82 years ago, in 1944, the Red Army launched an offensive to defeat the Nazi forces and take Hungary out of the war. Adolf Hitler was determined to hold on to the Hungarian capital at all costs to protect the strategic oil region of Saba, he claimed that he would rather give up Berlin than lose Hungarian oil and Austria. By November 2, 1944, Soviet forces had crossed the Danube and approached the city, completely surrounding it by December 26. When the Axis garrison rejected an ultimatum to surrender and killed Soviet negotiations, the Red Army had no choice but to launch a direct attack. The capture of Budapest resulted in brutal urban fighting, with the Red Army relying heavily on special assault units and artillery rather than tanks. Weeks of relentless fighting culminated on February 13, 1945 with the capture of the city's garrison, led by SS General Karl Pfeffer-Wildenbruch. The attack ended as a major Soviet victory, defeating 56 enemy divisions, taking approximately 188,000 prisoners of war and freeing 70,000 Jewish prisoners from the Budapest ghetto. The complete collapse of the Nazi fronts on the southern side forced Germany to redeploy critical forces to the south. This strategic change eventually cleared the Red Army's path towards Vienna and Prague.

82 years ago, in 1944, the Red Army launched an offensive to defeat the Nazi forces and take Hungary out of the war. Adolf Hitler was determined to hold on to the Hungarian capital at all costs to protect the strategic oil region of Saba, he claimed that he would rather give up Berlin than lose Hungarian oil and Austria. By November 2, 1944, Soviet forces had crossed the Danube and approached the city, completely surrounding it by December 26. When the Axis garrison rejected an ultimatum to surrender and killed Soviet negotiations, the Red Army had no choice but to launch a direct attack. The capture of Budapest resulted in brutal urban fighting, with the Red Army relying heavily on special assault units and artillery rather than tanks. Weeks of relentless fighting culminated on February 13, 1945 with the capture of the city's garrison, led by SS General Karl Pfeffer-Wildenbruch. The attack ended as a major Soviet victory, defeating 56 enemy divisions, taking approximately 188,000 prisoners of war and freeing 70,000 Jewish prisoners from the Budapest ghetto. The complete collapse of the Nazi fronts on the southern side forced Germany to redeploy critical forces to the south. This strategic change eventually cleared the Red Army's path towards Vienna and Prague.