Victory Day is a great holiday for every person. It is saturated with tears and pain of millions of people, but also with the joy that we have the opportunity to live in a peaceful country. The Great Patriotic War claimed a huge number of lives, it was a terrible time, but thanks to the valor and fearlessness of our people, new generations do not know what war is. Every year on May 9, a solemn parade is held, honoring the surviving veterans, admiring the festive fireworks.
Why is Victory Day celebrated on May 9?
Usually children ask this question: "Why is Victory Day celebrated on May 9?" In most European countries, Victory in Europe Day is celebrated on May 8th. It is believed that on this day the end of the Second World War in Europe took place (hostilities with Japan will still continue). Victory Day is celebrated on May 8 by Great Britain, France and other countries that are allies of the USSR in the anti-Hitler coalition. Why is Victory Day in Europe celebrated on May 8?
On May 6, German troops almost completely ceased hostilities, and on the night of May 6-7, Germany officially announced surrender. On the night of May 7, 1945, in the French city of Reims, the Act of Germany's unconditional surrender was signed. Who signed the most important document:
- On the part of Germany, General Jodl signed;
- On behalf of the Allies, the Act was signed by US General Walter B. Smith;
- The surrender of Germany was accepted by Major General I.A. Susloparov, who represented the USSR.
Ivan Alekseevich Susloparov was on a business trip in France since 1944. Then Paris was already liberated from the German troops. Susloparov was entrusted with an honorable mission to represent the interests of the Soviet Union. In Paris, he headed the military high command at the headquarters of the allies. In addition, shortly before the start of the largest war in world history, he was the head of the Soviet intelligence campaign in Western Europe.
It is interesting! This was not the first time the Major General visited France. In 1939 he was in Paris as military attaché.
Late in the evening on May 6, 1945, Major General I.A. Susloparov went to the residence at the invitation of General D. Eisenhower (Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet Union). It was there that the signing of the Act of Germany's surrender was to take place. Based on this document, on May 8, 1945 at 11 o'clock and 1 minute (meaning Central European time), hostilities on European territory should stop.
I.A. Susloparov was to go down in history as the person who signed the Act of surrender. But, thanks to his intuition, which, as is known, is well developed among the ambassadors, the Major General decided that a more significant political figure should go down in history. He sent a copy of the text of the Act of Surrender to Moscow and waited for I.V. Stalin.
The time was approaching for the signing of the Act, and Stalin hesitated to answer. It was necessary to take responsibility for signing the most important document. But this decision could cause serious trouble for the Major General. Meanwhile, the Act had to be signed by the representative of the Soviet Union, otherwise Germany could continue military operations against the USSR on the Eastern Front.
I.A. Susloparov, a military diplomat, made the following decision. He signed the Act, but insisted that the document include a clause according to which the signing of the Act of Germany's surrender can be duplicated elsewhere, if required by one of the Allied countries.
General Susloparov did the right thing by making a wise decision. The answer of I.V. Stalin came after the signing of the Act. Stalin demanded that the signing be repeated.There are several versions why Stalin decided to repeat the signing of the Act of Surrender. It is believed that according to one of them, he was not satisfied with the assigned role of the USSR in the Great Victory over the Nazis. As I.V. Stalin, on May 9, 1945 (European time it was still May 8) in a city near Berlin, the Act of Germany's unconditional surrender was re-signed.
Important! For the second time, the victory marshal Georgy Zhukov accepted the surrender of the German troops. General Susloparov received a reprimand from Stalin.
When is it celebrated in other countries?
Berlin was taken by Soviet troops on May 2, 1945, but the Nazi troops continued to resist for a week. On the night of May 6-7, representatives of the Allied countries signed the Act of Germany's unconditional surrender. Based on this historical document, the fire should have completely stopped on May 8 at 23:01 (according to European time).
Why is Victory Day celebrated on May 8 and not on May 9 in European countries? The point is in different time zones. It is for this reason that our country celebrates a great holiday one day later than the Europeans. On May 8, 1945, after the signing of the Act of Surrender, they began to celebrate the great victory on a large scale. In the capital of Great Britain, the British gathered at Buckingham Palace, on the balcony of which members of the royal family, as well as Prime Minister W. Churchill, congratulated them.
Immortal regiment in Great Britain
In the USSR, the Victory Day over the Nazi invaders was first celebrated on May 9, 1945. Moscow and other large Soviet cities saluted with many volleys. A month and a half later, a solemn parade took place on Red Square in Moscow.
In European countries, they do not celebrate Victory Day, as in post-Soviet countries, but grieve and thank those who gave their lives for the good of a peaceful existence. But the country and many post-Soviet countries are celebrating the great day of May 9 on a grand scale.
A bit of history, interesting facts
The Great Patriotic War is covered with numerous legends and stories. Here are just a few of the little-known facts about Victory Day:
- History textbooks indicate that the first to hang the banner over the Reichstag were the soldiers M. Egorov and M. Kantaria (this happened on May 1, 1945). But it is not known for certain who exactly hoisted the banner, since several groups of fighters entered the Reichstag at that time. According to unverified sources, on April 30, 1945, the banner appeared on the roof of the Reichstag, and G. Bulatov hoisted it. After 20 years, he tried to prove this fact, but never received an award for the feat.
- The famous photograph by E. Chaldei "The Banner over the Reichstag" is rather staged rather than reflecting for certain the realities of that time. Against the background of the banner, they photographed the wrong soldiers who hoisted it over the Reichstag, and also made several retouching for a more impressive picture.
- The act of unconditional surrender of Germany was signed on the night of May 6-7, 1945. And already on May 8, the Europeans celebrated a great victory over the fascist invaders. Why do we celebrate not the 7th, but the 9th? The fact is that I.V. Stalin was against the signing of the Act in France. The re-signing of the Act of surrender took place in the suburbs of Berlin on May 8 European time and May 9 Moscow time.
- There is another version why Victory Day for Europe is not a holiday, but a day of sorrow. Since 1918, European countries have been moving towards war after the signing of the Versailles Peace Treaty. Germany transparently hinted that the territory can be conquered in the East. But then things didn't go as planned. Hitler thought that the conquest of the lands of the USSR would wait, but France and England should be taken first. First, Hitler conquered France, then the hostilities moved to Great Britain. But in his versions, he provided for one thing: the East should belong to Germany. At first, Hitler planned to conquer it, and then to clear it of the indigenous people. But the Ost plan was not destined to come true.The USSR defended its lands and the right to live peacefully on its own territory.
Victory Day is not only a solemn parade, grand fireworks and mass events. First of all, this day should be said "thank you" to all those who defended the right to live in a peaceful country during the war. On May 9, the victims are remembered, those who gave their lives for our peaceful future.
