Posted on Sep 7, 2017
Allied Victory Parade Berlin 07 09 45 rt 07 47
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The Berlin Victory Parade of 1945 was held by the Allies of World War II on 7 September 1945 in Berlin, the capital of the defeated Nazi Germany, shortly after the end of World War II. The four participating countries were the Soviet Union, the United States, the United Kingdom and France.
The parade was proposed by the Soviet Union, following the June Moscow Victory Parade of 1945. July in Berlin also saw a British parade (the 1945 British Berlin Victory Parade). The September parade took place near the Reichstag building and the Brandenburg Gate.
Senior officers present at the parade were Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov from the USSR, General George S. Patton from the United States, General Brian Robertson, from the United Kingdom, and General Marie-Pierre Kœnig from France. General Dwight D. Eisenhower and Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery declined the invitations shortly before the parade, and sent Patton and Robertson as their representatives. About 5,000 troops from the USSR, USA, UK and France took part in the parade (with 2,000 of the troops being Soviet).[2] The parade was opened by marching troops, followed by the armour. Units present included the Soviet 248th Infantry Division, the French 2nd Infantry Division, the British 131st Infantry Brigade, and the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division; the forces present came primarily from the local garrisons. The armoured contingent came from the British 7th Armoured Division, French 1st Armored Division, and U.S. 16th Mechanized Cavalry Group. The Red Army used this occasion for the first public display of the IS-3 heavy tank, with 52 tanks from the 2nd Guards Tank Army participating.
Russian sources refer to this parade as "forgotten parade", as it was mentioned in only a few Western sources. The downplaying of the parade in the West can be seen as one of the early signs of the Cold War. The forces of four Allies also participated in another Berlin parade a year later, on the Charlottenburger Chaussee, in front of the Brandenburg Gate, on the first anniversary of the German surrender on 8 May 1946, in the Berlin Victory Parade of 1946. This parade was connected to the inauguration of the Soviet War Memorial at Tiergarten. Soviet troops would not be present at the much more widely known in the West London Victory Celebrations of 1946.
https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Berlin%20Victory%20Parade%20of%201945
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Victory_Parade_of_1945
Additional video footage :
https://youtu.be/F08Q8EOIdN0
@ col mikel COL Mikel J. Burroughs @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen C. @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen F. @ ltc frank LTC (Join to see) @ ltc john LTC John Mohor @ maj william Maj William W. 'Bill' Price @ maj stephen LTC (Join to see) @ capt marty Maj Marty Hogan @ smsgt doc SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas @ tsgt joe TSgt Joe C. @ sra christopher SrA Christopher Wright @ msg andrew MSG Andrew White @ sfc mary SFC (Join to see) @ ssg pete SSG Pete Fleming @ sgt david SGT (Join to see) @ sgt david SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth @ sp5 mark SP5 Mark Kuzinski @ spc margaret SPC Margaret Higgins SCPO Morris Ramsey Alan K.
The parade was proposed by the Soviet Union, following the June Moscow Victory Parade of 1945. July in Berlin also saw a British parade (the 1945 British Berlin Victory Parade). The September parade took place near the Reichstag building and the Brandenburg Gate.
Senior officers present at the parade were Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov from the USSR, General George S. Patton from the United States, General Brian Robertson, from the United Kingdom, and General Marie-Pierre Kœnig from France. General Dwight D. Eisenhower and Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery declined the invitations shortly before the parade, and sent Patton and Robertson as their representatives. About 5,000 troops from the USSR, USA, UK and France took part in the parade (with 2,000 of the troops being Soviet).[2] The parade was opened by marching troops, followed by the armour. Units present included the Soviet 248th Infantry Division, the French 2nd Infantry Division, the British 131st Infantry Brigade, and the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division; the forces present came primarily from the local garrisons. The armoured contingent came from the British 7th Armoured Division, French 1st Armored Division, and U.S. 16th Mechanized Cavalry Group. The Red Army used this occasion for the first public display of the IS-3 heavy tank, with 52 tanks from the 2nd Guards Tank Army participating.
Russian sources refer to this parade as "forgotten parade", as it was mentioned in only a few Western sources. The downplaying of the parade in the West can be seen as one of the early signs of the Cold War. The forces of four Allies also participated in another Berlin parade a year later, on the Charlottenburger Chaussee, in front of the Brandenburg Gate, on the first anniversary of the German surrender on 8 May 1946, in the Berlin Victory Parade of 1946. This parade was connected to the inauguration of the Soviet War Memorial at Tiergarten. Soviet troops would not be present at the much more widely known in the West London Victory Celebrations of 1946.
https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Berlin%20Victory%20Parade%20of%201945
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Victory_Parade_of_1945
Additional video footage :
https://youtu.be/F08Q8EOIdN0
@ col mikel COL Mikel J. Burroughs @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen C. @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen F. @ ltc frank LTC (Join to see) @ ltc john LTC John Mohor @ maj william Maj William W. 'Bill' Price @ maj stephen LTC (Join to see) @ capt marty Maj Marty Hogan @ smsgt doc SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas @ tsgt joe TSgt Joe C. @ sra christopher SrA Christopher Wright @ msg andrew MSG Andrew White @ sfc mary SFC (Join to see) @ ssg pete SSG Pete Fleming @ sgt david SGT (Join to see) @ sgt david SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth @ sp5 mark SP5 Mark Kuzinski @ spc margaret SPC Margaret Higgins SCPO Morris Ramsey Alan K.
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 12
Posted >1 y ago
Good stuff! 2nd Armored Division represented U.S. Army in that parade. That Division was soon pulled out & replaced by 82nd Airborne & 78th Infantry Divisions. Berliners seem to love parades. Here are some of my photos of West Berlin's 1963 Armed Forces Day parade featuring troops of 1st Battle Group, 28th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division, & 3rd Battle Group 6th Infantry, U.S. Berlin Brigade Drum & Bugle Corps.
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SPC John Parmenter
>1 y
SGT John " Mac " McConnell - Berlin Brigade Ordinance painted our vehicles glossy olive. That encouraged drivers to make them even more shiny using auto polish. Augmenting task forces, as mine, received well-worn vehicles & crew-served weapons upon our arrival in West Germany. 7th Army & USAREUR Ordinance helped get them into "combat condition" before we traveled through communist East Germany to West Berlin where our vehicles were "glamourized" for parade season.
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Posted >1 y ago
Another great vid share- also great emphasis on marching through the capital of the enemy.
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Posted >1 y ago
SGT John McConnell thanks for your post. It reminded me of a story my Dad told us about the Soviets in Checkoslovakia shortly after the end of the war. His unit was tasked to loan their vehicles to the nearby Soviet Soldiers for a parade. He and his fellow American Soldiers from AT Co 302nd Infantry 94th Division cleaned up the vehicles got em all parade ready etc. when the received them back everything extra that could be stripped off of it was. Dads 21/2 ton truck came back with just four tires the steering wheel and drivers seat springs. Lights, lenses covers spare , BIO today's terms were all removed by the Soviets. Needless to say Dad and his fellow Soldiers were pissed. It's funny now. I get to tell folks my Dad was there at the start of the Cold War and I was there in Germany at the end of the Cold War. Have a great and safe day!
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