Victory Speech and more
Broadcast from Moscow at 20.00 hours (Moscow time) on May 9, 1945
Comrades! Men and women compatriots!
The great day of victory over Germany has come. Fascist Germany, forced
to her knees by the Red Army and the troops of our Allies, has
acknowledged herself defeated and declared unconditional surrender.
On May 7 the preliminary protocol on surrender was signed in the city
of Rheims. On May 8 representatives of the German High Command, in the
presence of representatives of the Supreme Command of the Allied troops
and the Supreme Command of the Soviet Troops, signed in Berlin the
final act of surrender, the execution of which began at 24.00 hours on
May 8.
Being aware of the wolfish habits of the German ringleaders, who regard
treaties and agreements as empty scraps of paper, we have no reason to
trust their words. However, this morning, in pursuance of the act of
surrender, the German troops began to lay down their arms and surrender
to our troops en masse. This is no longer an empty scrap of paper. This
is actual surrender of Germany’s armed forces. True, one group of
German troops in the area of Czechoslovakia is still evading surrender.
But I trust that the Red Army will be able to bring it to its senses.
Now we can state with full justification that the historic day of the
final defeat of Germany, the day of the great victory of our people
over German imperialism has come.
The great sacrifices we made in the name of the freedom and
independence of our Motherland, the incalculable privations and
sufferings experienced by our people in the course of the war, the
intense work in the rear and at the front, placed on the altar of the
Motherland, have not been in vain, and have been crowned by complete
victory over the enemy. The age-long struggle of the Slav peoples for
their existence and their independence has ended in victory over the
German invaders and German tyranny.
Henceforth the great banner of the freedom of the peoples and peace among peoples will fly over Europe.
Three years ago Hitler declared for all to hear that his aims included
the dismemberment of the Soviet Union and the wresting from it of the
Caucasus, the Ukraine, Byelorussia, the Baltic lands and other areas.
He declared bluntly: “We will destroy Russia so that she will never be
able to rise again.” This was three years ago. However, Hitler’s crazy
ideas were not fated to come true—the progress of the war scattered
them to the winds. In actual fact the direct opposite of the
Hitlerites’ ravings has taken place. Germany is utterly defeated. The
German troops are surrendering. The Soviet Union is celebrating
Victory, although it does not intend either to dismember or to destroy
Germany.
Comrades! The Great Patriotic War has ended in our complete victory.
The period of war in Europe is over. The period of peaceful development
has begun.
I congratulate you upon victory, my dear men and women compatriots!
Glory to our heroic Red Army, which upheld the independence of our Motherland and won victory over the enemy!
Glory to our great people, the people victorious!
Eternal glory to the heroes who fell in the struggle against the enemy
and gave their lives for the freedom and happiness of our people!
("Stalin's War Speeches, etc." p. 135)
Letter to the Austrian Chancellor K. Renner
May, 1945
To His Excellency, Mr. K. Renner,
Thank you very much, Comrade, for your letter of April 15. Do not doubt
that your worries about the independence,security and progress of
Austria are also my worries.
I am prepared to give any help that is necessary for Austria.
Please excuse my delayed answer.
J. Stalin
("New Germany", No. 205, 2 September, 1945)
Reply to “The Times” Moscow Correspondent’s Question Concerning the 16 Arrested Polish Diversionists
Letter from Mr. Ralph Parker, The Times correspondent in Moscow, to
the Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars of the U.S.S.R., J.
V. Stalin
The foreign Press has printed a report that several Poles who,
according to the recent Tass statement, had been arrested on the charge
of the organization and carrying out of diversionist actions in the
rear of the Red Army, in reality were members of a delegation invited
to conduct negotiations with the Soviet authorities. It has also been
reported that this group of Poles includes democratic leaders whose
opinion on the formation of the future Polish Government would have
made a valuable contribution to the formation of such a Government. It
has also been reported that by the arrest of these Poles the Soviet
Government undermines confidence in the measures adopted in the Crimea,
and hinders the formation of a new Polish Provisional Government.
Would you care to make a statement on this question in order to clarify public opinion, which is interested in this question?
Yours respectfully,
Ralph Parker
Moscow, May 11, 1945
J. V. Stalin addressed the following reply to Mr. Parker
I have somewhat delayed my answer, but this is understandable if one keeps in mind how busy I am.
1. The arrest of the sixteen Poles in Poland headed by the well-known
diversionist General Okulicki has no connection with the question of
the reconstruction of the Polish Provisional Government. These
“gentlemen” were arrested in accordance with the law protecting the Red
Army rear from diversionists—a law similar to the British Defence of
the Realm Act. The arrests were carried out by Soviet military
authorities in accordance with an agreement concluded between the
Polish Provisional Government and the Soviet Military Command.
2. It is untrue that the arrested Poles were invited for negotiations
with the Soviet authorities. The Soviet authorities do not and will not
conduct negotiations with those who break the law on the protection of
the Red Army rear.
3. As far as the question of the reorganization of the Polish
Provisional Government itself is concerned, it can only be solved on
the basis of the Crimea decisions, because no deviation from these
decisions can be permitted.
4. I think the Polish question can be solved by agreement between the
Allies only if the following elementary conditions are observed:
a) If in the reconstruction of the Polish Provisional Government the
latter is recognized as the basic core of the future Polish Government
of National Unity, similar to the case of Yugoslavia, where the
National Liberation Committee was recognized as the basic core of the
United Yugoslav Government;
b) If as a result of the reconstruction a Government is created in
Poland which will pursue a policy of friendship with the Soviet Union,
and not the policy of the “cordon sanitaire” against the Soviet Union;
c) If the question of the reconstruction of the Polish Govel’hment is
resolved together with the Poles who now have ties with the Polish
people, and not without them.
Yours respectfully,
J. Stalin
Moscow, May 18, 1945
("Stalin's War Speeches, etc." p. 137)
Toast to the Russian People at a Reception in Honour of the Red Army Commanders Given by the Soviet Government in the Kremlin
Thursday, May 24, 1945
Comrades! Permit me to propose one more, last toast.
I should like to propose a toast to the health of our Soviet people, and in the first place the Russian people. (Loud and prolonged applause and shouts of "Hurrah.")
I drink in the first place to the health of the Russian people because
it is the most outstanding nation of all the nations forming the Soviet
Union.
I propose a toast to the health of the Russian people because it has
won in this war universal recognition as the leading force of the
Soviet Union among all the peoples of our country.
I propose a toast to the health of the Russian people not only because
it is the leading people, but also because it possesses a clear mind, a
staunch character and patience.
Our Government made not a few errors, we experienced at moments a
desperate situation in 1941-1942, when our 'Army was retreating,
abandoning our own villages and towns of the Ukraine, Byelorussia,
Moldavia, the Leningrad region, the Baltic area and the Karelo-Finnish
Republic, abandoning them because there was no other way out. A
different people could have said to the Government "You have failed to
justify our expectations. Go away. We shall install another Government
which will conclude peace with Germany and assure us a quiet life." The
Russian people, however, did not take this path because it trusted the
correctness of the policy of its Government, and it made sacrifices to
ensure the rout of Germany. This confidence of the Russian people in
the Soviet Government proved to be that decisive force which ensured
the historic victory over the enemy of humanity – over fascism.
Thanks to it, the Russian people, for this confidence!
To the health of the Russian people! (Loud and prolonged applause.)
("Stalin's War Speeches, etc." p. 138)
Letter to General de Gaulle
June, 1945
The French regiment, Normandie-Niemen, returns to its country equipped,
that is to say, with its aeroplanes fully equipped, and for its
itinerary will follow the Elbe in a westerly direction.
I thought it essential to bestow on the regiment the materials which it
has courageously utilized, and with much success, on the oriental
front. May these materials be a modest present from the Soviet Union
aviation to France, and the symbol of the friendship between our two
peoples.
I beg you to accept my thanks for the work that this regiment has done on the front in the battle against the German armies.
J. Stalin
("Soviet News," No. 46, Paris. June 1945)
To the Editorial Staff of the Paper "Pionerskaya Pravda"
June, 1945
1 warmly congratulate the editorial staff, the young correspondents and
the readers of the paper for the twenty years of the "Pionerskaya
Pravda".
The "Pionerskaya Pravda" helps Soviet children to acquire knowledge, it
educates pioneers and school-children in the spiritual precepts of our
great educator, Lenin.
I wish "Pionerskaya Pravda" further success in the education of young Leninists in a devoted spirit towards our Motherland.
J. Stalin
("Pravda", 10 June, 1945)
To the Artillery Factory in the Urals
June, 1945
I congratulate you, the collective of men and women workers, technical
engineering workers and employees at the Artillery Factory in the
Urals, for the great victory in production: the exportation of 30,000
canon; and for this the factory is awarded the Order of the Patriotic
War - First Degree.
Thanks to the courageous spirit of innovation and to the putting into
effect of an advanced technique of mechanical construction in the
production of artillery, the Artillery Factory, “founded in the days of
the Patriotic War, has become the chief base for the exportation of
artillery armaments far more powerful and elaborate, surpassing the
enemy’s technique, with which ‘ our valiant Red Army has ensured the
complete victory against fascist Germany.
I wish you in the future, during the period of peaceful construction,
further success in the cause of the exportation of artillery armaments
and equipment for the coal-mining and oil industries of our country.
J. Stalin
("Pravda", 22 June, 1945)
Order of the Day, No. 370, June 22, 1945
To commemorate the victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War, I
order a parade of troops of the Army in the Field, of the Navy and of
the Moscow Garrison – a Victory Parade – to be held in the Red Square
in Moscow on June 24, 1945.
The following units are to take part in the parade: combined regiments
of the fronts, a combined regiment of the People’s Commissariat for
Defence, a combined regiment of the Navy, the military academies,
military schools and troops of the Moscow Garrison.
The Victory Parade is to be taken by my Deputy, Marshal of the Soviet Union Zhukov.
Marshal of the Soviet Union Rokossovsky will command the Parade.
I entrust the general direction of the organization of the Parade to
the Commander of the troops of the Moscow Military Area and Commander
of the Moscow Garrison, Col.-Gen. Artemyev.
J. Stalin
Supreme Commander-in-Chief
Marshal of the Soviet Union
Moscow
Speech at a Reception in the Kremlin
June 25, 1945
Do not imagine that I am going to tell you anything extraordinary. The
toast that I wish to raise is as simple as it is informal. I would like
to drink to the health of those on the lower echelons whose conditions
are little envied, to those who are considered as the “screws” of the
immense machine of the government but without whom, all of us marshals
or commanding officers of the fronts or armies wouldn’t be worth, if I
may so express it, a jot. Because it requires only for one screw to
disappear and all is finished, r drink to the health of simple folk,
ordinary and modest, the “screws” which ensure the functioning of our
enormous state machine in all its aspects: science, economy, war. They
are numerous and their name is legion because they comprise dozens of
millions. These are modest people, no-one writes about them,their
situation is mediocre and their status is low, but these people support
us as the base supports the summit. I drink to the health of these
people, our most respected comrades.
J. Stalin
("Pravda", 27 June, 1945)
Order of the Day, No. 371, July 22, 1945
Issued by Marshal Stalin and addressed to the troops of the Red Army and the Red Navy
During the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet people against fascist
Germany, our Red Navy has been a faithful helper of the Red Army.
In the war against the U.S.S.R.,fascist Germany, relying on the
suddenness of their attack and the strength of their well practised
army, tried to beat our army and our navy in a shorter time. lt was by
combining her army with her air-force and her navy, that Germany wanted
to realise her domination over the seas.
It is well known that the strategy of the Germans on land and at sea
went hopelessly wrong. The Red Army, together with our Allies, routed
the Hitlerites and forced them to capitulate.
In both the defensive and offensive fighting of our Red Army, our Navy
was a dependable cover for the flanks of our Red Army pushing through
to the sea,blocking the enemy’s merchant shipping and strategically
important navigation routes, securing the uninterrupted functioning of
our lines of communication. The fighting action of the Soviet Navy is
illustrated through its self-sacrificing steadfastness and valour, its
intense combat activity and military skill. The submarine men, the
sailors, the naval airmen, artillerymen and infantry have taken over
and further developed everything that was so valuable in the hun~ dreds
of years of tradition of the Russian Navy.
The Soviet sailors have in the four years of war, on the Baltic Sea,
the Black Sea and the Barents Sea, on the Voly, , the Danube a’nd the
Dnieper, added new pages to the glorious history of the Russian Navy.
The Navy has more than fulfilled its duty to the Soviet Motherland.
Comrades sailors, commanders and officers!
The Soviet people want to see their Navy even stronger and more
powerful.Our people will produce more warships and bases for the Navy.
The task of the Navy is to educate inexperienced marine cadres, to
perfect them, to help them to make the fighting experience of the
Patriotic War, and maritime, their own, and to increase even more the
discipline and organization within their ranks.
I congratulate you on this Day of the Red Navy of the U.S.S.R.
Long live the Red Navy of the U.S.S.R. and its heroic men.
J. Stalin
Supreme Commander-in-Chief
Marshal of the Soviet Union
("On the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union," German Edition)
To the Prime Minister of Mongolia
August, 1945
I thank you with all my heart for your congratulations upon our total
victory over the Japanese aggressors and in turn, I congratulate you on
the victory.
The Soviet Government acknowledges with gratitude that the People's
Revolutionary Army of Mongolia, fighting side by side with the Red
Army, has brought an invaluable contribution to the communal cause of
the defeat of Japanese imperialism.
1 am sure that in the future the Soviet Union and the Peopl's
Revolutionary Army of independent Mongolia will also go forward hand in
hand to the struggle against the enemies of our countries, for the
well-being of our peoples.
J. Stalin
("Pravda," 29 August, 1945)
August 18, 1945
Thank you for your greetings and for the important support you gave the
Soviet Union regarding the defeat of the Japanese aggressors. The
surrender of Japan together with Germany has terminated the second
World War, and proves that humanity is indebted to the close military
co-operation of the Allies for the defeat of the . aggressors in the
West and in the East. This victory is of historic and global
significance in as much as it is a great, enlightened forward step in
the progressive development of humanity.
I express the conviction that the friendship and co-operation of our
countries with all freedom-loving nations will serve the cause of
universal peace and the prosperity of all peoples.
J. Stalin
("Pravda," 19 August, 1945)
Order of the Day, No. 51, August 19,1945
In the Great War of the Soviet Motherland against fascist Germany, our airforce fulfilled their task with pride.
The mighty falcon of our Motherland smashed the famous German airforce
in a bitter battle in the skies, through which the action of the Red
Army liberated the entire population from the (air) bombardments of the
enemy.
Together with the entire Red Army, they led a deadly fight against the
enemy and smashed its soldiers and its great war machines. The finely
detailed operations of our heroic airforce helped the land army
continuously in their successes, all of which led to the final
capitulation of the enemy.
The Soviet pilots played no small part in the struggle for the
liberation and independence of our Motherland. With their
single-mindedness and extraordinary determination, they were courageous
heroes. They have written more glorious pages in the history of our
Motherland.
The victorious Soviet people are justly proud of the struggle they put up.
In the course of the war, it is thanks to the ceaseless efforts of the
workers, both men and women, the engineers, the research and talents of
all who worked on the construction of the aeroplanes in the Soviet
Union, that made it possible for our airforce to organize,with
thousands of excellent fighter planes, I he smashing of our enemy.
Comrade pilots, navigation officers and ground workers, radio and
motor, weapon maintainors, mechanics, technicians and
engineers,officers and generals, workers, administration and
construction, in the aeroplane industry!
1 greet you and congratulate you on this celebration day of the
airforce! To celebrate this day of the airforce, and to honour our
brave pilots, I order:
Today, August 19, at 20.00 hours, in the capital city of our
Motherland, in Moscow, in the name of our homeland, our heroic airforce
shall be saluted with 20 artillery shots from 224 canons.
J. Stalin
("On the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union," German Edition)
August 31, 1945
Thank you for your congratulations on the occasion of the ratification
of the Treaty of Friendship and Alliance as well as the agreements
between China and the U.S.S.R., signed on August 14.
I am sure that this Treaty and the agreements will provide a solid base
for an ultimate development of friendly relations between the U.S.S.R.
and China for the well-being and prosperity of our peoples and the
reinforcement of peace and security in the Far East and in the whole
world.
I beg you, Mr. President,to accept my congratulations on the occasion of the confirmation of these historical documents.
J. Stalin
("Pravda," 31 August, 1945)
Stalin's Address to the People
September 2, 1945
Comrades! Fellow countrymen and countrywomen!
Today, September 2, political and military representatives of Japan
signed an act of unconditional surrender. Utterly defeated on sea and
land, and completely surrounded by the armed forces of the United
Nations, Japan has admitted defeat and has laid down her arms.
Two hotbeds of world fascism and world aggression had been formed on
the eve of the present World War: Germany in the West and Japan in the
East. It was they who unleashed the Second World War. It was they who
brought mankind and civilization to the brink of doom. The hotbed of
world aggression in the West was destroyed four months ago and, as a
result, Uermany was forced to capitulate. Four months later the hotbed
of aggression in the East was destroyed and as a res1', Japan,
Germany's principal ally, was also compelled to sign an act of
capitulation.
This signifies the end of the Second World War.
Now we can say that the conditions necessary for peace all over the world have been gained.
It must be observed that the Japanese aggressors inflicted damage not
only on our Allies - China, the U.S.A. and Great Britain. They also
inflicted extremely grave damage on our country. That is why we have a
seperate account to settle with Japan.
Japan commenced her aggression against our country as far back as
1904,during the Russo -Japanese War. As we know, in February 1904, when
negotiations between Japan and Russia were still proceeding, Japan,
taking advantage of the weakness of the tsarist government, suddenly
and perfidiously, without declaring war, fell upon our country and
attacked the Russian fleet in the region of Port Arthur with the object
of putting a number of Russian warships out of action and thereby
creating an advantageous position for her fleet. She did, indeed, put
out of action three Russian first-class warships. It is characteristic
that 37 years later Japan played exactly the same perfidious trick
against the United States when, in 1941, she attacked the United States
naval base in Pearl Harbour and put a number of American battleships
out of action. As we know, in the war against Japan, Russia was
defeated. Japan took advantage of the defeat of tsarist Russia to seize
from Russia the southern part of Sakhalin and establish herself on the
Kuril Islands, thereby putting the lock on all our country's outlets to
the ocean in the East, which meant also all outlets to the ports of
Sovfet Kamchatka and Soviet Chukotka. It was obvious that Japan was
aiming to deprive Russia of the whole of her Far East.
But this does not exhaust the list of Japan's aggressive operations
against our country. In 1918, after the Soviet system was established
in our country, Japan, taking advantage of the hostility then displayed
towards the Land of the Soviets by Great Britain, France and the United
States, and leaning upon them, again attacked our country, occupied the
Far East and for four years tormented our people and looted the Soviet
Far East.
Nor is this all. In 1938 Japan attacked our country again, in the
region of Lake Hasan, near Vladivostok, with the object of surrounding
Vladivostok; and in the following year Japan repeated her attack in
another place, in the region of the Mongolian People's Republic, near
Khalkin-gol, with the object of breaking into Soviet territory,
severing our Siberian Railway and cutting off the Far East from Russia.
True, Japan's attacks in the regions of Hasan and Khalkin-gol were
liquidated by the Soviet troops, to the extreme humiliation of the
Japanese. Japanese military intervention in 1918-1922 was liquidated
with equal success and Japanese invaders were expelled from our Far
Eastern regions. But the defeat of the Russian troops in 1904 during
the Russo-Japanese War left bitter memories in the minds of our people.
It lay like a black stain on our country. Our people believed in and
waited for the day when Japan would be defeated and the stain would be
wiped out. We of the older generation waited for this day for forty
years, and now this day has arrived. Today Japan admitted defeat and
signed an act of unconditional surrender.
This means that the southern part of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands
revert to the Soviet Union and henceforth will serve not as a barrier
between the Soviet Union and the ocean and as a base for Japanese
attack upon our Far East but as a direct means of communication between
the Soviet Union and the ocean and a base for the defence of our
country against Japanese aggression.
Our Soviet people spared neither strength nor labour for the sake of
victory.We experienced extremely hard years. But now everyone of us can
say: We have won. Henceforth we can regard our country as being free
from the menace of German invasion in the West and of Japanese invasion
in the East. The long awaited peace for the peoples of all the world
has come.
I congratulate you, my dear fellow countrymen and country-women, on
this great victory, on the successful termination of the war, and on-
the ushering in of peace all over the world!
Glory to the armed forces of the Soviet Union, the United States of
America, China and Great Britain which achieved victory over Japan!
Glory to our Far Eastern troops and our Pacific Fleet, which upheld the honour and dignity of our country!
Glory to our great people, the victorious people!
Eternal glory to the heroes who fell fighting for the honour and victory of our country! May our country flourish and prosper!
("Soviet Calendar 1917 - 1947")
Order of the Day, No. 373, September 3, 1945
On September 2, 1945, in Tokyo, representatives of Japan signed the document of unconditional surrender of the Japanese forces.
The war which the Soviet people together with our allies made against
the last aggressor - Japanese imperialism - has ended victoriously.
Japan is defeated and has surrendered.
Comrades of the Red Army, sailors of the Red Navy, Sergeants (First
Mates), Officers of the Army and the Navy, General, Admirals and
Marshals, I congratulate you on the victorious conclusion of the war
against Japan.
In appreciation of the victory over Japan, the whole of the capital of
our Motherland, Moscow, will today, September 3,the day of the vie tory
over Japan, salute at 21.00 hours, in the name of our country, the
glorious troops of the Red Army,the ships and formations of the Navy,
which have achieved this victory, with 24 artillery salvoes from 324
canons.
To the eternal glory of the heroes who fell in the battle for the honour and victory of our homeland!
To the life and progress of our Red Army and our Navy.
J. Stalin
("On the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union," German Edition)
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