May 9 and Russian Friends / Day

The different dates at which the end of World War II are to be reminded in Europe is due to the fact that the Nazi German capitulation act (signed early on the morning of May 7) entered into force on May 8th. 23.01 After Western Europe. On the Asia continent, the former USSR, as well as in some European countries, due to different time zones, then May 9. For this reason, in Europe’s World War II, most European countries were announced in most European countries, but in the USSR, in the Soviet occupation zone, as well as in another part of Europe – already on 9 May. Accordingly, depending on the country in question, one of these dates became a celebration day.

After the collapse of the USSR, a number of former Soviet bloc countries, including Latvia, moved to the commemorative date adopted in Europe on May 8 – it is officially commemorating the collapse of Nazism and the victims of World War II at the European Union (EU) level. On May 9, European Day is celebrated in the EU Member States, commemorating the call of former French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman of May 9, 1950, to combine the production of coal and steel of democratic countries, as the aim of this call was to further eliminate the threat of armed conflicts.

Meanwhile, in today’s Russia, traditionally, with great scope and military parades on May 9, the day of victory is celebrated, which must be reminded not to win the second world, but in the Great Patriotic War. World War II ended on September 3, 1945 with the capitulation of Japan, the main allies of the time, the USSR, the US and the United Kingdom. (Here, however, there is a similar nuance as in the case of Nazi German capitulation – the capitulation act was signed on September 2, after the time of September 3, in many parts of the world, local time.

Following the capitulation of Nazi Germany, one totalitarian regime was replaced by another, namely the Soviet regime. Therefore, both on the EU and in particular in Eastern Europe, the role of the USSR in World War II and the events of the celebrated day of Russia, such as the May 9 military parade or the organized regiment of immortal regiment, are strongly negative. It is also considered to be the manifestations of Russian revenge, reborn military and empiric. And now for more than three years due to Russian aggression in Ukraine are only increasing.