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That's why there SHOULD be celebrations and parades and everything. Not only for those people who did it and some of whom still live, but also so that younger generations get to know a bit... When I was finishing school, I discovered that my best friend didn't know anthing about it either. I was rather shocked.Originally Posted by Ramil
Frankly, I don't see any "pomp" or "pathos" about this holiday.Some people complain about the new tradition of wearing "Георгивеские ленточки" and I don't understand those complaints either. It's a sign of memory and gratitude. Would it better if it was all forgotten? Then people would surely complain about how ungrateful everyone is.
"The Georgian band" (?) is distributed for free and can be worn on the 9 of May attached to your clothes (chest) or a car antennae.
In France there are military parades on Bastille Day, 14 July, which is their national holiday. It commemorates the 1790 the storming of the Bastille fortress-prison during the French Revolution. So the French still celebrate (very grandly too, with airplanes and everything) something which happened quite a long time ago, something which happened during a horrifically bloody revolution and which to led to a civil war. And the Soviet Union lost between 27 and 40 mln people during WWII... It's difficult to comprehend the scale of this tragedy... I think it's tremendously damaging for the nation's gene pool as the best, most committed and brave people die first.
See, I sort of disagree. Perhaps it's not possible for us to understand the full horror of it but it is possible to feel at least part of. Last year I was reading and watching a lot about WWII and I personally felt it in my heart. I actually felt as if I've been there. Some books (documentary type) at least had this effect on me, like "У войны не женское лицо" Светланы Алексиевич ("War's Unwomanly Face" by Svetlana Alexievich). Another book "За что сражались советские люди" Дюкова ("What Soviet people Fought For" by Dukov) was a horrible experience. There is so much death and cruelty in it, I actually became really depressed for a few days and felt like I've lost all my faith in humanity.
Anyways, some of the best war time songs, imho, are
Враги сожгли родную хату
В путь
До свиданья, города и хаты
В землянке
Нам нужна одна победа
На поле танки грохотали
День победы
Офицеры
Священная война
В лесу прифронтовом
Тёмная ночь
They can all be downloaded at sovmusic.ru and there are lyrics as well.
"Smugliyanka" -- coloured version, better quality http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA8G1rWrGt8
The "World At War" series, the episode about the Soviet Union in WWII called "Red Star": (highly recommended BBC series; this episode, about 40--50 min long (don't remember exactly) is really touching in how it portrays our part of the war, and this was made at the height of the Cold War! It also includes bits of the best war songs.)
Part 1http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBfloytOAtQ
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lOKtV15ias
Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUF2w...eature=related
Part 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIwzr...eature=related
Part 5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47Mu6...eature=related
It does.. in me. Though I am as pacifist and anti-war as it is possible to be... I hate politicians who start wars and I'm vehemently against obligatory army service and drafting people to fight who don't want to. The right to life is the inalienable right of a human being so sacrificing it in god-knows-what cause is just wrong. But I was rather saddened by the display of cynicism at the beginning of this thread. I mean, I actually started to write something rather angry yesterday but thought why bother... And that I'd better cool down a bit.
OK, that's enough ranting from me. I think I'd better go and continue with my work.
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