The Battle of Berlin, fought in April and May of 1945, began when Stalin moved 20 armies, 8,500 planes, and 6,300 tanks into Berlin with the goal of keeping Hitler's army from concentrating their defenses there, crushing the German resistance, and ultimately capturing the city. The rest of the Allies stopped their nearby fighting in order to allow the Russians the freedom to attain that goal. It was the beginning of the final chapter in the war.