80 years ago the Battle of Seelow Heights was the final hurdle for Stalin’s Red Army before reaching Hitler’s fascist capital, Berlin. Before the Battle of Berlin could begin, Soviet troops needed to cross the Oder river, break through several lines of German defences, and capture all the small towns and villages on the approach to Berlin.

In this episode, Jonny tells Pip all about the four-day fight that opened the gates to Berlin in April 1945.

Listen out for:

• Zhukov’s mistakes and Stalin’s anger
• The blinding Moscow searchlights
• German kamikaze pilots and tanks protected by spring mattresses
• Huge numbers of soldiers, chaos in command, minefields, and artillery

Look out for the next episode on the Battle of Berlin!

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🎟️ You can get in touch and book Jonny or Pip for a tour of Berlin via www.whitlams-berlin-tours.com.

Don't forget to subscribe for more Berlin history every two weeks!

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You can find Jonny online on YouTube, Instagram, BlueSky, and TikTok!

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Mixed and Produced by Alex Griffiths
https://www.instagram.com/alexgriffiths_music/
https://alexgriffiths.bandcamp.com/
 
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📚 Sources:

Berlin: The Downfall 1945, Antony Beevor

Bloody Streets, Aaron S. Hamilton