Victory Day Parade in Khabarovsk: how the end of World War II was celebrated

On Wednesday, September 3, a Victory Day Parade over militaristic Japan took place in Khabarovsk. Exactly 80 years ago, the Soviet Union defeated the Kwantung Army during the Manchurian offensive, which lasted from August 9 to September 2, 1945. The successful actions of the Red Army led to the defeat of the Japanese forces in Manchuria and became one of the key events that brought the end of World War II closer. Details can be found in the Izvestia article.

Victory Day Parade in Khabarovsk on September 3

A large-scale parade dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory over militaristic Japan and the end of World War II was held in Khabarovsk for the first time.

The parade opened with the march of the "Preobrazhensky Regiment". To his sound, the banner group of the Airborne Forces Honor Guard company carried out national flags and military banners. After greeting Lieutenant General Mikhail Nosulev, representatives of various branches of the armed forces marched through the square.

The officers of the district carried the standards of the Far Eastern, Siberian and Trans-Baikal districts, as well as copies of the battle flags of the fronts under which the victorious units operated in September 1945.

The parade was attended by crews in the form of participants in the 1945 Victory Day Parade, military personnel of the aerospace forces, motorized rifle and engineering brigades, cadets, rescuers, yunarmeyts, cadets, as well as girls in parade boxes, who attracted special attention from the audience.

The Heroes of Russia, Sergeant Yuri Mushenkov, Colonel Vyacheslav Kabitsky and Guard Lieutenant Nikolai Matrenitsky, marched in the columns. For the first time, the calculation of the Armed Forces of Mongolia took part, emphasizing the brotherhood of peoples. The delegations of the CSTO countries became guests of honor. In total, more than 2,700 people took part in the parade.

The continuation was the passage of military equipment. Legendary vehicles from the Great Patriotic War were shown on the square: T-34 tanks, the ISU-152 self-propelled gun "St. John's Wort" and the Katyusha rocket launcher. Next came a mechanized column with modern military equipment: T-80BVM tanks with anti-drone protection, BMP-2 with Berezhok complex, BTR-82AM, Moscow electronic warfare system, smoke and disinfection machines.

The final part was an installation column with reconstructions of the events of the war in the Far East. The decorated cars reminded us of the role Khabarovsk Krai played in defeating militaristic Japan. A total of 100 pieces of equipment passed through the area. The parade was completed with performances by the honor guard company, artists and the combined garrison orchestra.

Victory Day on September 3: the history of the holiday

The official date of the end of the Second World War is September 2, 1945. On this day, aboard the American battleship Missouri, stationed in Tokyo Bay, the act of surrender of Japan, the last ally of Nazi Germany, which continued fighting against the anti—Hitler coalition, was signed.

Dove of Peace over Tokyo Bay: How was the Japanese Surrender act signed?

The Second World War ended 80 years ago

The document was signed by the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, Army General Douglas MacArthur, the representative of the USSR, General Kuzma Derevyanko, Admiral Chester Nimitz from the United States, and Admiral Bruce Fraser from the United Kingdom. The delegations of Canada, France, China, the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand also joined the act.

For the first time, the proposal to celebrate September 2 as an international holiday appeared in the 1960s, but no single date was fixed. Different countries have chosen their own memorial days. In the Soviet Union, September 3 was originally considered a holiday. It was then that Stalin's address to the people about the end of the war was published in the newspapers and a decree was issued on the introduction of Victory Day over Japan.

In 2010, Russia set September 2 as the Day of the end of World War II, but ten years later the date was again postponed to September 3. In the summer of 2023, the State Duma passed a law that fixed the new name of the memorial day — Victory Day over Militaristic Japan and the End of World War II.

According to the authors of the initiative, the inclusion of the word "militaristic" in the title emphasizes that victory meant not only the surrender of the country, but also the elimination of the aggressive regime, which was an important step towards peace. Today, this day is included in the list of Days of military glory of Russia.

Victory Day over Militaristic Japan in other countries

In the USA, the Day of the end of the Second World War is celebrated on September 2. It was then, in 1945, that President Harry Truman proclaimed this date Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day), and it has remained unchanged ever since.

In the UK, the memorable date falls on August 15, the day when Emperor Hirohito announced the country's surrender and acceptance of the terms of the Potsdam Declaration.

Every year, the British observe almost a minute of silence in memory of the fallen and lay flowers at the memorial to the Unknown Soldier on Whitehall Street in London.

In France, on this day, flowers are brought to the monument to Charles de Gaulle in Paris, a symbol of national resistance during the war. On August 15, Victory over Japan Day is celebrated in the Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia and South Korea.