The 1945 Harbin Victory Day Parade (russian: Парад Победы в Харбине) was a solemn

military parade A military parade is a formation of soldiers whose movement is restricted by close-order manoeuvering known as drilling or marching. The military parade is now almost entirely ceremonial, though soldiers from time immemorial up until the la ...

of troops from the Soviet

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army ( Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, afte ...

in the Chinese city of Harbin on 16 September 1945. It took place over 2 weeks after the Surrender of Japan to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

and allied forces on 2 September. The parade honored the Soviet victories over the

Empire of Japan The also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was a historical nation-state and great power that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of Japan, 1947 constitu ...

during the

Soviet invasion of Manchuria The Soviet invasion of Manchuria, formally known as the Manchurian strategic offensive operation (russian: Манчжурская стратегическая наступательная операция, Manchzhurskaya Strategicheskaya Nastu ...

and the larger

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

. The main event was held on Cathedral Square while the parade passed through Vokzalny Avenue and Kitayskaya Street. Members of the Soviet government, Red Army officers and military officials from the Republic of China and the

Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army The Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army was the main anti-Japanese guerrilla army in Northeast China (Manchuria) after the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931. Its predecessors were various anti-Japanese volunteer armies organized by locals ...

attended the parade. Colonel General

Afanasy Beloborodov Afanasy Pavlantyevich Beloborodov (russian: Афанасий Павлантьевич Белобородов; – 1 September 1990) was general in the Red Army during the Second World War who was twice awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. ...

inspected and presided over the parade while Artillery General Konstantin Kazakov commanded it. Beloborodov was the commanding officer of the

1st Red Banner Army The 1st Red Banner Army () was a Red Army field army of World War II that served in the Soviet Far East. Before 1941 The 1st Army was created in July 1938 under the name of the 1st Coastal Army (or, depending on translation, 1st Maritime Army) i ...

at the time. At 11:00 am, Beloborodov arrived on the square where the troops of the Harbin Garrison were assembled for the parade. After receiving a report from Kazakov, he inspected the troops before he extended his greetings in a speech. The columns of troops marching on the square included infantry, signalmen, sappers, mortar men. Major General Aleksandr Cherepanov led the first contingents on parade. In the mobile column, mortars and

Katyusha rocket launcher The Katyusha ( rus, Катю́ша, p=kɐˈtʲuʂə, a=Ru-Катюша.ogg) is a type of rocket artillery first built and fielded by the Soviet Union in World War II. Multiple rocket launchers such as these deliver explosives to a target area ...

passed through followed by the motorized infantry. The two hour parade concluded when tank engines finally went through the square and a

military band A military band is a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind and percussion instruments. The conductor of a band commonly bears the ti ...

departed as well. The parade is notable in that it was the only one ever held in honor of

Victory over Japan Day Victory over Japan Day (also known as V-J Day, Victory in the Pacific Day, or V-P Day) is the day on which Imperial Japan surrendered in World War II, in effect bringing the war to an end. The term has been applied to both of the days on ...

. Soviet leader

Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as General Secretar ...

ordered that the country's only V-J Day parade not be held on Soviet territory, for reasons unknown to present. A parade that was held in the Belarusian capital of

Minsk Minsk ( be, Мінск ; russian: Минск) is the capital and the largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach and the now subterranean Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the admi ...

the same day was held separately in connection with the anniversary of the Soviet annexation of Western Belorussia. After the parade, a monument to Soviet soldiers who fell during the liberation of the city was erected on Cathedral Square.

References

{{Reflist September 1945 events in Asia Victory parades 1945 in China Military parades in China Military parades in Russia

See also

References