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'''Victory Day''' commemorates the victory over [[Nazi Germany]] and its [[List of Axis Powers|European allies]] by the [[Soviet Union]] in 1945.<ref>[https://youtu.be/xhr3mVQ1jYo Victory Day In Russia - Why 9 May Is So Important For Russians?]</ref> In [[Russia]], Victory Day remains the largest national holiday celebrated since German forces surrendered on May 9, shortly after midnight (12:43 midnight [[Moscow]] time or 10:43 PM [[Berlin]] time). Field Marshal [[Wilhelm Keitel]] signed the surrender document to the Russian forces in the [[German]] capital of Berlin.

'''Victory Day''' commemorates the victory over [[Nazi Germany]] and its [[List of Axis Powers|European allies]] by the [[Soviet Union]] in 1945.<ref>[https://youtu.be/xhr3mVQ1jYo Victory Day In Russia - Why 9 May Is So Important For Russians?]</ref> In [[Russia]], Victory Day remains the largest national holiday celebrated since German forces surrendered on May 9, shortly after midnight (12:43 midnight [[Moscow]] time or 10:43 PM [[Berlin]] time). Field Marshal [[Wilhelm Keitel]] signed the surrender document to the Russian forces in the [[German]] capital of Berlin.

At the [[Teheran Conference]], the Angelo-American Powers agreed with the Soviet Union not to accept a separate peace. Upon the death of [[Hitler]] and [[Goebbels]], Grand Admiral [[Karl Dönitz]] was appointed Chancellor (the short-lived Flensburg government). Dönitz immediately attempted to [[negotiate]] a separate peace with the Angelo-American forces.  Dönitz authorized General [[Alfred Jodl]] to sign an unconditional surrender with the Angelo-American forces before midnight on May 8 in [[Reims]], France.<ref>See also [[Operation Unthinkable]].</ref>  During the [[Cold War]], '''V-E Day''' or '''Victory in Europe''' day was marked as May 8 in [[the West]].  Gen. [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] however, Commander of Allied Forces in France, recognized the May 9 Berlin surrender as the authentic surrender date and document.

At the [[Teheran Conference]], the Angelo-American Powers agreed with the Soviet Union not to accept a separate peace. Upon the death of [[Hitler]] and [[Goebbels]], Grand Admiral [[Karl Dönitz]] was appointed Chancellor (the short-lived Flensburg government). Dönitz immediately attempted to [[negotiate]] a separate peace with the Angelo-American forces.  Dönitz authorized General [[Alfred Jodl]] to sign an unconditional surrender with the [[Angelo-American forces]] before midnight on May 8 in [[Reims]], France.<ref>See also [[Operation Unthinkable]].</ref>  During the [[Cold War]], '''V-E Day''' or '''Victory in Europe''' day was marked as May 8 in [[the West]].  Gen. [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] however, Commander of Allied Forces in France, recognized the May 9 Berlin surrender as the authentic surrender date and document.

May 9 became a non-working holiday in the Ukraine Soviet Socialist Republic in 1963, where most of World War II fighting in [[Europe]] was fought, and only two years later in the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic in 1965.  May 9 was recognized as a national holiday by the [[Russian Federation]] in 1991 when it ascended as the predecessor state to the Soviet Union.<ref>May 1 also known as '''May Day''' or International Workers' Day, was previously marked as a global celebration of [[labor]] and  workers’ rights with large parades in Red Square (in the [[United States]], [[Labor Day]] is celebrated in early September to avoid association with the [[Comintern|International Communist movement]]). After the [[desecularization]] of [[Russia]] in 1991, the large parades were officially moved to May 9. Just as [[Christmas]] and [[New Year's]] are commonly referred to as the '''Winter Holidays''' is [[Slavic]] [[culture]], [[Easter]], [[Pentecost]] & Victory Day are now known as the '''Spring Holidays'''.</ref>  In 2010 [[American]], [[British]], [[Polish]], and [[Ukrainian]] armed services were invited and participated in the Victory March on [[Red Square]].<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBlXGb0bjdM</ref>

May 9 became a non-working holiday in the Ukraine Soviet Socialist Republic in 1963, where most of World War II fighting in [[Europe]] was fought, and only two years later in the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic in 1965.  May 9 was recognized as a national holiday by the [[Russian Federation]] in 1991 when it ascended as the predecessor state to the Soviet Union.<ref>May 1 also known as '''May Day''' or International Workers' Day, was previously marked as a global celebration of [[labor]] and  workers’ rights with large parades in Red Square (in the [[United States]], [[Labor Day]] is celebrated in early September to avoid association with the [[Comintern|International Communist movement]]). After the [[desecularization]] of [[Russia]] in 1991, the large parades were officially moved to May 9. Just as [[Christmas]] and [[New Year's]] are commonly referred to as the '''Winter Holidays''' is [[Slavic]] [[culture]], [[Easter]], [[Pentecost]] & Victory Day are now known as the '''Spring Holidays'''.</ref>  In 2010 [[American]], [[British]], [[Polish]], and [[Ukrainian]] armed services were invited and participated in the Victory March on [[Red Square]].<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBlXGb0bjdM</ref>