Victory Day is a celebration in Russia that takes place on May 9th, celebrating the treaty signing of Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union in the Second Wold War. In the former Soviet Union, Victory Day was to commemorate the Red Army's victory over the Nazi Forces. During the 1990's Victory Day faded, and wasn't as widely or openly celebrated, but in 2000, when Putin came into power that changed. The 60th anniversary of Victory Day fell in 2005, and became the largest national holiday since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Victory Parade this year involved over 11,000 service men, 191 armored military vehicles, and 69 planes and helicopters. The armored vehicles were not only Humers but tanks and trucks carrying missiles. To me Victory Day Parade seems less of a celebration and more of a show of military power and showing other countries that Russia is a global force. After asking a Russian girl my my history class if she knew what Victory Day is celebrating, her response was "I don't think so". I found this interesting because recently Victory Day has been created such an enormous celebration, but it seems the history of the celebration has been lost. Victory Day is no longer a Celebration of a treaty signed in WWII but Russia flexing its muscles and showing off their military toys. North Korea does military parades, showing off the new military equipment they have, with the hope of creating fear among other countries. The modern Victory Day parades looks less of a celebration and more a display of military equipment, just like is done in the strict North Korean Dictatorship.
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