80 years ago, the Red Army defeated Nazism.

Published at: 09/05/2025 09:23 AM

May 9, 1945 is called Victory Day because of the celebration of the victory of the Soviet Union and the Allies over Nazi Germany during the Second World War or Great Patriotic War as the Soviet Union calls it. This celebration is commemorated in a large part of the former Soviet Republics.

That day of May 9, the Soviet people and the Red Army demonstrated that they were capable of defeating the greatest military power in the world. The victory against fascism by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) saved humanity from the triumph of fascist capitalism. Fascism was temporarily eliminated in half of Europe, which came under Moscow's sphere of influence, and where popular democracies were created.

Nazi Germany, represented by General Feldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel, signed an unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945 at 22:43 Central European Time (May 9 at 0:43 Moscow time), to Red Army Marshal Georgy Zhukov, thus ending World War II on the European continent. The time difference explains why in Western countries the victory is celebrated on May 8 (Victory in Europe Day), while in Eastern Europe it is celebrated on May 9.

Victory Day was not widely commemorated in the USSR until after twenty years, in 1965. After the dissolution of the USSR, the parades stopped being held for a few years, until in 1995 the tradition resumed in Russia.

Since then, the parades in Red Square have been held annually.

Mazo News Team