Posted on 06/22/2009 6:28:31 AM PDT by pobeda1945
MOSCOW, June 22 (RIA Novosti) - Russia remembers on Monday the start of the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War, the term used in Russia and other ex-Soviet states to describe WWII.
Nazi Germany and its allies attacked the country's west, delivering massive air strikes on key air, railroad and military facilities and advancing 250-300 km deep into Soviet territory on June 22, 1941.
The war, planned to be a matter of months, lasted for four years and became the world's bloodiest conflict in history. At least 26.5 million Soviet civilians and soldiers died during the conflict, according to official statistics.
Veterans, survivors, officials, and scores of younger people are visiting war memorials in Russia's major cities. In Moscow, people have been laying flowers and lighting candles in Victory Park, the center of annual Victory Day celebrations.
President Dmitry Medvedev, along with visiting Moldovan leader Vladimir Voronin and other top officials, has laid a wreath of flowers at the symbolic Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin wall.
Senior members of the Communist Party laid flowers at the graves of Joseph Stalin and top war-time commanders. Russians were invited to light candles on their windowsills at 4:00 a.m., the time of the start of the invasion, in a campaign launched by the ruling United Russia party and supported by the Orthodox Church.
The pro-Kremlin youth group Nashi (Ours) said 10,000 people would gather on Vorobyovy Hills in Moscow's southwest later on Monday, to tie bells to trees and light candles to form "an alley of memory" in the park. The group has also launched a website featuring pop stars' video addresses to veterans.
"Let's not forget that it [the war] is part of our history. I love you, grandmas and grandpas," famous pop singer Vladimir Presnyakov said in his video address. "I want to remind you all that...on June 22 we must all remember those people who made our days so bright and sunny," said 2008 Eurovision winner Dima Bilan.
Events planned by another Kremlin-backed group include pickets near the embassies of Estonia, Latvia and other former Soviet republics which Moscow has accused of "distorting history" by "glorifying" former Nazi fighters and persecuting Red Army veterans as war criminals. Activists said they would play war-time air raid alerts in front of the embassies.
The war started with Russia badly disadvantaged as the Red Army was poorly armed, and most of its professional commanders had been executed or imprisoned during the 1937-1938 Stalinist reprisals. Stalin, who was caught unaware despite repeated intelligence warnings, only made his first address to the nation almost two weeks after the war was unleashed.
The anniversary of the attack was not officially marked until the 1990s. It is now officially named the Day of Memory and Sorrow. National flags are flown half mast in Russia and other former Soviet states on this day and light entertainment programs are forbidden. "The day reminds us of those who perished, who were tortured to death in Nazi prisons, died of starvation and other hardships. We mourn for those who gave their lives fulfilling their duty to protect the Motherland," an official statement on the establishment of the holiday said.
Obama’s fault.
I’m just staying in practice.
Is that the war where Stalin made a non-aggression pact with Hitler to slice up Poland after the Nazis attacked it?
Correction: before the Nazis attacked Poland.
Nowhere near the number of those who died because of Stalin.
... but, hey, I guess when thieves fall out, the one getting shafted wants to play the victim.
I notice, they only commemorate from 1941-1945. Maybe they should have a commemorate when they teamed up with Nazi Germany to slice up Poland. Or when they invaded the Baltic states or maybe commemorate when they invaded Finland and got their butts kicked for six months before Finland capitulated.
“Great Patriotic War” = more ways for “Uncle Joe” Stalin to kill more of his own people.
Socialist murdering off a hundred millions.
Yeah, real patriotism.
That must of been the Little Not So Patriotic War...er..or something.
“Correction: before the Nazis attacked Poland.”
A little piece of history people conveniently forget...
No. What the Russians call the Great Patriotic War began with the German invasion of Russia
were used to great effect against the Germans in 1941 and beyond.
You left out the torture and rape of the citizens of the newly “freed” countries.
Actually, Japan just delivered an apology for the Bataan "Death March"
http://www.mysanantonio.com/military/Bataan_Death_March_survivors_hear_apology.html
To my knowledge they haven’t even acknowledged anything they’ve done.
Exactly. You made my point. The USSR and Nazi Germany BOTH started WWII with their invasion of Poland.
While Hitler was absorbing Austria and Czechoslovakia into the Reich, the USSR attacked Finland and invaded and occupied Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
While murdered 6 million Jews, the Soviets slaughtered 8 million Ukrainians.
Yes indeed Hitler and Stalin were partners in crime as they divided Europe up among themselves and engaged in genocide. Facts almost completely ignored by contemporary history.
For me watching the Soviets and Nazis fighting eachother was much like watching the Iran/Iraq War. You hope both sides lose.
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