Battle of Berlin Given the shortage of troops, most defenders came from the Volkssturm "Popular Militia" and the Hitlerjügend, both structures of questionable military value. The official number of defenders was counted at 41,200, of which only about 15,000 had a certain degree of military instruction. Their armament was quite scarce, possessing only 42,000 rifles, 2,200 machine guns (less than 200 were MG 42), 140 mortars, 15 PAK 40 and eight 8.8 cm anti-tanks. The main artillery unit was the 230 8.8cm, 43 10.5 and 12.8 anti-aircraft cannons of the 1st Flak Division, but many of them could not be used against ground targets. The rest of the artillery consisted of a heterogeneous mix of cannons of multiple origin, of use when less relative. For the final battle, just over 20,000 regular soldiers (between Werhrmacht and Waffen SS) would reinforce the original garrison, coming from various units retreating towards the capital ahead of the Soviet advance. Berlin was divided into eight sectors, with numerous defenses of which only those relied on water courses, such as the Spree and the Landwehr Canal, were effective. The defenders lacked a determined and unique command, in practice. For example, of the 483 bridges in the city, only 127 were destroyed, because Speer considered that, by destroying all of them, to prevent the passage of Soviet cars, the cut of electricity, water and gas that would be produced would add greater suffering to the civilian population. Notes taken from the book: "The Battle of Berlin 1945" by Juan Vazquez Garcia. 📖 Photography: 📷 Members of the Volkssturm captured during the Battle of Berlin. Interestingly enough, the soldier in the foreground has minimal gear on. He appears to be wearing a captured French belt, hanging from which a typical British (or Soviet or civilian) mug and a German cantimpla. The coat seems to be lacking railings, he is wearing a DAF (German Labour Front) cap. Germany 1945. Photographer: 📷 Anatoly Arkhipov. (FGF Colourised)