South German Offensive

Southern German Offensive Part of the Invasion of Germany during World War II US Forces walking through a devastated Nuremberg. Date 28 March - 12 May 1945 Location Southeast Nazi Germany (Present day Germany, Austria and Czech Republic) Result Decisive Allied Victory Belligerents  United States France  Soviet Union  Czechoslovakia Germany Russian Volunteers Commanders and leaders Jacob Devers George Patton Alexander Patch LeRoy Irwin Jean L. Tassigny Ivan Konev Carl Friedrich Karl Holz  † Max Bork Strength United States: Third Army Seventh Army France: First Army Soviet Union: 1st Ukrainian Front 2nd Ukrainian Front 3rd Ukrainian Front First Army Seventh Army Nineteenth Army

The South German Offensive is the general name of one of the final offensives of World War II in Europe. The offensive was led by the Seventh and Third armies of the United States along with the First Army of France. Soviet troops linked up with American forces in Czechoslovakia notably in the Battle of Slivice. The offensive was made by the US 6th Army Group to protect the 12th Army Group's right flank and to prevent a German last stand in the Alps. However German resistance was much more fierce than in the north, which slowed the 6th Army Group's progress. However, by the end of April, many German divisions surrendered without a fight to the advancing American forces to avoid the inevitable destruction. The VI Corps of the Seventh Army linked up with the US Fifth Army, which fought through Italy, in the Alps as the Third Army advanced into Austria and Czechoslovakia, where it linked up with Soviet forces advancing from the east. Fighting continued a few days after the Surrender of Germany on 8 May, due to German forces fighting west to surrender to the Americans instead of the Soviets.

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