German and Soviet operations destroyed railways, bridges, and other infrastructure, increasing the value of navigable rivers for bulk supply. The Danube supported the Soviet advance toward Belgrade, Budapest, and Vienna, with flotillas securing the traffic. Other rivers also supported the westward advance. One route illustration takes supplies from the Black Sea to Vienna, transfers them toward Prague, and uses the Elbe toward Dresden and Berlin; an Oder route offers another approach. The example involves transfers between routes, with rivers carrying supplies closer to the armies where damaged land transport could not meet the whole demand.
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How the Danube sustained the Soviet advance
Damaged railways and bridges increased Soviet dependence on river transport, while flotillas protected the supply routes supporting the westward advance.