1989 October Revolution Parade

Last updated

The 1989 October Revolution Parade was a parade that took place in Red Square in Moscow on 7 November 1989 to commemorate the 72nd anniversary of the socialist revolution in the Russian Empire in 1917. Mikhail Gorbachev (the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union) and the Soviet leadership watched the parade from Lenin's Mausoleum. General of the Army and Minister of Defence Dmitry Yazov made his third holiday address to the nation after he inspected seven sets of armed battalions and academies. Col. Gen. Nikolai Kalinin the head of the Moscow Military District was the 1989 parade commander. [1] [2]

Contents

Context

The parade was one of the last traditional October Revolution military parades in the USSR's existence. Two days after the parade, the Berlin Wall in East Berlin fell. This would be the last time that Gorbachev would be at the parade in the capacity of General Secretary. Other guests included Nikolai Ryzhkov (the Premier of the Soviet Union) [3] and political prisoner Yuri Fidelgolts. Defense Minister Yazov spoke from the rostrum of the mausoleum about the priority of "universal human interest" and "the unilateral reduction of armaments". International observers noticed the absence of missiles from the Strategic Missile Forces. [4] After the official march past, Massed bands of the Moscow Military District under Major General Nikolai Mikhailov performed an exhibition drill before they marched off Red Square. After the parade, demonstrations of workers from various Soviet jobs and a parade of Soviet peoples and athletes through Red Square. [1]

Parade order

Ground column

Mobile column

Other parades in Soviet cities

Revolution Day parades and celebrations were also held in many Soviet cities such as Leningrad's Palace Square. In Leningrad, a 30,000-strong column of opposition forces, took part in a general demonstration under the slogan, "November 7 - the day of national tragedy" and "We will strike with perestroika on communism". The local Militsiya cut off some of the participants, kept them cordoned off for half an hour, avoiding a potential breakout of violence. [4]

The capitals of Soviet republics also held their own parades:

The Government of the Armenian SSR cancelled the parade in on Lenin Square in Yerevan due to protest, officially ending the republic's tradition of military parades. [10] In the Georgian SSR, the parade was cancelled in Tbilisi in the face of protests from the National Independence Party. [10] On the morning of 7 November, a group of 100 people took candles and stood in front of tanks preparing for the parade in Kishinev. Once supporters of the Popular Front of Moldova arrived at Victory Square, the leaders of Communist Party of Moldova left the central stage immediately, with the mobile column of the parade being cancelled. [11] [12] [13] [10] Protesters in Vilnius blocked the tanks rolling through the central avenue, shortly delaying the mobile column, however the parade continued as planned. [9]

Related Research Articles

Dmitry Yazov Soviet minister of defence

Dmitry Timofeyevich Yazov was the last Marshal of the Soviet Union, appointed to that rank on 28 April 1990, and was the only Marshal born in Siberia. A veteran of the Great Patriotic War, Yazov served as Minister of Defence from 1987 until he was arrested for his part in the 1991 August Coup, four months before the fall of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Moscow Victory Parade of 1945 Military Triumph Parade in 1945

The Moscow Victory Parade of 1945 also known as the Parade of Victors was a victory parade held by the Soviet Armed Forces after the defeat of Nazi Germany. This, the longest and largest military parade ever held on Red Square in the Soviet capital Moscow, involved 40,000 Red Army soldiers and 1,850 military vehicles and other military hardware. The parade lasted just over two hours on a rainy June 24, 1945, over a month after May 9, the day of Germany's surrender to Soviet commanders.

1965 Moscow Victory Day Parade

The Moscow Victory Day Parade of 1965 was held on 9 May 1965 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the capitulation of Nazi Germany in 1945. The parade marks the Soviet Union's victory in the Great Patriotic War.

1985 Moscow Victory Day Parade Historical event in Moscow, Russia

The Moscow Victory Day Parade of 1985 was held on 9 May 1985 on the Red Square in Moscow to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Victory in Europe. The parade marked the Soviet Union's victory in the Great Patriotic War. It was the first V-Day parade held since 1965, and the third of four Victory Day parades held during the Soviet Union's existence.

1995 Moscow Victory Day Parades Victory day parades

The Moscow Victory Day Parades of 1995 were two military parades held on 9 May 1995 to commemorate the historic 50th anniversary golden jubilee of the capitulation of Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union in 1945. The parades marked the Soviet Union's victory in the Great Patriotic War. These were the first post-Soviet military parades held in Russia the first one being in held for veterans on Red Square at 8:00 in the morning followed by another parade of infantry and military equipment at Poklonnaya Hill at 3:00 in the afternoon.

The 1975 October Revolution Parade was a parade on Red Square dedicated to the 58th anniversary of the October Revolution on November 7th 1975. Marshal of the Soviet Union Andrei Grechko gave his last speech on the grandstand of Lenin's Mausoleum, before he died the following April. Commanding the parade was the head of the Moscow Military District Colonel General Vladimir Govorov. Providing the music for his final parade, was conducted by Major General Nikolai Nazarov of the combined massed bands of the Moscow Garrison. A scaled down display of military technologies that excluded tanks was also present, which cut the parade down to 30 minutes as a result. General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Leonid Brezhnev and Soviet Prime Minister Alexei Kosygin were present at the parade.

The 1963 October Revolution Parade was a parade on Red Square in Moscow on November 7 1963 for the 46th anniversary of the October Revolution. Inspecting the parade was Marshal of the Soviet Union Rodion Malinovsky and commanding the parade was the commander of the Moscow Military District, Afanasy Beloborodov.The massed bands of the Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union led by Major General Nikolai Nazarov was playing the military marches. The parade officially began at the chimes of the Kremlin Clock at 10:00. It has one of the earliest records of the full parade.

1987 October Revolution Parade

The 1987 October Revolution Parade was a parade on Red Square to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the October Revolution of 1917. It took place in Moscow on November 7, 1987. Marshal of the Soviet Union and the Minister of Defence Dmitry Yazov inspected the parade. Commanding the parade was the commander of the Moscow Garrison Vladimir Arkhipov. Music was performed by the head of Moscow Garrison's central band, Major General Nikolai Mikhailov. General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev and other members of the Politburo were on the grandstand of Lenin's Mausoleum in Red Square.

The 1990 October Revolution Parade was the last parade commemorating the 1917 October Revolution during the Soviet Union's existence. It celebrated the 73rd anniversary of the revolution.

1941 October Revolution Parade

The 1941 October Revolution Parade of November 7, 1941 was a parade in honor of the October Revolution 24 years earlier. It is most famous for taking place during the Battle of Moscow. The Communist Party General Secretary Joseph Stalin delivered a speech to the soldiers on the parade on Red Square who would go to battle immediately after the parade. Many of the soldiers on the parade would be killed in battle. Every year in modern Russia November 7th is a holiday in honor of the 1941 parade as a substitute for celebration of the October Revolution, as a Day of Military Honour.

1972 October Revolution Parade

The 1972 October Revolution Parade was held in commemoration of the 55th anniversary of the 1917 October Revolution and the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Soviet Union in 1922. Notable attendees were Soviet General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev and Soviet Prime Minister Nikolai Podgorny. The parade's commander was Colonel General Vladimir Govorov, the Commander of Troops of the Moscow Military District, while its presiding officer was Marshal of the Soviet Union Andrei Grechko.

1967 October Revolution Parade

The 1967 October Revolution Parade is the parade on Moscow's Red Square devoted to the 50th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution on 7 November 1967. Commanding the parade was First Deputy Commander of the Moscow Military District, Colonel General Yevgeny Ivanovsky.

1977 October Revolution Parade

The 1977 October Revolution Parade was a military parade that took place in Red Square in Moscow on 7 November 1977 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the October Revolution. The annual parade marks the protest of the Bolsheviks against the Tsarist Government. The Soviet Communist Party General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev and Soviet Prime Minister Alexei Kosygin attended the parade, among other foreign leaders from Warsaw Pact and allied countries who decided to fly in for the celebrations. Marshal Dmitry Ustinov delivered his second holiday address to the nation on this day, right after the parade inspection that had presided over by him and led by the commander of the Moscow Garrison Colonel General Vladimir Govorov. Music was performed by the Combined Military Band of the Moscow Garrison conducted by Colonel Nikolai Mikhailov. As per tradition, 14 other Soviet Cities held their parades on this day. A folding stock version of the AK-47 appeared in the contingent from the Airborne troops. This parade included the updated anthem of the Soviet Union.

Moscow Higher Military Command School

The Moscow Higher Combined Arms Command School "Supreme Soviet of Russia" is a higher military educational institution of the Russian Armed Forces.

October Revolution Day

October Revolution Day was a public holiday in the Soviet Union and other Soviet-aligned states, officially observed on November 7 from 1927 to 1990.

The Moscow Victory Day Parade of 1990 was held on May 9, 1990 to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the Victory of the Soviet Union in the Great Patriotic War. The parade was inspected by the USSR Minister of Defense Marshal Dmitry Yazov, and was commanded by the Commander of the Moscow Military District Colonel general Nikolai Vasilyevich Kalinin.

The 1957 October Revolution Parade was a parade on Moscow's Red Square dedicated to the ruby jubilee of the Great October Socialist Revolution on 7 November 1957.

The 1988 October Revolution Parade was a parade that took place in Red Square in Moscow on November 7, 1988 to commemorate the 71st anniversary of the 1917 October Revolution. Mikhail Gorbachev the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Nikolai Ryzhkov the Premier of the Soviet Union, along with other senior officials within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union viewed the parade from the grandstand Lenin's Mausoleum.

The 1976 October Revolution Parade was a parade on Moscow's Red Square on November 7th, 1976, dedicated to the 59th anniversary of the October Revolution. The parade marked the last appearance of Politburo member Nikolai Podgorny. Newly appointed Soviet Defense Minister Dmitry Ustinov greeted armed battalions while the parade was commanded by Moscow Military District, Colonel General Vladimir Govorov. Nikolay Mikhaylov conducted the Combined Orchestra of the Moscow Garrison which provided the music for the parade. General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Leonid Brezhnev and other high-ranking officials within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union spectated the parade from the grandstand of Lenin's Mausoleum. Although military vehicles were present, there was no display of tanks.

References

  1. 1 2 МО АСУ'92 (29 March 2016), Парад 7 ноября 1989 г. , retrieved 21 December 2016
  2. WarsawPactGuy1985 (21 December 2016), Soviet Band Show Revolution Day Parade 1989 , retrieved 29 January 2017
  3. "Фильм Москва. 7 ноября 1989 года.. (1989)". www.net-film.ru. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  4. 1 2 "Предпоследний парад". Drupal. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  5. RedSamurai84 (9 May 2016), USSR 55th Anniversary Parade 1972 , retrieved 24 December 2016
  6. http://www.rri.ro/en_gb/1989_in_bessarabia-2524981
  7. RedSamurai84 (9 May 2016), Soviet Army Parade, Minsk 1989 Парад 7 Ноября Минск , retrieved 21 December 2016
  8. Limited, Alamy. "Stock Photo - Kiev Ukraine Revolution day parade on a boulevarde in Kiev on 7th Nov 1989 Armed soldiers during the march past". Alamy. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  9. 1 2 LordBenas (24 May 2008), 1989 sovietinis paradas Gedimino prospektu. , retrieved 20 March 2017
  10. 1 2 3 "Soviet Revolution Day celebrations disrupted". UPI. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  11. http://www.rri.ro/en_gb/1989_in_bessarabia-2524981
  12. "Soviet Revolution Day celebrations disrupted". UPI. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  13. file:///C:/Users/glaws_000/Downloads/Musteata%20Euxeinos%2015%2016_2014.pdf