The Great Patriotic War has deeply scarred the memory of people across the vast territorial expanse of the former Soviet Union. However, as time passes, and veterans pass away, the event is increasingly viewed as a subject in a textbook, which raises the need to keep the memory of the war alive within the population.
On the eve of the 70-th anniversary of Victory Day, most post-Soviet countries held large celebrations culminating in the May 9 military parade in Moscow. All the Central Asian republics...
... selective attitude towards these issues. However, examples of paradoxically close commemorative and festive priorities can be found even in the conflicting countries. The Day of Victory (or Victory Day) in the Great Patriotic War (the name given to World War II in Russia and other former Soviet countries, dating from the Soviet Union’s entrance into the conflict in 1941) is probably the most vivid example of shared commemorative practices.
In Georgia, May 9 is a national holiday, a day off ...
Since Alexander Lukashenko came to power in 1994, Victory Day, the memory of it and its symbols have become an integral part of Belarusian statehood and the ideology of the Belarusian state. Back then, 20 years ago, when many ex-Soviet countries were aggressively revising the Soviet legacy, the people of Belarus and the Belarusian leadership definitively determined Victory Day as a sacred day for the country.
There are many reasons for this. There is the price Belarus paid for the Victory: one in...
... continued talking to the allies, particularly Britain, since those close to him included quite a few anglophiles, who believed that greater benefit could be derived from an orientation on Britain and its allies.
It must not be forgotten, however, that, when World War II broke out in Europe, Spain had only just emerged from its Civil War (1936–1939), which cost the country over four hundred thousand lives, destroying its economy, military and cultural spheres. Consequently, Spain’s vacillations ...
... announcement
on his official website: “In accordance with the recommendations of the European Commission, Hungary will be represented at the 9 May 2015 celebrations by the country’s Ambassador accredited in Moscow”.
Larisa Smirnova:
World War II and Change of Generations:
Trauma, Myth, and Memory
The same argument was put forward in all cases: to visit Moscow under the current conditions would mean to justify Russia’s actions in Ukraine, split the ranks of the European states ...
... have the same significance for Serbia as Victory Day has for Russia. There are several reasons for this:
The complex nature of military operations in the Balkans, especially Yugoslavia.
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The fact that there are other memorable dates and events from World War II.
The importance of other historic events that form a public consensus.
The importance of religious celebrations and other national holidays.
Attempts by the nation’s leaders to impose a neutral, politically correct nature to the May ...
The attitude of India and its population to the Second World War is substantially different to that which exists in Europe. There were no military battles on the Indian territory, the country’s existence was not put in doubt, but the war itself led to the proclamation of India’s independence.
It is the last aspect which attracts the Indian public most. In this respect there is especial interest in the actions of the Indian National Army, which fought on Japan’s side.
In September...
In the light of the geopolitical situation that has developed in relation to Russia’s foreign partners’ attitude to the country, the celebration of the 70th anniversary of victory in the Second World War will be a kind of litmus test both for Russia’s political elite and for the majority of the country’s citizens. The decision by a number of western leaders not to come to the events celebrating this anniversary has sparked a wave of indignation among the Russian public and...
... is how today’s new German was created, and the perception of May in Germany should be viewed in this context.
Today one may confidently assert that Germany has overcome its history, as revanchism remains for political outcasts and keen interest in WWII, especially in the Waffen SS and Wehrmacht, attracts close attention from law enforcement. Most Germans are ashamed of those 12 years and are working hard to prevent a repeat, viewing May 8 as a day to celebrate that they have prevailed over history ...
This is the official name of the holiday in France that celebrates victory in World War II. On May 8, 1945, Nazi Germany signed the act of surrender in the headquarters of Anglo-American Commander-in-Chief General Dwight Eisenhower in Reims. This date is celebrated in France as the day when World War II ended in Europe. It should ...
