On 20 April, Hitler's birthday, the allies began to bombard the centre of the city with rockets and artillery until the city surrendered. On 22 April, Hitler, when he knew that the Germans plans had failed, cried in anger, and he knew the war had been lost. One of his generals, Alfred Jodl, thought a link could be formed between the army in Berlin, and the 12th Army, commanded by Walther Wenck, which was fighting the US Army. Hitler agreed to that idea, but the troops could not get to the city.