Victory Parade on June 24, 1945

Annually, on May 9, millions of Russians watch the Victory Parade with tears of joy. This day became a national holiday almost seventy years ago. Finally, an act on the surrender of German troops was signed on May 8, 1945. On the morning of May 9, Moscow received a salute. Thirty volleys of a hundred guns marked the great Victory. On May 24, the Supreme Commander informed about the decision to hold a Victory Parade on Red Square, on the main square of the country. The combined regiments from all fronts, representatives of all branches of the Armed Forces, knights of the Order of Glory, Heroes of the Soviet Union, participants in the storming of Berlin, distinguished soldiers and officers were to take part. However, it was not easy to get to the elite, those who march through the main square in the country. For this it was not enough "just" to excel in the battles, it was necessary and the view to have an appropriate one. Participants of the Parade should not be older than 30 years and not less than 176 centimeters. For them, the uniform was wearing, because during the military operations no one thought about it, no one has survived it. Time to prepare - a month. JV Stalin set the date - June 24. And on June 23, Zhukov himself strictly accepted the "examination" from future participants, who trained every day for several hours. Not all have successfully passed the test. It was not possible to do this to the heroes who hoisted the Banner of Victory above the Reichstag on May 1, 1945. Three soldiers of the 150th Infantry Division were not strong enough in combat training. And the marshal did not want anyone else carrying this symbol. That is why the Banner of Victory in the Parade did not participate, and after it was given to the Central Museum of the Armed Forces for storage.

GK Zhukov took not only the "examination" of the participants, but also the Victory Parade of 1945 instead of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief JV Stalin. And Marshal K. K. Rokossovsky commanded them. Together they drove on white and black horses across the Red Square. By the way, picking a horse Zhukov was not so easy. Snow White Idol, the horse of the Terek breed, was not a novice in such matters. He participated in the parade on November 7, 1941. But it so happened that the rehearsal of the Victory Parade did not pass over him. He was taught to make stops at the right time, accustomed to tanks, volleys of guns, screams, so that at a critical moment he was not afraid. The idol did not disappoint.

At ten in the morning on June 24, 1945, a magnificent horse passed through the gates of the Spassky Tower with its famous commander on his back. And GK Zhukov thereby violated at once two indestructible traditions: he rode on horseback and even in his headdress through the main gates of the Kremlin.

On this day, the weather did not spoil, it was pouring rain, so we had to cancel air demonstrations and demonstration of civilians. But all this could not overshadow the solemnity of the moment and the joy of all those gathered in the square. The Victory Parade took place. Combined regiments marched along the Red Square, the combined orchestra played a special march for each of them, 200 enemy banners were thrown on a special pedestal near the Mausoleum as a token of victory over Nazi Germany, and the heroic dog-sapper Julbars, on Stalin's personal order, was carried on his jacket.

Now the Victory Parade is held every year in every city as a tribute to the lost heroes and as a sign of respect to the survivors, as gratitude to those who fought for their country.