On 16 April 1945 the Red Army unleashed a colossal offensive against Berlin with the aim of destroying Hitler's armies in the East and capturing the German capital before the Western Allies. Over two million soldiers confronted each other in the last act in the war against Nazi Germany. In the course of the next three weeks, relentless Soviet assaults crashed against a desperate, sometimes suicidal defence, and the historic city was turned into a vast battlefield. This epic contest, which has fascinated students of warfare ever since, can only be understood by visiting the sites of the battle on the ground, in the outskirts, in the suburbs, in the centre where the final dramatic combat took place. That is why Tony Le Tissier's detailed, graphic and highly illustrated guide is the perfect companion for anyone who wants to understand the battle and follow its course along the streets of the modern city. [endorsements] 'All of Tony Le Tissier's knowledge is synthesised into this must-have book - and more...It can only be described as indispensable to anyone visiting the city and wishing to experience Zhukov's triumph and Hitler's Gotterdammerung ...Critical for understanding the battle.
..Le Tissier's detailed, full-colour and scaled maps are ...a joy to study.' Defenceweb 'A visually exciting work whose contents match its appearance. There are pages and pages of fascinating pictures...Tony Le Tissier's informative text and his descriptions of military actions and battlefield tours make it much more than that. It is a sensible and very entertaining piece of military history.' Warbooks 'Tony Le Tissier's ...encyclopedic knowledge of the battle and the subsequent Cold War aspects of the Soviet occupation of East Germany enables him to give a compelling and moving account. [His] account is highly impressive and it shows that he is a superb writer, a diligent researcher, and a master of battlefield detail.' Lt. Colonel Robert A. Lynn