The Largest Artillery Bombardment In History
Hundreds of shells per second
Ever since the cannon came onto the scene, artillery has been a major part of warfare. From the Battle of Verdun to the Battle of Gettysburg, history has been no stranger to massive artillery bombardments. The modern soldier has learned to love and loathe the sound of friendly and enemy guns. But which barrage was the fiercest in history? Who fired the most shells in a single engagement?
Despite not being seen as an artillery war, the largest artillery bombardment in history occurred during World War II. In April of 1945, a massive and angry Red Army approached Berlin from the east. The Germans, knowing that the Soviet juggernaut was on the way, had spent weeks building massive fortifications around the “Gates of Berlin” at the Seelow Heights. The Germans had hoped that their extensive fortifications would blunt or even prevent the Red Army from entering Berlin. Unfortunately for the Germans, the Soviets had a plan to deal with the earthworks around Berlin — the largest concentration of artillery in history.
The Red Army opened the Battle of Seelow Heights with the largest artillery barrage in the history of the world. Within a thirty-minute period, 500,000 shells and rockets were fired on the German positions. The bombardment was conducted by 9,000 heavy guns and…
