Day of the 1945 Victory Parade in Moscow

The tradition of forming troops and marching in a solemn march came to Russia from Europe during the time of Peter I. The ritual itself, with a procession and display of trophies as part of a ceremony of military triumph, has been known since the times of Ancient Rome. The first parade took place in 1709 in St. Petersburg in honor of the victory over Sweden. Subsequently, all the main ceremonial processions of troops were held on Red Square in Moscow. A tradition that appeared in the 17th-18th centuries. in Tsarist Russia, remained after the 1917 revolution. In the center of the capital on Red Square in 1945, the first military parade took place as a sign of the victory of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany. The decision to hold it on June 24 I.V. Stalin accepted on May 15, allotting only one month for preparation. In the parade hosted by Marshal G.K. Zhukov, under the command of K.K. Rokossovsky was attended by representatives of all fronts and branches of the Red Army. Among them were marshals and generals, as well as officers and ordinary soldiers who brought victory to the USSR. More than 35 thousand people took part in the procession - heroes who most distinguished themselves in the battles of the Great Patriotic War, who showed courage and had military awards. The special commission for preparations for the solemn event was headed by General P.A. Artemyev. They approved the preparation plan for the parade and the rehearsal time. Drill training for army personnel took place daily and lasted 6-7 hours. Generals and marshals marched on the parade ground along with ordinary front-line soldiers. Preparations for the parade were difficult due to the soldiers’ lack of habit of daily drill. Part of the procession was an equestrian ride by the parade host and commander on Terek breed horses and Arabian stallions. Stalin did not have good horse riding skills, so Zhukov and Rokossovsky rode horses. The equestrian ride of the two military leaders symbolized the heroism of the 1917 Revolution and the Civil War, in which the Generalissimo himself was a participant. Over the course of a month, the horses were accustomed to the roar of equipment engines and the sounds of orchestras, which were presented by 1,400 military musicians. 1,850 units of military equipment took part in the June 24 parade. For the event, the Victory Banner was specially delivered from Germany, hoisted on the roof of the Reichstag on May 1 by M. Egorov and M. Kantaria. A distinctive part of the 1945 procession was the ceremony of damaging enemy banners and standards. The Victory Parade began with the famous striking of the Kremlin chimes at 10 am on June 24. Stalin and members of the Politburo watched from the rostrum of the Mausoleum as Zhukov and Rokossovsky toured the troops. There were no spectators of the Victory Parade on Red Square. People looked at the troops and equipment on Gorky Street or from the sidelines on the Kremlin embankment. Marshal Zhukov congratulated the Soviet soldiers who showed valor and courage on the “Great Victory over German imperialism.” After his speech, the USSR Anthem and 50 artillery salvos were played. Then combined regiments, staffed by various branches of the military, marched across Red Square, and military equipment drove by. The parade's musical repertoire was approved on May 5. The list included 36 works that accompanied the solemn procession. In addition to the Anthem of the Soviet Union, drumming and fanfares, the orchestras performed ancient military marches, the song “Glory” from the opera “Ivan Susanin” and other compositions. On the evening of June 24, a festive fireworks display was held in Moscow. The 1945 Victory Parade is a significant event in the history of Russia. He became a symbol of the courage and valor of the people, who, at the cost of the lives of millions of Soviet people, brought peace and tranquility to the earth. The feat of Soviet soldiers will never be forgotten; the memory of the heroism of their ancestors lives in the hearts of their descendants. Therefore, June 24, 1945, Victory Parade Day, is a red date on the calendar and an important milestone in the history of our country.