The siege of Breslau was an 80-day-long battle for the German city of Breslau; it formed part of the Lower Silesian offensive during the final stages of World War Two in Europe. The German garrison, composed of one infantry division and various autonomous units, fought on, despite being fully encircled. The advancing Soviets relied on its 6th Army and various delegated units.
The battle was divided into several assaults, punctuated by periods of less intense combat:
failed initial attempts to seize Breslau, 25-27 January;
encirclement, 4-15 February;
approaches to assume assault positions, 15-27 February;
a failed assault from the south, 1-10 March;
the taking of Klein Gandau airport, 31 March-8 April;
a failed assault from the west, 18-28 April.
The German garrison finally laid down its arms on 6th May, having learnt that Berlin had surrendered four days earlier.
Along with Stalingrad, Budapest, Manila and Berlin, the siege stands out as one of the most heavily fought cases of urban combat during World War Two. Out of about 130,000 combatants, at least 15,000 were killed and some 50,000 were wounded. It is estimated that around 80,000 civilians perished in the besieged city.
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