterattacks around Frankfurt.