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The Western Allied invasion of Germany was coordinated by the Western Allies during the final months of hostilities in the European theatre of World War II.In preparation for the Allied invasion of Germany east of the Rhine, a series of offensive operations were designed to seize and capture its east and west banks: Operation Veritable and Operation Grenade in February 1945, and Operation ...
Though West Germany was effectively independent, the western Allies maintained limited legal jurisdiction over 'Germany as a whole' in respect of West Germany and Berlin. At the same time, East Germany progressed from being a satellite state of the Soviet Union to increasing independence of action; while still deferring in matters of security ...
A commemorative plaque now stands where the "East Meets West" moment took place in Torgau on Elbe Day, 1945. Final positions of the Western Allied and Soviet armies, May 1945 Allied occupied areas, 15 May 1945, with territory under Allied control on 1 May 1945 in pink and later Allied gain in red
After the invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, Stalin endorsed the Western Allies as part of a renewed popular front strategy against Germany and called for the international communist movement to make a coalition with all those who opposed the Nazis. [39] The Soviet Union soon entered in alliance with the United Kingdom.
The Allies and German authorities in West Germany and West Berlin never recognized the communist city regime in East Berlin or East German authority there. During the years of West Berlin's isolation—176 kilometers (110 mi.) inside East Germany—the Western Allies encouraged a close relationship between the Government of West Berlin and that ...
Since the Allies landed in Normandy, the British and American armies (among affiliated Western Allied forces) had moved swiftly and decisively to take western cities in France, and to liberate Paris. By September 1944, Allied forces had reached the German border, but the subsequent failure of Operation Market Garden prevented a decisive ...
The campaign in Northwest Europe had commenced on 6 June 1944 (), with Operation Overlord, the Allied Normandy landings. [2]By early September, the Allied forces had reached the Dutch and German borders in the north and the Moselle in the south, [3] but the advance came to a halt due to logistical difficulties, particularly fuel shortages, and stiffening German resistance. [4]
The Western allies also saw the threat of a potential German 'fifth column', especially in Poland after the agreed-to compensation with former German territory. [51] In general, the Western allies hoped to secure a more lasting peace by eliminating the German minorities, which they thought could be done in a humane manner.