OT: Interesting Seelow Heights Video

[Footslogger]

For those who don't know about this battle, it happened from April 16-19 1945 where the Russians were advancing on Berlin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouzrnb6EcGE

[rustysi]

Yeah, IIRC the Germans abandoned their most forward positions just prior to the assault in order to avoid the initial artillery barrage, which they knew would be very intense. By that point in the war the German army was all but shot, and with the numbers involved they had very little chance anyway.

[Footslogger]

ORIGINAL: rustysi

Yeah, IIRC the Germans abandoned their most forward positions just prior to the assault in order to avoid the initial artillery barrage, which they knew would be very intense. By that point in the war the German army was all but shot, and with the numbers involved they had very little chance anyway.

Yeah, I can imagine. By looking at this video, the Russians had a lot of Katyushas Rocket Artillery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm8ntX4L4NY

[SigUp]

ORIGINAL: rustysi

Yeah, IIRC the Germans abandoned their most forward positions just prior to the assault in order to avoid the initial artillery barrage, which they knew would be very intense. By that point in the war the German army was all but shot, and with the numbers involved they had very little chance anyway.

It was a standard German defensiv tactic developed in the First World War. In the Second World War it was Gotthard Heinrici who made the most out of it (he was also the commander of Army Group Vistula at the Seelow Heights), inflicting horrendous casualties on the Soviets for no gain in the battles at Army Group Centre in late 1943/early 1944. The tactic called for a lightly held first defensive line that was to be cleared when the barrage began. Main resistance would occur at a line further behind and outside artillery range and after the assault had been repelled a counterattack would restore the initial lines.

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

Wholeheartedly recommended:


"Last Battle: The Classic History of the Battle for Berlin"

by Cornelius Ryan

http://www.amazon.com/Last-Battle-Class ... ast+Battle



Leo "Apollo11"

[dave sindel]

The other two books in Cornelius Ryan's WWII Trilogy are also awesome. The Longest Day and A Bridge Too Far

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: dave sindel

The other two books in Cornelius Ryan's WWII Trilogy are also awesome. The Longest Day and A Bridge Too Far

Yes they are! [:)]


Leo "Apollo11"

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Apollo11

Hi all,

Wholeheartedly recommended:


"Last Battle: The Classic History of the Battle for Berlin"

by Cornelius Ryan

http://www.amazon.com/Last-Battle-Class ... ast+Battle



Leo "Apollo11"

I remember reading an abridged version of the book in Reader's Digest back in the day. The line that stuck in my mind was that the Russian assault barrage included 20,000 guns - believed to be the largest concentration of artillery ever!