 | |
| Date | 7 September 1945 (1945-09-07) |
|---|---|
| Location | Berlin, Germany |
| Also known as | The "Forgotten Parade" |
TheBerlin Victory Parade of 1945 was held by theAllies of World War II on 7 September 1945 inBerlin, the capital of the defeatedGermany, shortly after the end ofWorld War II. The four participating countries were theSoviet Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, andFrance.
The parade was proposed by the Soviet Union, following the JuneMoscow Victory Parade of 1945.[1] July in Berlin also saw a British parade (the1945 British Berlin Victory Parade).[2][3]
Seniorofficers present at the parade wereMarshal of the Soviet UnionGeorgy Zhukov from the USSR,GeneralGeorge S. Patton from the United States,[1] GeneralBrian Robertson, from the United Kingdom, and GeneralMarie-Pierre Kœnig from France.[4] GeneralDwight D. Eisenhower andField MarshalBernard Montgomery declined the invitations shortly before the parade, and sent Patton and Robertson as their representatives.[5][6] Units present included the Soviet248th Rifle Division, theFrench 2nd Infantry Division, theBritish 131st Infantry Brigade, and theU.S. 82nd Airborne Division; the forces present came primarily from the local garrisons.[6] The armoured contingent came from theBritish 7th Armoured Division,French 1st Armored Division, and U.S.16th Mechanized Cavalry Group.[6] TheRed Army used this occasion for the first public display of theIS-3 heavy tank, with 52 tanks from the2nd Guards Tank Army participating.[7]
Russian sources refer to this parade as a "forgotten parade", as it was mentioned in only a few Western sources.[8] The forces of four Allies also participated in another Berlin parade several months later, on theCharlottenburger Chaussee, in front of theBrandenburg Gate, on the first anniversary of the German surrender on 8 May 1946, in theBerlin Victory Parade of 1946.[9][10] This parade was connected to the inauguration of theSoviet War Memorial at Tiergarten.[9][10] Soviet troops were not present at the much more widely known in the WestLondon Victory Celebrations of 1946.[11]
