On January 12, 1945 the Soviet Red Army unleashed its winter offensive, launching strong forces on either side of Warsaw, and within a couple of days crushed the German forces defending the line of the Vistula river and headed westwards. Leaving behind a few small pockets of enemy resistance and cities proclaimed ‘fortresses’, the First Byelorussian Front began a great dash across Poland. Within little over two weeks the Soviet forces reached the Oder river and established several bridgeheads on its western bank. The Oder was the last great river barring the way to Berlin, now just 60 kilometres away, and the Germans mobilised everything in a desperate effort to defend the river line and prevent a Soviet march on the capital. This book brings together three After the Battle stories documenting the advance on the Oder and the long-draw-out struggles for the bridgeheads over it:

Issue 188: The Battle for Festung Posen, 1945

Author: Tomasz Zgoda. 14,132 words, 40 Black and White and 40 Colour

illustrations. Story covers 26 pages of ATB magazine.

Issue 184: The Oder Bridgeheads, 1945

Author: Tomasz Zgoda. 11,032 words, 33 Black and White and 34 Colour

illustrations. Story covers 24 pages of ATB magazine.

Issue 192: The Battle of Festung Küstrin

Author: Tomasz Zgoda. 10,444 words, 22 Black and White and 23 Colour

illustrations. Story covers 16 pages of ATB magazine