Battle of the Oder – Neisse The Battle of the Oder – Neisse is the German name for the initial ( operational ) phase of one of the last two strategic offensive s conducted by the Red Army in the Campaign in Central Europe ( 1 January – 9 May ) during World War II . Its initial breakthrough phase was fought over four days , from 16 April until 19 April 1945 , within the larger context of the Battle of Berlin . The Soviet military planners divide the frontal and pincer phases of the operation , named Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation into : The battle included heavy fighting by the three Fronts of the Marshals of Soviet Union Konstantin Rokossovsky ' s 2nd Belorussian Front , Georgy Zhukov ' s 1st Belorussian Front and Ivan Konev ' s 1st Ukrainian Front , that assaulted the defending Wehrmacht Army Group Vistula commanded by Colonel - General ( Generaloberst ) Gotthard Heinrici and Field Marshal Ferdinand Schörner ' s Army Group Centre . Combat operations . Most of the fighting took place during 1st Belorussian Front ' s assault on the Seelow Heights , that were defended by the German 9th Army ( part of Army Group Vistula ) , in what became known as the " Battle of the Seelow Heights " . 1st Ukrainian Front encountered much lighter resistance crossing the Neisse to penetrate defensive lines of Army Group Centre . In the early hours on 16 April 1945 , the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation began with a massive bombardment by thousands of artillery pieces and Katyusha rockets in a barrage which was sustained for as long as two hours on some sectors of the front . Shortly afterwards and well before dawn , the 1st Belorussian Front attacked across the Oder , and the 1st Ukrainian Front attacked across the Neisse . The 1st Belorussian Front was strengthened because it had the more difficult assignment and was facing the majority of the German forces in prepared defence s . Battle of the Seelow Heights . The initial attack by the 1st Belorussian Front was a disaster ; Heinrici anticipated the move and withdrew his defenders from the first line of trenches just before the Red Army artillery obliterated them . The light from 143 searchlights , which were intended to blind the defenders , was diffused by the early morning mist and made useful silhouettes of the attacking Red Army formations . The swampy ground proved to be a great hindrance and under a German counter - barrage , Red Army casualties were very heavy . Frustrated by the slow advance , or perhaps on the direct orders of the Stavka ( " Headquarters " ) , Zhukov threw in his reserves , which in his plan were to have been held back to exploit the expected breakthrough . By early evening , an advance of almost six kilometres had been achieved in some areas , but the German lines remained relatively intact . Zhukov was forced to report that the Seelow Heights offensive was not going as planned . Stalin , to spur Zhukov , told him that he would give Konev permission to wheel his tank armies towards Berlin from the south . On the second day , the 1st Belorussian Front staff were reduced to combing the rear areas for any troops which could be thrown into the battle . The Red Army tactic of using a dense concentration of firepower was providing the usual results . By nightfall of 17 April , the German front before Zhukov remained unbroken , but only just . On 18 April , both Soviet Fronts made steady progress , but Red Army losses were substantial . By nightfall , the 1st Belorussian Front had reached the third and final German line of defence . On the fourth day of the battle , 19 April , the 1st Belorussian Front broke through the final line of the Seelow Heights with nothing except severely depleted , withdrawing German formations between its troops and Berlin . The remnants of General Theodor Busse ' s 9th Army , which had been holding the heights , and the remaining northern flank of the 4th Panzer Army , were in danger of being enveloped by elements of the 1st Ukrainian Front . While the 1st Belorussian Front encircled Berlin , the 1st Ukrainian Front started the battle for the city itself . Rokossovsky ' s 2nd Belorussian Front started his offensive to the north of Berlin . On 20 April , between Stettin and Schwedt , Rokossovsky ' s 2nd Belorussian Front attacked the northern flank of Army Group Vistula , held by the III Panzer Army . By 22 April , the 2nd Belorussian Front had established a bridgehead on the west bank of the Oder over 15 km deep , and was heavily engaged with the III Panzer Army . Cottbus - Potsdam Offensive Operation . In the south , the attack by the 1st Ukrainian Front was keeping to plan because Army Group Centre ( under the command of General Ferdinand Schörner ) was not providing as much opposition as that faced by Zhukov ' s troops . 4th Panzer Army on the north flank of his formation was falling back under the weight of the 1st Ukrainian Front Attack . Two Panzer divisions on the southern flank were retained in reserve for possible need in the centre of the Army Group front , and were not available for use to shore up the 4th Panzer Army . This was the turning point in the battle , because by nightfall the positions of both the Army Group Vistula and southern sectors of Army Group Centre were becoming untenable . Unless they fell back in line with the 4th Panzer Army , they faced envelopment . In effect , Konev ' s successful attacks on Schörner ' s poor defences to the south of the Seelow Heights positions were unhinging Heinrici ' s defence . On 18 April , the 1st Ukrainian Front , having captured the city of Forst , was preparing to break out into the relatively flat terrain . Elements of the 3rd Guards , 3rd and 4th Guards Tank Armies , which were the Front ' s Cavalry Mechanized Group , having exploited the breach in the 4th Panzer Army sector of the front , and turned north between Seyda and Jüterbog towards a meeting with the 1st Belorussian Front west of Berlin . Spremberg - Torgau Offensive . Other Armies of the 1st Ukrainian Front ' s southern flank attacked west linking up with the Americans . That would be remembered later as the " meeting at Torgau " when the 58th Guards Division of the 5th Guards Army , part of 1st Ukrainian Front , made contact with the US 69th Infantry Division of the First Army near Torgau , Germany on the Elbe River . , reaching the Mulde by 8 May . Stettin - Rostock Offensive Operation . On 25 April , the second Belorussian Front broke through 3rd Panzer ' s line around the bridgehead south of Stettin and crossed the Randow swamp on the Gramzow area . They were now free to move west towards the British 21st Army Group , and north towards the Baltic ports of Stralsund and Rostock . Results . By the end of 19 April , the German eastern front line north of Frankfurt around the Seelow and to the south around Frost had ceased to exist . These breakthroughs allowed the two Red Army Fronts to envelop large parts of the German 9th and 4th Panzer Armies in a large pocket 37 km east of Frankfurt that attempted to follow the Oder - Spree Canal to Berlin . Attempts by the 9th Army to break out to the west would result in the Battle of Halbe . Operational statistics . The cost to the Red Army in making this initial breakthrough was very high . Between 1 April and 19 April , the Red Army lost over 2 , 807 tanks . During the same period , the Allies in the west lost 1 , 079 tanks .