Old folks were coming home And young fathers — Мoscovites, Leningraders, Donians… The Siberians were back! The Siberians were back — Both hunters and fishermen, And drivers of complex cars, And the lords of the peaceful valleys, — Returned the Giant Nation... L. Martynov The Great Patriotic War affected the fate of millions of people, changed the lives of entire families, and snatched 1,418 days and nights from every life. Today we proudly bear the title of the victorious nation, sometimes forgetting what is behind it. The exhibition « The Parade of Victors» narrates the story of the Victory Parade on Red Square in Moscow on June 24th, 1945. For the first time, unique photos provided by the Information Agency «Russian Army», as well as documents from the Victory Museum`s funds, telling about the combat path of participants of the Victory Parade, portraits of Marshals of the Soviet Union are presented. The exhibition shows the power of the country, which, despite the difficulties of the post-war period, was able to prepare and hold the parade that forever became a part of the history. About 40,000 militaries and around 1,850 units of military hardware marched through Red Square. The exhibition is complemented by a series of paintings «Marshals of the Victory» made by the honored artist of Russia V. V. Shilov, portraits of commanders – the Cavaliers of the highest military award of the USSR - the Order of Victory, whose names are inscribed in gold letters in the chronicle of the history of the Great Patriotic War. There are also represented unique exhibits from personal archives, transferred by N. R. Malinovskaya, the daughter of Marshal of the Soviet Union R. Ya. Malinovsky, and personal belongings of Marshal of the Soviet Union K. K. Rokossovsky, carefully preserved by his grandson K. V. Rokossovsky. Victory Museum expresses gratitude to its partners - the Advertising and Information Agency «Russian Army» and the Russian Military Historical Society for their assistance in creation of the exhibition. «They say that the war does not end as long as at least one of its soldiers is alive. But in centuries to come people will remember those terrible and great years– 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945…» Ilya Grigoryevich Ehrenburg «Future«Future generationsgenerations willwill acknowledgeacknowledge theirtheir debtdebt toto thethe RedRed ArmyArmy asas unreservedlyunreservedly asas dodo wewe whowho havehave livedlived toto witnesswitness thesethese proudproud achievements».achievements». WinstonWinston S.S. ChurchillChurchill PrimePrime MinisterMinister ofof GreatGreat BritainBritain Red Square, filled with people in celebration of the Victory over Germany Moscow. June 1945 Victory Museum On June 24th, 1945, the Victory Parade was held on Moscow’s Red Square. It was the triumph of a victorious people who showed to the whole world how to win, regardless of pain, hardship and fear. The decision to hold the parade in honor of the victory over Nazi Germany was made by Supreme Commander-in-Chief Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin after Victory Day — May 15, 1945. Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin Moscow Victory Museum Leaflet. All hail the Victory! Portrait of Generalissimo of the Soviet Union J.V. Stalin V. V. Shilov Russia. 2002 Victory Museum «J.«J. V.V. StalinStalin asked:asked: —— Shouldn’tShouldn’t wewe holdhold thethe VictoryVictory ParadeParade inin MoscowMoscow inin commemorationcommemoration ofof thethe victoryvictory overover NaziNazi GermanyGermany andand inviteinvite thethe mostmost distinguisheddistinguished heroesheroes —— soldiers,soldiers, sergeants,sergeants, sergeantsergeant majors,majors, officersofficers andand generals?generals? ThisThis ideaidea waswas warmlywarmly supportedsupported byby allall andand immediatelyimmediately beganbegan toto makemake aa numbernumber ofof practicalpractical proposals.proposals. TheThe questionquestion ofof whowho wouldwould reviewreview thethe VictoryVictory ParadeParade andand whowho wouldwould commandcommand thethe paradeparade waswas notnot discusseddiscussed atat thatthat time.time. However,However, eacheach ofof usus believedbelieved thatthat thethe SupremeSupreme Commander-In-ChiefCommander-In-Chief shouldshould reviewreview thethe VictoryVictory Parade».Parade». G.K.G.K. ZhukovZhukov «Memories«Memories andand Reflections»Reflections» On May 24th, Stalin was informed of the General Staff’s proposals for holding the Vic- tory Parade. He accepted them, but did not agree with suggested time frame. While the General Staff estimated two months for preparation, Stalin ordered to hold the pa- rade in one-month period. On the same day, to commanders of the Leningrad, 1st and 2nd Belorussian, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Ukrainian Fronts was sent a directive signed by the Chief of the General Staff, General of the Red Army A. I. Antonov: The Supreme Commander-in-Chief ordered: 1. In order to participate in the parade in Moscow in honor of the victory over Germany, assign from the front a composite regiment. 2. To form a composite regiment according to the following formation: five battalions of two-troops composition of 100 people in each troop (ten divisions of 10 men). In addition, 19 members of the command staff from the formation: commander of the regiment — 1, deputy commander of the regiment - 2 (for the military and political sections), chief of staff of the regiment - 1, battalion commanders - 5, troops commanders - 10 and 36 colour bearers with 4 assistant officers. Total number of consolidated people in the composite regiment is 1059 people and 10 people to reserve. 3. To have six infantry, one artillery, one tank, one pilot and one combined (cavalry, sappers, signalers) troops in the composite regiment. 4. Troops must be formed so that the commanders of the divisions are middle rank officers, and in each division — soldiers and sergeants. 5. Select the military personal for participation in the parade from soldiers and officers Aleksei Innokentievich Antonov who are the most distinguished in the battle and having battle orders. Chief of the General Staff of the Workers’ and Peasants’ 6. The composite regiment must be armed: three rifle troops — rifles, three rifle troops Red Army (February 1945-March 1946) - machine guns, an artillery troop - carbines behind the back, a tank troop and a pilot Victory Museum troop – handguns, a troop of sappers, signalers and cavalrymen — carbines behind the back, cavalrymen, in addition, — cavalry sword. 7. The parade must be attended by the Front Commander and all commanders, including aircraft and tank armies. 8. The composite regiment must arrive in Moscow on June 10th , 1945, having at itself 36 colours of units and formations of the front which had distinguished themselves the most and all enemy`s colours captured in battle, regardless of their number. 9. Parade uniform for the entire regiment will be provided in Moscow. The order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Marshal of the Soviet Union J.Stalin from «22.06.1945» № 370 May 24th , 1945 ANTONOV «Nazi«Nazi GermanyGermany waswas notnot brokenbroken byby high-explosivehigh-explosive andand incendiaryincendiary bombs,bombs, butbut byby thethe heroicheroic RedRed Army»Army» JohnJohn BernalBernal EnglishEnglish scientist,scientist, progressiveprogressive publicpublic figurefigure Chief of the Political Department of the 3rd Shock Army Colonel F.Y. Lisitsin inspects the parade crew V. P. Grebnev Moscow. June 1945 Victory Museum In order to prepare and conduct the Victory Parade, a special commission was organized, which included representatives of the Kremlin commandant’s headquarter, the Moscow military district and other divisions. Marshal Georgy Zhukov was assigned to host the parade, and Marshal Konstantin Rokossovsky was assigned to command the troops. Marshals Zhukov and Rokossovsky ride around the troops Moscow. June 1945 Advertising and Information Agency «Russian Army» «I«I havehave oftenoften wonderedwondered whywhy everyoneeveryone whowho knewknew RokossovskyRokossovsky inin oneone wayway oror anotheranother treatedtreated himhim withwith boundlessboundless respect.respect. AndAnd thethe answeranswer waswas onlyonly one:one: whilewhile remainingremaining demanding,demanding, KonstantinKonstantin KonstantinovichKonstantinovich respectedrespected peoplepeople regardlessregardless ofof theirtheir rankrank andand position.position. AndAnd thisthis isis thethe mainmain thingthing thatthat attractedattracted inin him»him» FromFrom thethe bookbook ofof AriadnaAriadna RokossovskayaRokossovskaya «Morning«Morning afterafter thethe victory»victory» Marshal of the Soviet Union K. K. Rokossovsky (right) and British Field Marshal Montgomery Germany (near the Elbe river). May 10, 1945 Victory Museum «In May 1945, my grandfather was in Western Pomerania. When it became known that the Germans had capitulated, Rokossovsky gathered his head- quarter and announced the good news. There were no shouts, no hugs – everybody kept silence. The grandfather understood the state of friends, suggested that everyone go out into the garden, sit on a bench and have a cigarette. That’s how, sitting in the garden, recalling the experiences, he met the victory. Then there were salute, a reception at Field Marshal Mont- gomery`s residence, a return visit, after which the British, exhausted from Russian hospitality, had to be driven back home...». From the book of Ariadna Rokossovskaya «Morning after the victory». Konstantin Konstantinovich Rokossovsky Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Marshal of the Soviet Union, commander of the Victory