From 1945-1954, the Soviet forces based in Germany were titled the Group of Soviet Occupation Troops. From 1954-1989, they were designated the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany and from 1989-1994 they were known as the Western Group of Troops.

This force comprised the strongest Soviet military concentration outside the national borders of the USSR. By the late 1980s, the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany/Western Group of Troops totaled over 380,000 troops and consisted of the 1st Guards Tank Army, the 2nd Guards Tank Army, the 3rd Shock Army, the 8th Guards Army, the 20th Guards Army and the 16th Air Army.

Headquarters

Zossen/Wünsdorf

Commanders-in-Chief

Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgi Konstantinovich Zhukov (9 June 1945-21 Mar 1946)
General Vasili Danilovich Sokolovski (22 Mar 1946-31 Mar 1949)
General Vasili Ivanovich Chuikov (1 Apr 1949-26 May 1953)
Colonel-General Adrei Antonovich Grechko (27 May 1953-16 Nov 1957)
General Matvej Vasiljevich Zakharov (17 Nov 1957-14 Apr 1960)
Colonel-General Ivan Ignatjevich Jakubovski (15 Apr 1960-9 Aug 1961)
Marshal of the Soviet Union Ivan Stepanovich Konev (9 Aug 1961-18 Apr 1962)
General Ivan Ignatjevich Jakubovski (19 Apr 1962-26 Jan 1965)
General Petr Kirillovich Koshevoi (27 Jan 1965-31 Oct 1969)
Colonel-General Viktor Georgievich Kulikov (1 Nov 1969-13 Sep 1971)
Colonel-General Semen Konstantinovich Kurkotkin (14 Sep 1971-19 July 1972)
Colonel-General Evgeny Filippovich Ivanovski (20 July 1972-25 Nov 1980)
General Mikhail Mitrofanovich Zajcev (26 Nov 1980-6 July 1985)
General Petr Georgievich Lusev (7 July 1985-11 July 1986)
General Valeri Aleksandrovich Belikov (12 July 1986-12 Nov 1987)
General Boris Vasiljevich Snetkov (26 Nov 1987-13 Dec 1990)
Colonel-General Matvej Prokopjevich Burlakov (13 Dec 1990-31 Aug 1994)