Red Army veterans celebrate victory in WWII worldwide
Published: 06 May, 2009, 09:40
A couple of WWII Red Army veterans in Donetsk, Ukraine (AFP Photo / Victoria Sinistra)
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As Russia prepares to mark victory in WWII, six decades since leaving the battlefield, Red Army veterans around the world are gathering to remember their fighting days, and preserve the memory and facts of the war.
The Soviet Union entered the battle in the summer of 1941 after its Western Borders were attacked by Nazi Germany. It became the countries Great Patriotic War.
By 1945, WWII had killed more than 70,000,000 people around the world, and those who survived bear deep emotional scars.
The birth of the United Nations followed this most widespread war in history. That is why today, blazed in badges of sacrifice, American Red Army veterans gathered at the UN complex in New York, discussing the lessons and outcome of the conflict.
“With courage and heroism, we all fought for our Motherland. Together with our brave allies, we defeated a cruel and strong enemy, having paid a high price for that,” recalls Leonid Rozenberg, Red army veteran.
“My memories of war stay with me at all times. I constantly remember the battle,” says 92-year old Red army veteran Semyon Vaidman, who was at the frontline just four days after war broke out.
As Russia prepares to celebrate the 64th anniversary of defeating Nazism and Fascism, officials warn the tragic experiences of the past are being glorified and rewritten in parts of the world today.
“Unfortunately, a number of countries have recently been pursuing an undisguised policy of presenting as heroes those who participated in Nazi crimes. That includes the whitewashing of former members of the SS, which was recognized as a criminal organization by the Nuremberg tribunal,” says Ilya Rogachev, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN.
Russian human rights advocates point to an alarming growth of Neo-Nazism in Ukraine, the Baltic States, and parts of Europe.
The UN General Assembly has recently adopted four Russian-sponsored resolutions condemning the glorification of Nazism.
06.05.2009, 09:16
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CountCash, the Nazi aggression against Russia and the rest of Europe was absolutely unforgivable, and the Nazis got what they richly deserved. However, it is not accurate to say that all of Russia's huge losses were due to the Nazi side. A very large portion was due to Russia’s own military tactics, as any objective military history clearly documents.
It is simply splendid to see these veterans, still around, a reminder of the bravery of their efforts. To think, over seventy million lives wer lost, as a result of the Nazis and and their allied axis powers. We can look forward to some great celebrations, sadly these veterans are getting older, which is why, all the more, we must make sure, all our future generations remember their achievements, their sufferning, to rid the world of Naziism. So we must always take this chance on May the 9th to remember all of them. The 9th marks the victory, it is stake in the ground, the final date, that every death, every maiming, every piece of suffering, to defeat the Nazis, culminated in one single act, the defeating of Nazism. On this day, other nations will join this rememberance, and this is solidarity, because together all, as Allies, we achieved a huge victory. In terms of magnitude, Russia lost an immense amount of people, over twenty million, truly incomprehensible to loose so many able citizens. It still leaves its indelible mark on our population. We will never forget these human losses and suffering, never, ever, and that is the gift we return to all of the veterans, both standing and fallen, men, women and children, we send them to heaven, by our thoughts. Their flesh, blood and bones may have been shattered, but their will and resolve was not even marked. A truly proud day for us!












Thank you, Soviet Heroes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love you and I salute you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!