Saturday 7 September 2013

World of Tanks: Today in History: Parade in Berlin

On September 7th, 1945, a Victory Parade was held by the Allied nations at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.

The parade was proposed by Marshall of the Soviet Union G. Zhukov. A regiment was to be presented by each country that had troops on Germany's territory, including infantry and armoured vehicles. The parade would be viewed by the commanders of the Soviet, American, British, and French forces in Germany.

For various political reasons, the "top brass" rejected the offer, sending representatives instead. The representatives were Zhukov (USSR), Patton (USA), Major-General Brian Robertson (Great Britain), and General Marie-Pierre Koenig (France). British Major-General Eric Neirs commanded the parading troops.

The parade was opened by the 248th Infantry Division, which stormed Berlin. The Soldiers were dressed in field uniforms, with PPSh submachineguns on their chest. Next were the French: infantry, mountain troops, resistance members. The British were represented by elements of various infantry regiments, as well as representatives from the Royal Air Force. The Americans displayed their 82nd Paratroop Division.

The USSR demonstrated their newest IS-3 tanks. 52 of these menacing vehicles at the end of the parade column caused much excitement among the foreign military representatives that were present.

Original article available here.

1 comment:

  1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbsPa9Cc39k

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