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| The '''London Victory Parade of 1946''' was a British ] held after the defeat of ] and Japan in ]. It took place in the ] capital of ], on ], ], mainly encompassing a military parade through the city. | The '''London Victory Parade of 1946''' was a British ] held after the defeat of ] and ] in ]. It took place in the ] capital of ], on ], ], mainly encompassing a military parade through the city. | ||
| ] armed forces in their traditional white kilts, including the ].]] | ] armed forces in their traditional white kilts, including the ].]] The parade was 9 mile long and stretched from Trafalgar Square to the Buckingham Palace. | ||
| ==Noticeable Absences== | |||
| Although the Official Programme of the Victory Celebrations lists all three nations as scheduled to take part by parading their flags (with honour guards) <ref name="The Official Programme of the Victory Celebrations, Part 1">The Official Programme of the Victory Celebrations on 8th June 1946 in London, England Published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1946</ref> and parading representatives of their air forces, <ref name="The Official Programme of the Victory Celebrations, Part 2">The Official Programme of the Victory Celebrations on 8th June 1946 in London, England Published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1946</ref> the USSR, Yugoslavia and Poland did not take part in the parade. <ref> ''Life'', 24 June 1946. Retrieved: 21 October 2009.</ref><ref>http://books.google.ca/books?id=LkoEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA32&ots=_GcCLqn9h6&dq=poland%201946%20london%20victory%20parade&pg=PA32#v=onepage&q=&f=false</ref> The reasons for the USSR not participating have never been explained but the government of the USSR announced on 28 May 1946 that it would not be sending a contingent.<ref> “The Canberra Times”, 29 May 1946. Retrieved: 23 October 2009.</ref> On 6 June 1946 the Yugoslav government announced that it would refuse the invitation extended by the British government because the behaviour of Britain had been such that the Yugoslav people would never forgive the acceptance of the invitation.unced on 28 May 1946 that it would not be sending a contingent.<ref>http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/2685569 “Yugoslavia annoyed at British Note”] “The Canberra Times”, 7 June 1946. Retrieved: 23 October 2009.</ref> | |||
| On 6 July 1945 the British government had officially recognised the Soviet-installed<ref>], 1982 and several reprints. ''God's Playground''. 2 vols. New York: Columbia Univ. Press. ISBN 0-231-05353-3 and ISBN 0-231-05351-7</ref> ] and withdrew recognition from the London-based ]. Therefore the 1946 invitations to the victory parade were sent <ref>Written answer from British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to question regarding Polish participation in Victory Parade 4 June 1946. ]</ref> to the Soviet installed ] <ref name="The Poles in Britain">Peter D. Stachura, ''The Poles in Britain, 1940-2000: from betrayal to assimilation'', Routledge, 2004, ISBN 0714684449 </ref> and not to ]. This invitation to send representatives was accepted <ref>Statement to Parliament by British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 5 June 1946. ]</ref> but no representatives actually arrived. ] newspaper reported at the time “The Polish Government accepted, but the contingent has not yet arrived.<ref>http://www.angelfire.com/ok2/polisharmy/chapter1.html</ref> Some authors claim that the Polish communist government installed by the ] was ordered by the Soviet leadership to not send representatives.<ref name="The Victory Parade">Rudolf Falkowski, . Last accessed on 30 September 2009.</ref> | |||
| However, in 1946 Polish forces were split between the ] and ], which took part in ]. After it became clear that no units from the ] had been invited to the London parade, invitations were extended to representatives of Polish airmen who had taken part in the ] <ref> ], “An Army in Exile” MacMillan & Co., London 1949. page 299 </ref> to march in uniform <ref>Edward Lucas ]</ref><ref>Edward Lucas </ref>. Of the 89 pilots who had flown in the four Polish RAF squadrons during the Battle of Britain, 25 were invited to take part. <ref> ], “Bez ostatniego rozdziatu (Without the Last Chapter)” Warsaw, 1989, p. 377.“</ref> One source states that all 25 were members of ].<ref>http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/03/04/polish_spitfire/</ref> But as ] noted in June 1946 “Unfortunately, it seems that none of the Polish servicemen who fought in the West under British command will take part. Polish airmen who took part in the Battle of Britain were invited, but they do not wish to march unless Polish soldiers and sailors of the Western Command can march with them.” | |||
| Poles both at the time <ref name="The Victory Parade">Rudolf Falkowski, . Last accessed on 30 September 2009.</ref> and since said that Poland was slighted when its soldiers and sailors were denied representation in the 1946 Victory Parade. <ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/01/polish-war-effort-memorial-book</ref>. However the official programme lists as schedules to parade only army and navy units from Commonwealth/Empire nations. Newsreel reports of the time clearly show non-Commonwealth/Empires solely parading their flag and show a marching order identical to that described in the Official Program <ref name="Gaumont British Newsreel">Last accessed on 23 October 2009.</ref> and make reference to “The victorious legions of the British Commonwealth of Empires”. Newsreels also show that only leaders of Commonwealth/Empire nations were present <ref name="Gaumont British Newsreel"/> and US land and navy forces being limited to an honour guard for the American flag. <ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6SWwL_KAb4</ref> The Canberra Times reported “there was prolonged cheering as men and women from the British and Commonwealth forces marched by in this impressive victory parade. The stream of men and weapons, which flowed down past the saluting base in the Mall, was a mighty demonstration of Empire Solidarity”. <ref> “The Canberra Times”, 10 June 1946. Retrieved: 23 October 2009.</ref> Poland was neither a member of the British Empire nor the British Commonwealth. | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ==Lack of Polish participation== | |||
| ⚫ | The parade is also notable for the fact that almost all 228,000 ] who had served under British High Command in ] were excluded from taking part in the parade.<ref> ''PBS'' (''Behind Closed Doors''). Retrieved: 22 October 2009</ref><ref>http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/Content.aspx?audioID=36787#</ref><ref>http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=165717§ioncode=6</ref><ref name="QoH">], ], ''A Question of Honor: The Kosciuszko Squadron: Forgotten Heroes of World War II '', Knopf, 2003, ISBN 0375411976, .</ref><ref name="FT06">Kwan Yuk Pan, , ], July 5 2005. Last accessed on 31 March 2006.</ref><ref>http://www.aniaspoland.com/polish_forces.php</ref><ref>http://books.google.ca/books?id=LkoEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA32&ots=_GcCLqn9h6&dq=poland%201946%20london%20victory%20parade&pg=PA32#v=onepage&q=&f=false</ref><ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/01/polish-war-effort-memorial-book</ref><ref>http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/03/04/polish_spitfire/</ref><ref>http://www.polandstreet.org.uk/index.php?page=news&art=134</ref><ref>http://www.warsawuprising.com/paper/wrobel2.htm</ref><ref>http://thecommunitypaper.com/archive/6_06/index.php</ref> | ||
| == See also == | == See also == | ||
Revision as of 06:50, 26 October 2009
The London Victory Parade of 1946 was a British victory parade held after the defeat of Nazi Germany and Empire of Japan in World War II. It took place in the United Kingdom capital of London, on June 8, 1946, mainly encompassing a military parade through the city.
The parade was 9 mile long and stretched from Trafalgar Square to the Buckingham Palace.
Lack of Polish participation
The parade is also notable for the fact that almost all 228,000 Polish servicemen who had served under British High Command in World War Two were excluded from taking part in the parade.
See also
References
- "Fighting with the Allies: Remembering Polish Fighters." PBS (Behind Closed Doors). Retrieved: 22 October 2009
- http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/Content.aspx?audioID=36787#
- http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=165717§ioncode=6
- Lynne Olson, Stanley Cloud, A Question of Honor: The Kosciuszko Squadron: Forgotten Heroes of World War II , Knopf, 2003, ISBN 0375411976, Excerpt (prologue).
- Kwan Yuk Pan, Polish veterans to take pride of place in victory parade, Financial Times, July 5 2005. Last accessed on 31 March 2006.
- http://www.aniaspoland.com/polish_forces.php
- http://books.google.ca/books?id=LkoEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA32&ots=_GcCLqn9h6&dq=poland%201946%20london%20victory%20parade&pg=PA32#v=onepage&q=&f=false
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/01/polish-war-effort-memorial-book
- http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/03/04/polish_spitfire/
- http://www.polandstreet.org.uk/index.php?page=news&art=134
- http://www.warsawuprising.com/paper/wrobel2.htm
- http://thecommunitypaper.com/archive/6_06/index.php