a ratio of ten to one in tanks and seven to one in aircraft over the enemy. At the points of attack, the numerical and quality advantages of the Soviets were overwhelming. More than 2.5 million Soviet troops went into action against the German Army Group Centre, which could boast a strength of less than 800,000 men. The Germans crumbled, with the loss of almost 400,000 men who were either overrun or encircled. Minsk, the capital, was taken on 3 July 1944, trapping 100,000 Germans. Ten days later the Red Army reached the prewar Polish border. In West Belarus, as the Red Army approached the Polish Home Army launched the Operation Tempest. Despite the war now passing out of Belarus, the Soviet Fronts name "Byelorussian" kept their name until the end of the war, and were to distinguish themselves in the battles in Poland and Germany in 1944 and 1945. In the Soviet Union the end of World War II in Europe is considered to be 9 May, when the surrender took effect Moscow time. This date is celebrated as a national holiday, Victory Day, or День Победы in Belarus, Russia and some other post-Soviet countries. Belarusian volunteers in German forces Belarusian Abwehr/Brandenburg Sabouteur agents Vorkommando Einsatzgruppe B,also Vorkommando Moskau Belarusian Interior Guard 29th Waffen-SS Division/(weissruthenische Gr.) Waffen-Grenadier-Brigade der SS (weißruthenische Nr. 1) 30.Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (weissruthenische Nr. 1) weissruthenische Waffen-Grenadier-Regiment der SS 75 I./weissruthenische Waffen-Grenadier-Regiment der SS 75 II./weissruthenische Waffen-Grenadier-Regiment der SS 75 III./weissruthenische Waffen-Grenadier-Regiment der SS 75 weissruthenische Artillerie-Abteilung weissruthenische Panzerjäger-Abteilung weissruthenische Reiter-Schwadron Waffen Sturm-brigade Belarus "Black Cat" Special undercover unit German commanders and officers linked with Belarus Generalkommissar Wilhelm Kube, head of the civil administration SS-Obergruppenführer Curt von Gottberg, SS and Police Leader; succeeded Kube as Generalkommissar Wehrmacht Generalleutnant Reinhard Gehlen, Chief of German East-Front Intelligence with offices in Smolensk SS-Gruppenführer Jakob Sporrenberg, SS and Police Leader SS-Brigadeführer Dr. Franz Six SS-Obersturmbannführer Hans Siegling SS-Obersturmbannführer Otto Skorzeny Belarusian Anti-Soviet commanders Źmicier Kasmovič, the police chief of Smolensk Francišak Kušal, Commander of local BKA police forces Michał Vituška, Commander of Čorny Kot Timeline 1939 14 – 17 September Battle of Brześć Litewski. 17 September The eastern front of the Campaign opens with the invasion of Poland by the Soviet Union. Kutno falls to the 8th Army and Brześć Litewski falls to the 3rd Army. 18 September Red Army reach Wilno and Brześć. 21 – 24 September Battle of