Today is the Day of Memory and Mourning in Russia. 71 years ago on June 22,1941 Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union without declaring a war. It was a peaceful Sunday morning.... 4 am..............Thousands of innocent people died during the first hours of massive attacks. The Great Patriotic War broke out. In the world it's known as World War II, but in Russia it's known as the Great Patriotic War, because all people of Russia ( including women and children) defended their country. This war is considered as the most murderous one in the history of mankind.The Soviet Union had to come across inhuman hardships gaining the victory and releasing the world from fascism. The war lasted 1, 418 days, 26 million soviet peole died, hundreds of the cities were destroyed and thousands of the villages were burnt.
On this day there're different events in Russia, including lighting candles and laying carnations to the memorials to commemorate the fallen.
Unfortunately, now we live in the world full of violence, too. But still most people in the world dream to live in the world of peace and harmony....I think our dream will come true and the future of the planet Earth will be peaceful and happy....
John Lennon has a nice song " Imagine" concerning this topic....I love it very much....especially the words: " Imagine all the people living life in peace"......now it's only a dream, but......
Comments
Dear Galina,
I read this write-up now freely, and I agree with you fully! This world is full of violence again, and the humanity is humiliating everyday! Everywhere! We really need a peaceful world! A world free from violence and all sorts of embarrassments and so forth!
Good Luck!
Bimal
@Rajesh: I'm happy that you like this blog. The main idea of writing it is the wish to live in peace and harmony. Just imagine, Rajesh, that there're no wars, conflicts, terrorism. And we have the possibility to come to each other whenever we want, there're no borders, visas, different documents and so on. It would be great!!! But now it's only a dream....
By the way, Rajesh, please, read my comment to Sandeep. I asked him a question, but he has disappeared. I think he is very busy. I asked him a question as he is an Indian. But you're an Indian, too. I simply want to know your opinion. Thanks for everything. Best wishes.
Galina
Hello, Muhammad!
I'm really very glad that you support my idea of writing the article and telling everybody about this sad event in the history not only of Russia but in the history of the whole world. I'm happy to know that you appreciate the idea of living in peace for all nations. It would be great! And you're right again that to make this dream come true, we shouldn't forget about the mistakes we did in the past ( wars, conflicts, terrorism) just not to repeat them again. I think all people should find ways to unite in spite of different religions, customs, traditions. But, first of all, they should learn to understand each other....it's the first step to peace...Thank you very much for you comment , Muhammad.
@Sandeep: Thank you very much for your opinion. It’s really very important for me that you understand and support me.
I agree with you that forgiveness is one of the ways to put up with the memories about this event. “ Forgiveness doesn’t erase the bitter past. A healed memory is not a deleted memory. Instead, forgiving what we cannot forget, creates a new way to remember. We change the memory of our past into a hope for our future.” ~ Lewis. B. Smedes ~
A red flower is a red carnation. It’s a symbol of mourning. Red carnations are laid at the war memorials to commemorate the memory of the fallen.
Sandeep, I guessed that you’re an educated person, but learning that you’re a specialist in History ( National and International) was a pleasant surprise. I just have a question for you concerning India and war.
Not long ago I read a book by modern French author Bernard Werber “ The Encyclopedia of Relative and Absolute Knowledge”. This book consists of many entries. It contains information about history, insects ( including ants), science, experiments, society, recipes, etc. I think everyone can find smth interesting for yourself there. I was interested in one article about India. I read this book in Russian, so I’ll try to translate….but if you’re interested you’ll better read it Hindi or in English. I want to know if the opinion of the author right or not…. What do you think about it?
The article is called “ The Power of India”.
“India is a country absorbing all energy. All commanders, who tried to conquer it, failed in it. The deeper they moved to the center of the country, the more they were absorbed by exquisite Indian culture. They were losing their fighting spirit, they were affected by Indian traditions. India was winning them spiritually.
The first serious invasion was made by Turkish-Afgan Muslims in 1206. They occupied Delhi. Five dynasties changed…but in the end they were affected by Indian traditions and culture. The last dynasty of Lody was dethroned by Babur, the tzar of Mongolian origin, the descendant of Tamerlan. In 1527 he established Mogul Empire, but reaching Central India he refused to use weapons and took up painting, Literature and music. Some time later the other Babur’s descendant Aurangzeb tried to force Izlam in India, but India rebelled and split into several parts.
At the beginning of the XIX th century the English subjected the biggest Indian cities, but they never controlled the country completely. As well as Russia is protected by cold, Great Britain and Japan by sea, India is protected by some spiritual ocean, affecting everybody who penetrates into it. “
Sandeep, I’d like to know what you think about it…I think it’s an interesting information….
@Grace: Thanks for your understanding, Grace. The main idea for writing this blog was to underline the idea of obtaining peace in the world.
Thanks for the song. I also like it a lot. It's a wise song. You know, Grace, I didn't understand all its meaning in the youth, as well, as we need to reread some books in different ages to understand all wisdom they contain. I simply adore doing it: to reaveal something new in the book you've already read after getting some life experience. What wise words: "Let it be". Now I understand that life itself is a great healer. When I've understood it I began to feel more peace in my soul. Thanks for reminding of it.....
@Anele: You're right that this war brought a lot of sufferings to our ancestors. We remember it very well and commemorate their memory because every Russian family lost their relatives during the war.
This year just before May 9 ( Victory Day) I asked my students about it and they answered that all of them have relatives who fought in the Great Patriotic War and all of them have relatives who died in the war. That's why it is an event of such importance in our country. Just imagine millions of mothers lost their sons and millions of children lost their farthers(and sometimes mothers), millions of wives lost their husbands. Can you imagine what big problems our country faced immeadiately after the war: destroyed cities, burnt villages, the population mostly consisted of women. That's why we, simple Russian people, are greately surprised when we learn that many people in the world sincerely believe that we're an evil nation yearning for the war.
Anele, thanks for mentioning the movie "The Killing Fields". I haven't heard about it and didn't know that the song is from this movie. I'll try to watch it during my vacation.
Hi Galina!
Yet this topic is just like scratching the head by nail. The unbearable pain which remains somewhere in our heart in form of war consequences. Uncountable innocent death, how can we forget it all. I can understand as a teacher somewhere in your part of life, needs to teach your students and the best way is to spill it out from the mind.
Currently, History (International/National) is my subject for preparing the IAS (Indian Administraton Service) examination. I need to read whole Indian History in very deep way. That motivates me to wrote the War Theory here because I was fed up with this. India never invaded any country in her last 100000 years of history! but we were invaded several times by outsider and all because of Wealth as it was known as Land of Golden Bird. What they were never able to took away our ancient knowledge, even they try to destroy it, burned few one but the heart and mind can not be changed. Mind and Heart fights all the time, in search of peace and dream to shackle the harmony. Sometimes, things that you don't want to remember comes around you as a memory, as a past trauma. What we can do best, forgiveness and you wrote it very well somewhere. :)
Finally, I like the song very much. Just I want to know the significance of Red Flower.
Thank you so much! I learned lots from this about the World War II.
Cheers! :)
Galina, thanks for bring this topic to us. Hope the world wouldn't have wars no matter in any areas.
I like this song too, another song of The Beatles I like is " Let it be". Here it is.
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