A tenant can be held responsible for all the rent for the whole

If the lease has a fixed term and there are no other provisions that allow the tenant to break the lease, the tenant can be liable for all the rent.

This web site has a good summary of the options:
http://www.dca.state.ga.us/housing/HousingDevelopment/programs/downloads/landlord/lstermrenu.html

(Question 2. My lease is not up for another six months. I am being transferred by my company. What can I do to terminate the lease? What penalties are involved?)

Although the handbook is under the Georgia law, the principles are generally correct. You can try to sublet or find a new tenant to reduce the loss. Of course the alternative is to fulfill the lease. It is unpleasant but maybe an economically sensible thing to do.