The Vistula-Oder Offensive began at 0855 hours on January 14. According to Zhukov's plan 5th Shock was to enter the Front's bridgehead over the Vistula at Magnuszew, south of Warsaw, prior to its start, attack on the first day and break through the German defense on a 6km-wide front along the WybrowaStszirzina sector, supported by the artillery of the 2nd Guards Tank Army, and was then to develop the attack in the general direction of Branków and Goszczyn. Once the breakthrough was made the armor units and subunits in direct support of the Army's infantry were to unite as a mobile detachment to seize the second German defensive zone from the march with the goal of reaching the area of Bronisławów to Biała Rawska by the fourth day.Soviet General Staff, Prelude to Berlin, ed. & trans. R. W. Harrison, Helion & Co., Ltd., Solihull, UK, 2016, pp. 40, 55, 573-74. Note that the 5th Shock is mistakenly identified as the 5th Guards Army on p. 573.
