Editorial: VE-Day

On May 8, 1945 in Karlshorst, a Berlin suburb, Marshal Keitel, the former Chief of Staff of the High Command of Hitler's armed forces and one of the chief war criminals, signed the final act of Germany's unconditional surrender in the presence of representatives of the USSR, USA, Britain and France. It spelled the end of a war that had taken a toll of 50 million lives, untold destruction and the complete demolition of the Nazi Third Reich. Since then, May 8 has been recognized as VE-Day, Victory in Europe.

A week before the signing of the unconditional surrender, on May 1, 1945, two Soviet soldiers had climbed the bombed-out shell of the Reichstag building in Berlin and proudly raised the Soviet flag as the symbol of victory. Anyone alive in those days will never forget the pictures of that event, pictures that were flashed around the world and that not only marked the ultimate defeat of the Reich, but also confirmed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics as the victors and one of the most powerful nations on earth.

It had been almost four years since the German army crossed the Soviet borders, on June 22, 1941, when Hitler launched his Operation Barbarossa. Four years during which more than 20 million Soviets died, in which most of the European part of the nation was conquered, over 70,000 towns and villages destroyed and millions upon millions of acres of agricultural land ruined. But under the heroic leadership of Joseph Stalin and the indomitable spirit and will of the Soviet people to defend their homeland against the Nazi thugs, they held the line at hero cities like Stalingrad, Moscow and Leningrad. The nation rose as one, as every citizen young and old, male or female contributed to the war effort.

These were hard, very hard times, when virtually every family suffered the loss of one or more of their loved ones. In the end however, there can be no doubt as to who won the war in Europe. Without minimizing the contribution of the Western allies, the decisive blow to Hitler's armies was delivered by the Soviet people, their army, navy and air force and the partisans, who constantly undermined the German war effort behind the enemy lines.

This month of May will be 59 years since the end of the war. Much has changed in the intervening years, not the least of which is the disappearance of the Soviet Socialist State, the heroic defenders and victors over fascism. New world imperialism has now arisen, which has already placed its jackboots on the territories of the former Soviet republics and encircled the Russian Federation with military bases. Under the threat of this military might and the global corporate empire led by the United States of America, it seems doubly appropriate on this 59th Anniversary to remember the sacrifices the Soviet people made to wipe fascism from the face of-the earth. The apparent rebirth of Fascist Imperial ambitions should not only be a warning for all peace-loving people on earth, but also it should serve as a call to action!

At the Potsdam Conference, where Stalin and the heads of state of the USA, Britain and France met to discuss the future of the post-war world. Right at that time President Truman and Prime Minister Atlee of Britain were planning the Cold War and whether or not to attack the Soviet Union. Through the diplomacy of Stalin and the Soviet delegation, which included Vishinsky, Gromyko and other CC CPSU officials, they were able to stop in the tracks the prepared invasion of the USSR by these former Western Allies. Even Churchill had to admit that brilliant diplomacy and tactics stopped the Western imperialists!

Soviet State and Military Leaders
Members of General Staff During the Great Patriotic War