U.S. and Soviet Russian troops meet at the Elbe river in 1945. U.S. Army photo
Washington Times: When Americans and Soviets were comrades-in-arms
The 70th anniversary of the link-up at the River Elbe deserves commemoration
Seventy years ago this April 25, American and Soviet military met as wartime allies against Nazi Germany in the closing days of World War II in an obscure and now long-forgotten place on the Elbe River called Torgau.
This was a truly special embrace of men in arms in a terribly costly but just war against the most hideous existential threat the modern world had ever known. It brought about a bond between wartime allies that shortly thereafter was lost and abandoned in the Cold War.
It looks increasingly likely that we will not mutually commemorate the 70th anniversary of that symbolic event, which is now less than month away. If we pull back and reflect for a moment, is this what both sides really want? Clearly today’s sour political environment makes it hard to imagine the current active duty military leaders of the United States and the Russian Federation standing together in commemoration with the few remaining veterans of that heady 1945 moment.
WNU Editor: Russia is more focused on their Moscow/Red Square Victory Day celebrations for May 9, and I do not think that the U.S. cares .... which is sad .... this link-up was a historical and pivotal event.
1 comment:
D-Day and Operation Market Garden have been celebrated by the allies.
Perhaps to have a celebration onsite, Germany would have to agree ... and they would rather forget?
Obama is not going to do anything about this year. Maybe he would have a chance next year.
2003 would not have worked.
I think the last 1990s would have been perhaps the best time.
Most people that read military history see stories on this even at least once a decade. That is a small % of the population.
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