The Battle of Berlin, a major offensive by the Soviet Red Army against Nazi Germany, was one of the final battles of World War II in Europe. The offensive began on April 16, 1945, with the Soviet forces launching a massive attack on the city. After intense street-by-street fighting, the city of Berlin fell to the Soviets on May 2, 1945, with the official surrender occurring on May 8th to the Western Allies and May 9th to the Soviet Union. The battle resulted in significant loss of life on both sides and left the city in ruins.