April 1945

Eastern Front

Gen von Saucken is appointed to command the Army of East Prussian following Muller's sacking. von Saucken has 6 divisions and a host of miscellaneous units, totalling 65,000 men, in Samland.

The 27th Army (3rd Ukrainian Front) throws the 2nd Panzer Army back toward the Mur River as it advances upon Graz while the 26th closes upon Neuenkirchen. Inside Vienna the Parliament building and City Hall falls to the 4th Guards Army as the Soviets fight their way across the Danube canal.

American forces reach the Elbe at Magdeburg and force a crossing but halt there instead of pushing toward Berlin. Eisenhower has forbidden the advance east as Berlin is to be lerft to the Soviets. The advance of the US 9th Army to the Elbe has thrown Wenck's 12th Army back to the Harz Mountains. Wenck is well placed to turn and march toward Berlin should the need arise but his army is nothing more than a band of exhausted, demoralized men, without heavy weapons.