May 9: The date of victory at the Great Patriotic War
May 9 marks the 73rd anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.
The war was a crucial part of World War II (1939-1945). It began on June 22, 1941, when Germany launched an attack on the Soviet Union in violation of all prevailing treaties. Sputnik agency reports that the Blitzkrieg, or the "lightning war," that was planned by Germany to defeat the Soviet Union within a few months, went awry almost immediately in 1941. The staunch defense of Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), the Arctic region, Kiev, Odessa and Sevastopol, as well as the battle of Smolensk, rendered the Blitzkrieg plans obsolete.
The Great Patriotic War lasted nearly four years and was the largest armed confrontation in history. Between 8 million and 13 million people simultaneously fought in different periods of the war over an area that stretched from the Barents Sea in the north to the Black Sea in the south. The confronting armies had between 6,000 and 20,000 tanks and assault guns, between 85,000 and 165,000 pieces of artillery and mortars, and between 7,000 and 19,000 aircraft.
Around 600 000 Armenians replenished the army of the Soviet Union during the war. 200 thousand Armenians fell heroically on the battlefield. About 70 thousand Armenians were awarded with military orders and medals.
103 Armenians were awarded with the Hero title of the Soviet Union, taking the 6th place after Russians, Ukrainians, Belarussians, Tartars and Jews. As for the famous Hovhannes Baghramyan and Nelson Stepanyan, they were awarded with this title twice.
Armenians gave 64 generals to the Great Patriotic War, one aviation marshal, one admiral. After the war, another 83 Armenian officers participating in the military operations got the rank of the general.
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