 As the 6th U.S. Army Group and the 3rd Army finished clearing southern Germany and approached Austria, it was clear to most observers, Allied and German alike, that the war was nearly over.Many towns flew white flags of surrender to spare themselves the otherwise inevitable destruction suffered by those that resisted, while German troops surrendered by the tens of thousands, sometimes as entire units.On 30 April, elements of 7th Army's XV and XXI Corps captured Munich, south of the Danube, while the first elements of its VI Corps had already entered Austria two days earlier.