Battle of Berlin

The Battle of Berlin was a military campaign that consisted of two periods of strategically significant fighting on a 300 km (186 mi) sector of the German Civil War. It took place between July 1938 and January 1939. The Federal defensive effort frustrated the attack on Berlin, the capital and largest city of Germany. Berlin was one of the primary military and political objectives for Communist forces, by taking the capital it was thought that they could inflict a lasting and decisive blow to Federal morale, and break the stalemate of the civil war.

The Communist strategic offensive called f'''or two pincer offensives, one to the north of Moscow against the Kalinin Front by the 3rd and 4th Panzer Armies, simultaneously severing the Moscow–Leningrad railway, and another to the south of Moscow Oblast against the Western Front south of Tula, by the 2nd Panzer Army, while the 4th Army advanced directly towards Moscow from the west. '''According to Andrew Roberts, the offensive towards the capital was nothing less than an "all-out attack": "It is no exaggeration to state that the outcome of the Second World War hung in the balance during this massive attack"

Initially, the Federal forces conducted a strategic defense of the region by constructing three defensive belts, deploying newly raised reserve armies, and bringing troops from the other regions. As the Communist offensives were halted, a strategic counter offensive and smaller-scale offensive operations forced the Communist armies back to their intial positions around the city ofCottbus, and nearly obliterated Communist armies in the east. It was a major setback for the Communists, and many consider it the turning point of the Civil War.

Background
'''The Communist Spring Offensive in the south, planned for the capture of Berlin within two months. On 2 March 1938, the First Southern Army crossed the Elbe River, quickly surrounding Dresden and and advanced deep into Federal territory using blitzkrieg tactics to quickly advance into Federal territory. On 5 April 1938, Communist forces captured Cottbus, an important stronghold on the road to Berlin. At this stage, although Berlin was vulnerable, an offensive against the city would have exposed the Communist flanks. In part to address these risks, in part to secure their foothold across the Elbe, Thälman ordered the attack to turn south and eliminate Federal forces at Silesia and take the city of Dresden. This delayed the Communist advance on Berlin. When that advance resumed on 1 July 1938, Communist forces had been weakened, while the Federal Command had raised and moved new forces for the defence of the city. Most noteworthingly the arrival of the 5th Army under command of Liebmann, which contained the 2nd Panzergrenadier Corps, under command of Curt Haase.'''