The war against Nazi Germany ended as a battle for Berlin. Once Hitler was clearly committed to no surrender and had finally established himself in the Führer Bunker in Berlin, only the city’s capture and with it Hitler's elimination could bring the war to an end. The question was how, when and by whom the battle would actually be fought. In February 1945 this question seemed academic, for the Red Army, whose great offensive had devastated the German’s Eastern Front, was on the River Oder and a mere fifty miles from Berlin, while Eisenhower's Anglo-American armies had not even crossed the Rhine. -- From the book jacket.

List of maps : End of the Third Reich ; The Third Reich at Bay ; Russian advance to the Oder ; Rhine battles ; Who is to have Berlin? Advance to the Elbe ; The capture of Berlin.

Prologue -- A Berlin -- The Third Reich at Bay -- January battles -- Yalta -- threats to Berlin -- the Eastern Front -- The Western Front -- Who is to have Berlin? Five minutes past twelve -- Genius in the bunker -- Berlin kaputt -- Whoever controls Berlin -- Epilogue.