April 1945

Eastern Front

The 3rd Shock Army takes the Alt Moabitt district of Berlin and pushes on to the Spree at the Moltke Bridge. Moabitt prison is also take and furious fighting rages in the Tiergarten as the 8th Guards Army pushes forward. Russian spearheads are just a mile from Hitler's headquarters in the Chancellery bunker, but the Russian anttacks are directed toward the Reichstag, which is believed to be the seat of Nazi power. After heavy fighting elements of the 1st Ukrainian Front clear the Potsdammerstrasse, reducing the pocket to 10 by 3 miles. Other units of the 1st Ukrainian are fighting on the Unter-den-Linden. German resistance is fanatical, many of the defending units being foreign SS with no hope of escape even if they survive the battle. By dusk the Soviets complete the capture of the Potsdammer Bridge and the Ministry of Internal Affairs is the scene of furious room-by-room fighting.

With the 3rd Panzer Army broken, Heinrici reports to the OKH that he is no longer able to hold on to the Oder line and informs them of his decision to pull back to the west to avoid encirclement. Hitler expressly forbids this move but Heinrici responds that he will continue to withdraw, refusing to sacrifice an army in a pointless battle. Hitler immediately sacks Heinrici and appoints Gen Student, commanding the German armies in Holland, to take over the vacant post. However, Student will be unable to join the armies in the east before the end so Tippelskirch is deputized as army group commander.

Mussolini is captured by Communist partisans near Lake Como and, with his mistress, Clara Petacci, is executed. His body is strung up by his feet from a lamp post in the streets of Milan, as jeering crowds mutilate and beat the defunct dictator. When his end is reported to Berlin, it confirms Hitler's decision to take his own life rather that fall into the hands of the Russians. He also leaves explicit instructions to his followers to thoroughly burn his body so that no trace can be found.