Victory Day (Eastern Front)
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- For the song, see Den Pobedy
In Russian Federation and some former USSR countries, Victory Day [1] marks the capitulation of Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union in the Second World War commonly referred to in the Soviet Union and later, Russian Federation, as the Great Patriotic War. This capitulation was signed late in the evening on May 8, 1945 (May 9 by Moscow Time), following the original capitulation Germany signed earlier to the joint Allied forces. The Soviet government announced the victory early on May 9 after the signing ceremony in Berlin[2], and established a yearly celebration throughout USSR.
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[edit] History
Two separate capitulation events took place at the time. First, the capitulation to the Allied nations in Reims was signed on May 7, 1945, effective 23:01 CET May 8. This date is commonly referred to as the V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day) in most western European countries. The other WWII victory day, the V-J day (Victory in Japan Day) is commemorated in August, and is of considerably lesser significance in Europe.
However, the Soviet Union's only representative in Reims was General Ivan Susloparov, the Military Liaison Mission Commander. General Susloparov's scope of authority was not entirely clear, and he had no means of immediate contact with the Kremlin, but nevertheless decided to sign for the Soviet side. Susloparov was caught off guard; he had no instructions from Moscow. But if he did not sign, he risked a German surrender without Soviet participation. However, he noted that it could be replaced with a new version in the future. Stalin was later displeased by these events, believing that the German surrender should have been accepted only by the envoy of the USSR Supreme command and signed only in Berlin and insisted the Reims protocol be considered preliminary, with the main ceremony to be held in Berlin, where Marshal Zhukov was at the time, as the latter recounts in his memoirs:[3]
| “ | [Quoting Stalin:] Today, in Reims, Germans signed the preliminary act on an unconditional surrender. The main contribution, however, was done by Soviet people and not by the Allies, therefore the capitulation must be signed in front of the Supreme Command of all countries of the anti-Hitler coalition, and not only in front of the Supreme Command of Allied Forces. Moreover, I disagree that the surrender was not signed in Berlin, which was the center of Nazi aggression. We agreed with the Allies to consider the Reims protocol as preliminary. | ” |
Therefore, another ceremony was organized in a surviving manor in the outskirts of Berlin late on May 8, when it was already May 9 in Moscow due to the difference in time zones. Field-Marshal Wilhelm Keitel submitted the capitulation of the Wehrmacht to the Soviet Marshal Georgy Zhukov in the Red Army headquarters in Berlin-Karlshorst. To commemorate the victory in the war, the ceremonial Moscow Victory Parade was held in the Soviet capital on June 24, 1945.
[edit] Celebration
During Soviet Union's existence, the May 9 Victory Day was celebrated throughout USSR and in countries of the Eastern Bloc.
After fall of the communism in Central and Eastern Europe, several former USSR countries, especially Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, retained the celebration. Traditionally, ceremonial military parades are held on the day, with the most prominent one usually in Moscow on the Red Square. Other countries of former Eastern Block switched to recognizing Victory in Europe Day, and celebrate it on May 8 along with Western Europe.
After the collapse of the USSR, the independent Baltic States abolished the celebration of Victory Day. Latvia, for example, celebrates "The Crushing of Nazism and Commemoration Day of Victims of World War II" on May 8th.[4]
[edit] See also
- End of World War II in Europe
- German Instrument of Surrender, 1945
- Minute of Silence
- Ribbon of Saint George
- Victory Day in other countries
- Victory in Europe Day
- Victory over Japan Day
[edit] References
- ^ (Russian: День Победы, Den' Pobedy; Ukrainian: День Перемоги, Den' Peremohy; Belarusian: Дзень Перамогі, Dzień Pieramohi; Polish: Dzień Zwycięstwa; Kazakh: Жеңіс Күні, Jeñis Küni; Lithuanian: Pergalės diena; Moldovan: Зиуа Викторией, Ziua Victoriei'; Latvian: Uzvaras diena; Estonian: Võidupäev; Tatar Cyrillic: Җиңү көне, Latin: Ciñü köne)
- ^ Ziemke Further readingCHAPTER XV:The Victory Sealed Page 258 last 2 paragraphs
- ^ G.K. Zhukov, Memoirs, Moscow, Olma-Press, 2002, p.329
- ^ List of Latvian National Holidays, Latvian Institute web site
