Battle of Budapest — 108-Day Soviet Siege of the Hungarian Capital

Soviet forces began encircling Budapest on October 29, 1944, and completed the encirclement on December 26. Hitler ordered the 188,000 Axis defenders to hold the city to the last, refusing all German breakout requests. The siege lasted 108 days, destroying much of the city, killing approximately 38,000 civilians, and causing 160,000 military casualties on both sides. On February 11, 1945, the remaining 30,000 Axis troops attempted a breakout — fewer than 700 reached German lines. The city fell to the Soviets on February 13, 1945, ending the last major Axis bastion east of Vienna.