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March - May 1945
The Central Europe campaign dated from about March 15, 1945, when the final organized defensive line (the “Sigfried Line”) was broken by the Allies, until the end of the war in early May. By then most German forces had concentrated in the east to block Soviet armies and British and American forces found sporadic opposition, punctured by fierce resistance by SS and other loyal German units. Aschaffenburg was leveled. Nurnberg was also heavily bombarded.Many of Dad's photos were taken during this time. They appear to have been snapped while they were on the move, riding in jeeps and civilian vehicles that would carry them to the Autobahn and directly into Munich. While approaching Munich, patrols of the 157th Infantry Regiment liberated Dachau. After the war, Dad's regiment was briefly assigned to guard the camp.
March - May 1945
In the north, Allied forces swept forward, isolated organized resistance, and pushed all the way to the Elbe River, about 100 miles west of Berlin. In late April, Soviet troops liberated Stalag 3a at Luckenwalde. In May, Allied transport brought POWs back to British and American lines.