Russia’s legacy in WWII can’t be forgotten

By Oleg Ivanov Source:Global Times Published: 2015-4-28 23:08:01

Some time ago I received a letter from my American friend who was curious why Russians are so keen on "our glorious past." One of the reasons is that WWII, or the Great Patriotic War as it is called in Russia and unfortunately no more in my second native country Ukraine, left its deep trace in Russia. In each Russian family there is somebody who fought, died or was wounded during WWII. The war is still in our hearts and minds.

The Victory Day unites peoples of Russia regardless their political views, nationalities or religious beliefs and makes us a single nation. We cannot forget about the war and should draw lessons from our past experience. As American-Spanish philosopher George Santayana said, "those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

Some 25 countries and international organizations are going to attend parade in Moscow on May 9 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Victory Day in Europe. Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit China to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII in September.

This year's Victory Day Parade is not a unique occasion in terms that every May 9 the Soviet Union and then Russia celebrated this event along with its allies and friendly nations. Even the US government did not stay away from celebration of this holiday.

In 2009 then US ambassador to Russia John Beyrle held a special reception on US Veterans Day where he invited Russian war veterans to his residence Spaso House. Beyrle emphasized the alliance between the Soviet Union and the US. He also told a touching story about his father who during WWII fought in the Western front, was taken prisoner and set free by the Russian troops. Afterward he joined the Soviet Army. It is a unique case which is hardly known among the Western public.

This year the Western opposition to the Moscow parade reached its peak. What is more, the government of one of the countries that suffered most during WWII, the then Soviet Republic of Ukraine, joined the Western countries, expressing its opposition to the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow.

Why did this great historical event become a dividing line between Russia and some Western countries? As for the Baltic states and the leaders of Ukraine, they present their stay in the Soviet Union as Soviet occupation. The Prime-Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk even came up with the absurd idea that the Soviet Union attacked both Germany and Ukraine.

The irony is that Ukraine was then part of the Soviet Union and one can hardly imagine how a country may attack one of its parts. The President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko claimed that both Stalin and Hitler bore the same responsibility for unleashing WWII, since they jointly attacked Poland in 1939.

The reason for this kind of distortion of history is the attempt of some leaders of the former Soviet republics to establish their new identity as victims of the Soviet regime. The crisis in Ukraine and Crimea's joining Russia exacerbated anti-Russian emotions.

The refusal of some Western leaders to attend the Victory Day parade is just another kind of sanction imposed on Russia. They wrongly believe that a visit to Moscow on Victory Day would be regarded as a support of Putin and his policy toward Ukraine. This is the false reading of the Russian attitude toward the celebration. Russian leadership neither seeks support nor tries to exclusively claim victory in WWII as Yatsenyuk claimed.

Others make an attempt to downgrade the role of the Soviet Union and depict Russia as a threat to peace in Europe. However, the Victory Day is a common victory of peoples in Europe and Asia who fought against German fascism and Japanese militarism in WWII.  

Luckily, there are brave Western leaders who will come to Moscow despite pressure put on them. In particular, the President of the Czech Republic Milos Zeman snubbed the US ambassador  Andrew Schapiro, saying that his residence would be closed for him when the ambassador tried to criticize the president's decision to attend the parade in Moscow.

My American friend who I wrote about at the beginning of the article told me that we had better move forward instead of looking backward. Historical events are left behind us and can not interfere with the present. However, today I believe the Victory Day and the parade in Moscow should unite nations which oppose the ideology and practice of fascism and militarism. We should not give an opportunity to anybody to distort history and remember that those who are able to rewrite history will control the future.

The author is Vice-Rector of Research, Moscow-based Diplomatic Academy. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn



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