After the start of the "Second Stage of the Liberation of Europe" in 1947, the Soviet command encountered far more organized resistance than expected. While Eastern Europe was quickly broken, a different kind of war was about to unfold—a war of attrition, with fortified cities, constant counterattacks, and the growing presence of American forces.

Advancement was slow and costly.

The spring and summer of 1947 were marked by battles for the southern front. Vienna became the key hub. The city, which had already experienced a change of government, found itself the scene of a new conflict: Western intelligence agencies managed to organize an underground resistance movement that revolted during the Soviet offensive. The battle for Vienna lasted nearly two months. Soviet troops, outnumbered, were forced to literally clear the city block by block. Casualties were unexpectedly high, and the operation itself demonstrated that the war further west would be different.

In the fall of 1947, attention shifted to northern Italy. The Battle of Milan became the first true urban bloodbath of the new phase of the war. Italian units, reinforced by American advisers and equipment, transformed the city into a fortified area. Tanks were unable to operate freely, and air power was limited by densely populated areas. Soviet units stormed the factory districts, suffering heavy losses. The capture of Milan took six weeks and became an alarming sign: the momentum of the advance was slowing.

Events unfolded in southern Germany at the same time. Munich became a symbol of the tenacity of the Western defense. Here, for the first time, a defense in depth, relying on artillery and mobile reserves, was widely used. The Soviet command was forced to switch to classic breakthrough operations, with the massive use of artillery. The city fell only in December 1947, and the route to the Rhine was opened—but at a cost that was already being felt by the entire army.

In the winter of 1947–1948, the front line along the Rhine stabilized. The river became a natural barrier, behind which Franco-American forces entrenched themselves. Strasbourg became the key point. The battle for it became one of the fiercest in Europe: bridges were destroyed, crossings were obliterated by artillery, and attempts to force the river were thwarted by fire. Only in January 1948, after a series of night operations and massive strikes, did Soviet troops manage to consolidate their position on the western bank.

After the fall of Strasbourg, the front began to crumble. The French army was exhausted, communications were disrupted, and the political situation within the country was rapidly deteriorating. Strikes, sabotage, and desertion—all of this undermined the defense no less than the enemy advance.

The next target was Lyon, France's most important transportation hub. Fighting for the city lasted nearly a month. French troops attempted to hold it as their last major line before Paris. However, by February 1948, the city had fallen. After this, the road to the capital was effectively open.

Paris had been preparing for a siege long before the front arrived.

The city had been transformed into a fortified district. Barricades, anti-tank ditches, gun emplacements in historic buildings—all had been erected hastily, but desperately. American military advisers insisted on holding the city at all costs: the fall of Paris would mean not only a military but also a political defeat for the entire Western European nation.

However, within the city itself, there was disunity. The communist underground grew stronger with each passing day. Strikes paralyzed transportation, communications were intermittent, and the police no longer had complete control of the situation. Paris waited—and feared.

Soviet troops reached the outskirts in early March 1948.

The first battles unfolded on the eastern approaches. The suburbs were transformed into defensive lines. Every street was exposed to fire, every building threatened to become a fortress. The advance slowed almost immediately. The tank units were forced to retreat, giving way to infantry and assault groups.

The city did not surrender easily.

The battle for Paris became a symbol of the entire war in Europe.