▁April ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 5 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁the ▁ 5 8 th ▁Gu ards ▁R if le ▁Division ▁of ▁Z had ov ' s ▁ 5 th ▁Gu ards ▁Army ▁met ▁the ▁ 6 9 th ▁Infantry ▁Division ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁First ▁Army ▁at ▁the ▁El be ▁River , ▁effectively ▁cutting ▁Germany ▁in ▁two . ▁On ▁ 2 7 ▁April ▁in ▁T org au ▁on ▁the ▁banks ▁of ▁the ▁El be , ▁the ▁formal ▁Hand sh ake ▁of ▁T org au ▁was ▁comm emor ated ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁cam eras . ▁On ▁ 3 0 ▁April ▁Z had ov ▁hosted ▁a ▁bo ister ous ▁victory ▁party ▁for ▁the ▁command ers ▁and ▁officers ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁First ▁Army ▁and ▁his ▁ 5 th ▁Gu ards ▁Army , ▁which ▁included ▁a ▁ban quet ▁and ▁car ouse . ▁During ▁the ▁party , ▁he ▁presented ▁the ▁First ▁Army ' s ▁commander , ▁General ▁Court ney ▁H od ges , ▁with ▁the ▁pla que ▁of ▁the ▁ 5 th ▁Gu ards ▁Army ▁received ▁from ▁the ▁inc umb ent ▁Soviet ▁premier ▁Joseph ▁St alin , ▁and ▁H od ges ▁reci proc ated ▁by ▁present ing ▁the ▁First ▁Army ' s ▁flag ▁to ▁him . ▁ ▁Post war ▁After ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁Deput y ▁Commander - in - Ch ief ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Gr ound ▁Forces ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁and ▁as ▁the