Today is may 1, 2015. On this day in military history:
In 1941:
On this day, because of the repression in the red Army in the ground forces lacked the States 67 thousand of the command staff. The troops of the Kiev special military district lacked more than 30 thousand people team and technical staff.
Whether Stalin was preparing an attack on Germany? For the first time raised this issue, the Germans attacked the USSR on June 22. Say, a military strike Germany was forced, because there was irrefutable proof that the USSR was ready to attack Germany. When this question was trying to address at the Nuremberg trials, Europe was still in ruins, was the fresh memory of Hitler's atrocities, and indignantly denied even the most conservative representatives of the allies. Time passed, and people began to reflect on why Hitler "treacherous" attack on the USSR, and why such a terrible tragedy turned into the first months of the war. Where were the tanks and planes that were produced in such numbers in the prewar years? Then what happened actually, we will know soon, and maybe never. Most of the documents relating to the pre-war period are still classified.
In 1942:
On 1 may 1942 the Red Army was intended 10 409 000 people in the German army – 10 204 000.
The Central Committee of the Communist party(Bolsheviks) of Ukraine had information about actions in the occupied territory of the Republic 766 guerrilla groups 613 and sabotage-reconnaissance groups.
In 1943:
The Azov military flotilla landed on Verbyanaya spit tactical troopers with the purpose of facilitating the Soviet offensive on the coastal section of the North-Caucasian front.
Unlike the order in red Army day, February 23, saturated with accusations against the allies, the order signed by Stalin on may 1, was full of friendly words. He highly spoke about "the victorious troops of our allies," smashing the enemy, however, and said that the Germans tried to offer the allies a separate peace. Attempts at such a survey took place, but the allies refused to do so. It is interesting that in the West there were some suspicions about the contacts of Germans from Moscow.
In 1944:
Decrees of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet established the medal "For defense of Moscow" and "For defense of Caucasus".
"Pravda" newspaper wrote: With the greatest of pleasure met the Soviet people a may day order of the Supreme Commander Marshal of the Soviet Union of comrade Stalin. Workers, farmers, intellectuals, encouraged by the high rating given to comrade Stalin, the Soviet home front, at rallies and meetings unanimously say that in the future they will not remain in debt to the heroic red Army".
In 1945:
Troops of the 1st Belorussian front by storm, captured the city of Brandenburg – Brandenburg centre of the province and a powerful stronghold of the enemy, captured more than 14 thousand soldiers and officers.
The commander of the 8th guards army of General Chuikov received the chief of the General staff of the German land forces General Krebs, who by agreement with the Soviet command had crossed the front line. Krebs reported suicide of Hitler and on behalf of Martin Bormann and Joseph Goebbels presented a proposal on a ceasefire in Berlin to prepare the conditions for peace talks between the USSR and Germany. By agreement with Moscow, Chuikov rejected the proposal and demanded the immediate and unconditional surrender. Krebs refused, and began a new powerful bombardment of Berlin.
Gross-Admiral dönitz, speaking on German radio, said that "Hitler was killed as a hero in Berlin" and declared himself his successor.
At the order of Stalin on the occasion of may 1, Leningrad, Odessa, Sevastopol, Stalingrad named the cities-heroes.
In Czechoslovakia began a spontaneous armed performances against the Germans.
With a massive air RAID began the allied offensive in Burma's capital of Rangoon.
