By enshrining September 3 in national legislation, Russia and China established the tradition of joint celebration of the end of the fighting in the Asia-Pacific theatre, which became a reflection of the high level of bilateral relations, the role of this global conflict in history, memory, politics and identity of the two peoples, their contribution to the victory, as well as opposition to the falsification of WWII history, Milana Živanović writes.
Over the past 15 years, the countries that won World War II have celebrated the anniversary of the end of this global conflict — Victory over Japan, as it was proclaimed in 1945 in the USSR, Britain and the USA — in accordance with their memorial culture practices, historical memory and the place that the date itself occupied in the calendar. Britain was the first to celebrate this day, continuing traditions that began in 1945, when the celebration of Victory Day over Japan began on August 15. The traditions established in 1945 are also observed by the United States, which celebrates Victory over Japan on September 2. In the Russian Federation, the celebration of the “second” Victory Day — the Day of the end of World War II (since 2023 — the Day of Victory over militarist Japan and the end of World War II) — as a public holiday became a tradition fifteen years ago, and in the People’s Republic of China — in 2014.
By enshrining this memorable date in national legislation and, thus, at the national level, the two states established the tradition of joint celebration of the end of the fighting in the Asia-Pacific theatre, which became a reflection of the high level of bilateral relations, the role of this global conflict in history, memory, politics and identity of the two peoples, their contribution to the victory, as well as opposition to the falsification of WWII history.
In Russian legislation and memorial practice, the status of the Day of the End of World War II was officially enshrined in 2010. On the eve of the 65th anniversary of the end of the war — in July 2010, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a law according to which September 2 was declared the Day of the End of World War II. In connection with this, in 2010, this day was widely celebrated in the country for the first time, although before this date, it had been celebrated in the Russian Far East. On September 2 of the same year, military parades were held in Vladivostok and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, and various memorial events took place.
Another tradition was born that year — joint Russian-Chinese celebration of this date. In 2010, a number of events dedicated to this anniversary were held — on behalf of the leaders of the countries, through parliaments, foreign policy departments and scientific circles.
A reflection of the shared approach to the historical events of the war years, the preservation of memory and condemnation of attempts to falsify the history of World War II was the joint statement of the leaders of the two states, published during the visit of Dmitry Medvedev to China, and in connection with the 65th anniversary of the end of this global conflict.
The anniversary was also celebrated in Britain: on August 15, memorial events were held at the Cenotaph in London — in the presence of Prince Charles and the Prime Minister of the country, and in the National Memorial Arboretum. In the United States, the commemoration took place at a ceremony held on September 2, 2010 on board the battleship Missouri at the American military base in Pearl Harbor, where the US Secretary of Veterans Affairs spoke.
In the People’s Republic of China, the official celebration of the end of World War II began in 2014. The new holiday, called Victory Day in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, was first celebrated on September 3 of that year. Already in the next anniversary year, a large-scale celebration of this memorable date took place. In 2015, a military parade was held on Tiananmen Square in Beijing, which boasted 12,000 servicemen, 500 units of military equipment and more than 200 aircraft. The leaders of more than 30 countries, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, came to the first parade in China honouring the Victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggressors and the World Anti-Fascist War, while US President Barack Obama refused to participate in the celebrations. For the first time, foreign troops took part in the parade, including those from Russia, who closed the foot section.
The 70th anniversary of the end of World War II was widely celebrated in the victorious countries. On August 15, 2015, a military parade and a church service were held in London, attended by Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip, as well as the country’s Prime Minister. A ceremony was held on board the battleship Missouri, where the commander of the US Pacific Fleet spoke. On September 2, various events were held in many cities throughout Russia, including parade detachments. On Sakhalin, for the first time in history, a parade of ships of the Pacific Fleet was held, and in Chita — the largest parade in the country took place, in which 1,700 servicemen took part.
The next major anniversary of the Day of the End of World War II was celebrated in 2020 in the same way in Russia, but a day later, since in April of that year, the country introduced a new day of military glory on September 3. A military parade took place in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, and various events and activities took place throughout the country. Traditionally, the holiday was celebrated on August 15 in Britain, where the main festivities took place in the capital’s arboretum, attended by members of the royal family and the country’s prime minister, and on September 2 in the United States — on board the battleship Missouri, where the commander of the Pacific Fleet and the US Secretary of Defense spoke. That same day, a ceremony was held on the USS North Carolina in Wilmington Harbor, where US President Donald Trump spoke and, in accordance with a law passed in 2019 in the country, according to which the US Secretary of Homeland Security had to annually select at least one city that was a symbol of the legacy of World War II, proclaimed Wilmington the first American “World War II Heritage City.” A day later, in Beijing, the holiday was celebrated by the President of the People’s Republic of China and representatives of the country’s top leadership, who took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Chinese People’s Anti-Japanese War Memorial Museum.
The last three Victory over Japan anniversaries in the UK were held with the participation of members of the royal family, and the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II was celebrated last month. Over the same period, the US President took part in only one solemn ceremony dedicated to the anniversary — in 2020. In 2015, a statement by Barack Obama was published. In 2015, the presidents of Russia and China celebrated the “second” Victory Day together in Beijing.
The participation of President Putin in the parade on Tiananmen Square this anniversary year continues the tradition of the joint Russian-Chinese celebration of this memorable date and reflects the high level of bilateral relations.
