The crowd was unruly at the Fire Ring this morning. You know why. It is Victory Day. Not one of ours, at least in current parlance. We helped Russia, then known by another name, to defeat a malignant government then located in the capital of one of our NATO Alliance partners.
Obviously, thing were a little different seventy-seven years ago. On this day the organized fighting ceased in Europe, though a major component of global conflict continued two oceans away. But for Russia, this was a day that marked completion of a horrific struggle that ended the lives of thirty million people, nearly half of all those who perished in the most bloody struggle in human history. The numbers are imprecise, but some claim that meant nearly 3% of all those who lived then did not survive.
The deaths of another million or two were projected in the Pacific were anticipated, and the Red Army was prepared to be part of that. But for that moment on this day, the guns fell silent across the region that is hearing gunfire again. But the Soviet Union was safe.
That was the curious aspect of a celebration marked by the sound of renewed artillery fire within earshot of Kursk. The retired military members of the Writers Section naturally have followed the course of the new war initiated by the Russian government that is celebrating Victory this morning. Splash, Loma and Rocket were Cold Warriors, so this celebration was marked as a portent in a new war. Would Mr. Putin’s forces stage some act of dramatic violence to have some tangible success to add to the parade?
That provoked discussion. We don’t have a parade to celebrate the end of a struggle 45 years long, and into which the treasure of nations was funneled into what became an enormous economic struggle. Loma had been on a ship deployed as part of an endless series of such regular demonstrations of resolve. That one had been expected to proceed as all of them had- measured in tempo and provocative only to a degree considered acceptable to the two major participants.
He stirred from his position on a likely rock. “So, the European Command noticed the bricks were falling out of the Berlin Wall. There were indications that components of what had been the Soviet Block and the Union behind it were changing. We were in the Med in late 1989, doing the usual stuff. I looked in my notes from that cruise. There wasn’t a mention of the particular event. We were down off Malta when President Bush- the older one- met with Gorbachev and said the Cold War was over. That was after the Berlin Wall fell the month before. Some sources say the war didn’t end until 1991. So there wasn’t a Victory Day for a conflict that lasted almost a half century.”
“We thought there would be something big to commemorate this one. Maybe the destruction of the Azov Steel Plant in Mariupol.”
“The Russians let some civilians get out. But it looks like some hard core Ukrainians are still holding out in those deep bunkers under the plant. We had been afraid of some big demonstration. Maybe a nuclear one.”
“Instead it was more like the end of the Cold War. Nothing certain.”
“Ukrainian President Zelenskyy had warned the anniversary could bring a renewed onslaught. The American UN ambassador, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, told CNN that Putin has not succeeded in dividing the world or NATO.”
“And they have only succeeded in isolating themselves internationally and becoming a pariah state around the globe.” Splash liked the word “pariah,” since he has been called one himself.
There were periodic updates seen on the flat-screen in the Bunk House on trips to refill coffee mugs. Mr. Putin was shown at the Victory Day parade. He looked pretty good, considering the news about failing health and hospitalization. He made some remarks to justify his “special military operation,” saying it was to prevent “an absolutely unacceptable threat just next to our borders.”
“He has been saying that for the last 72 days of combat operations. And he has said right along that Ukraine was planning to attack Russia.”
“That is sort of funny,” said Splash, draining the now-cold coffee in his thermal mug under blue skies that alleged warmth to come. “In the fight for the Azov steel plant, the Ukrainians may actually push right up to the Russian border. Hell, they could actually invade Russia just like Mr. Putin claimed.”
“Yeah. This is a hell of a Victory Day. You know what town the Ukrainians might be able to attack?”
“Yeah. It is a town with some history associated with it. It is a place named “Kursk.”
“Yeah. The Germans lost that one, but it would be interesting if the Ukrainians won there right after Victory Day.”
There was no talk about any parades, though Splash asked if anyone had heard about designating a day to celebrate the end of the American Century. No one seemed to want to get up and walk.
Copyright 2022 Vic Socotra
www.vicsocotra.com