Victory Day Parades

Every country has a "Victory Day". It is 4th of July in America, July 14 in France, May 9 in Russia, and August 30 in Turkey. In Victory Day, the army of the country makes "Victory Parade" in their capital. We used to see the "Victory Day" in our own country. National TV had a holiday broadcasting of the Parade march all day.

In our childhood, we have gone to ceremonies of Victory Day in the Ankara Hippodrome. It was the common feature of these festivals that the noise of the soldiers' post, the fearless gaze of soldiers, while the military airplanes are flying over, along with the military helicopters, and the battle tanks.

Then we met the internet. Youtube.com has entered into our life. Surfers have begun to watch it all. Many views made it possible to watch the victory day parades in foreign countries. We access the Youtube.com web page and watch the individual victory days. Different preparations and images are emerging in all of them.

French Army make a difference with their brown aprons and slow walks that the French wear on their "Foreign Legionaries" uniform.

I am always amazed how the British queen's soldiers are moving in the heat with black big fur shanks and red thick uniforms. That's why there are so many unfortunate foot soldiers go unconscious during the royal ceremony.

Italians are in the mockery of opera music triumph. The cavalry's metal chest armors are shining in open sky daytime. Paramilitary forces come forward. The infantry regiment of the Italians, called "Bersaglieri", their fast-moving running troops are very famous. I love to watch them.

Germans are not doing anything very special. They walk in the standard order of the NATO armies. They are not more than we are. The ancient 19th century German Prussian army's march was transferred by German army advisers to the Chilean army in South America during the 19th century. Today you see the goose steps of the Wehrmacht Germany on the victory parade of the Chilean army.

The perfect walk of Chinese women soldiers in red uniforms is unbelievable especially during the Chinese victory parades. We are used to male soldiers' demonstration of victory parades, but we have to watch the flawless marches of Chinese female soldiers, it is unprecedented unique and very different.

Armies of friendly countries send guest units to the other nations' victory day.

North Korean female soldiers walking in the vibrating goose steps actually just creates smiles. There is no perfect effect.

It is normal for a male soldier to walk regularly in marching. It is very impressive that the regular and disciplined walk of many female soldiers.

US 4th of July ceremonies have civil image. There is no hard military show in the US 4th July victory day parades. Local civilian people, lıcal fire brigade, police, public institutions parade walks are more obvious.

Victory ceremonies performed by Americans in 1946 in New York and other major cities after World War II were very impressive. Now we can watch them in black and white.

In Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egyptian, in many Other Arab countries, there is a tendency to military run in front of the protocol. The weather is very hot, the soldiers are jogging around in light military uniforms.

Iranians used to run in the past, and now they do not have this practice. Iran enjoys more of the modern military outfits, and mechanical battle equipment is preferred to show foreign military Attaches in the ceremony area.

Let's not forget that during the victory parade march of the Egyptian armed forces on October 6, 1981, a group of Egyptian rival troops in the march, united in front of the protocol and assassinated President Enver Sadat. Not only Egypt, that day all Arab troops lost credentials.

In the Israeli military ceremonies, the presence of women soldiers again draws attention. It is not easy to walk in warm weather of Israel in the military. In the evening, celebrations continue. Female soldiers have their military uniform skirts underneath their knees but the collar is open. The soldiers give female and male pop music concerts, along with singing folk songs on stage. They already have an alert army that stands guard in case of constant war.

On 9 May Victory Day in Moscow, soldiers of friendly countries have Red Square pass, the United States, Britain, France, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan. Here you can compare the ability to act together with the discipline of the guest-friendly group of individual armies in about 100 people.

The parade walk of Russian women soldiers from the Red Square is different. The walking manners of Russian women soldiers is also very impressive. All of the female soldiers are smiling at the protocol stand, giving their most beautiful images. Skirts on knees, standing troop boots or short heeled shoes. No weapons in hand.

All soldiers look at protocol stands with scary looks. Russian people do not usually laugh in general. Laughing or any smile is seen as weakness. Even in McDonalds shop in Moscow, you will find unsmiling salespeople. But that is not the case in the red square. All male and female soldiers are smiling at the protocol stand. Here's the explanation. It is a privilege to cross the Red Square during the Victory Day and to walk there. It is a great honor to be chosen for the parade walk.During the walk you need to be happy and to show this happiness with your smile. During the Second World War, black & white films of the 1941 Red Square march were very creepy. Eastern Siberian troops carried by trains from Siberia to Moscow were hiking in the Red square, then heading to the front to fight with German soldiers approaching Moscow. The most of them died on the same day. Striking images of the 90-thousand German soldiers who were captured after Stalingrad were sent to Siberia through the streets of Moscow. Only 6,000 soldiers could return to Germany. At the Moscow 1945 victory parade, one of greatest names of the Great Patriotic war, Marshal Zhukov's riding his white horse, the captured German flags, the victory images of the T34 battle tanks were not forgotten. Moscow May 9th is probably the benchmark for this business, in the Russian Red Square victory parade march. If we are looking for  to mend our relations with Neighboring countries, then we may also send a military team to these important days.

We may also invite the military troops of friendly countries to our victory days. Let's show ourselves, and let's see others.

In order to be able to survive in our uneasy geographical environment, it is necessary to have a strong and effective army with high deterrence capabilities by all means.

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Haluk Direskeneli, is a graduate of METU Mechanical Engineering department (1973). He worked in public, private enterprises, USA Turkish JV companies (B&W, CSWI, AEP), in fabrication, basic and detail design, marketing, sales and project management of thermal power plants. He is currently working as freelance consultant/ energy analyst with thermal power plants basic/ detail design software expertise for private engineering companies, investors, universities and research institutions. He is a member of ODTÜ Alumni and Chamber of Turkish Mechanical Engineers Energy Working Group.

This article is written for the "EurasiaReview" news web site.

http://www.eurasiareview.com/author/haluk-direskeneli/

Ankara, 24 May 2017

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