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I love the picture of all the German regimental standards lowered to the ground with flags furled. I've never seen that before; is this kind of desecration usual after a victory? It must be a huge insult and embarrassment to the units that were defeated and lost their battle standards.

-ccm

The statehouse in MI proudly displays a VA flag, captured in battle.

We plan to take it back.

General Joshua L. Chamberlain of Maine, recalls the ceremony of the South's surrender:

"Bayonets were affixed to muskets, arms stacked, and cartridge-boxes unslung and hung upon the stacks. Then, slowly and with a reluctance that was appealingly pathetic, the torn and tattered battle-flags were either leaned against the stacks or laid upon the ground. The emotion of the conquered soldiery was really sad to witness. Some of the men who had carried and followed those ragged standards through the four long years of strife rushed, regardless of all discipline, from the ranks, bent about their old flags, and pressed them to their lips.

And it can well be imagined, too, that there was no lack of emotion on our side, but the Union men were held steady in their lines, without the least show of demonstration by word or by motion. There was, though, a twitching of the muscles of their faces, and, be it said, their battle-bronzed cheeks were not altogether dry. Our men felt the import of the occasion, and realized fully how they would have been affected if defeat and surrender had been their lot after such a fearful struggle."

I've seen the chronicle movie... It is actually worth owning, the movie about that parade.

The part you describe is, in my opinion, the most moving and the most meaningful part of it all. Rows of soldiers, perfectly lined, all of them - Heroes of Soviet Union, with nazi unit standarts lowered as to wipe the floor of Red Square. Under the cold staccatto of drums, they marched from one end of the square to another, and upon reaching the Lenin tomb, they turned - row by row, to throw the nazi flags to the floor before the walls. This was a hugely powerful scene... People wept while watching this - it really downed on them that the nazi horror, which raped their home for 4 years, was destroyed. That heap of wood and fabric cost them too much, and that was a clear reminder, and also a reminder that it was THEIR victory, the Great Victory of the People, and not the communists or Stalin. It was all about the common folks, the people that paid with their blood and best of their sons, to drive off the nazi menace. This day belongs to them.

I love the picture of all the German regimental standards lowered to the ground with flags furled. I've never seen that before; is this kind of desecration usual after a victory? It must be a huge insult and embarrassment to the units that were defeated and lost their battle standards.

The culmination was for each bearer of the captured standard to toss it single file onto a pile.