War always begins suddenly, although a generation later, historians will see it as inevitable. In 1941, the most terrible war for the Soviet people began — the Great Patriotic War. It is said that the Nazis could not be stopped without huge losses... May 9 — Victory Day over Nazi Germany — is one of the most important, moving, and glorious holidays in Russia, the former Soviet republics, and many European countries. On May 9, 1945, the Great Patriotic War ended, part of the World War II of 1939-1945. It began at dawn on June 22, 1941, when Nazi Germany, violating the Soviet-German treaties of 1939, attacked the Soviet Union. The war lasted almost four years and was the largest armed conflict in human history. At the front, stretching from the Barents to the Black Sea, from 8 million to 13 million people fought at various times, using from 6,000 to 20,000 tanks and assault guns, from 85,000 to 165,000 guns and mortars, from 7,000 to 19,000 aircraft. The fate of the entire World War II was decided on the Soviet-German front — it was the main front of the fight against fascism. The USSR took on and carried through to the end the main burden of the struggle against the aggressor. The decisive role in the victorious outcome of the war belonged to the Russian people. On May 9, 1945, the "Li-2" aircraft with the crew of A.I. Semenkov landed at the Central Aerodrome named after Frunze, bringing the act of capitulation of Nazi Germany to Moscow. On June 24, the Victory Parade took place in Red Square in Moscow. The parade was commanded by Marshal Konstantin Rokossovsky and reviewed by Marshal Georgy Zhukov. At the parade, the combined regiments of the fronts that had been active at the end of the war marched solemnly. Commanders of fronts and armies led the way, and Heroes of the Soviet Union carried the banners of glorified units and formations. The parade concluded with the march of 200 flag-bearers, who threw the banners of the defeated German troops onto the platform at the base of the Mausoleum. The Day of the Great Victory of the Soviet people — a symbol of unshakable spirit and heroism. For peace on Earth, more than 27 million Soviet people laid down their lives on the altar of the Motherland. Victory Day of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War has been and remains one of the most revered holidays both in Russia and in the CIS countries. According to the glorious tradition of recent years, St. George's ribbons are distributed everywhere, which not only veterans but also young people tie and wear as a symbol of the connection between generations and the memory of the Great War. Also on this day, ceremonies of laying flowers and wreaths at the monuments of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War take place, various events are held to honor the veterans of the war and workers of the home front, festive concerts are organized, lessons of courage in educational institutions, reconstructions of battles, military parades, festive salutes, and much more. A tradition of recent years has been the organization of the civic-patriotic action "Immortal Regiment" on May 9, which today has become an international public movement to preserve personal memory of the generation of the Great Patriotic War. Participants of the movement annually march on Victory Day through the streets of cities with photographs of their relatives — veterans of the army and fleet, partisans, underground fighters, Resistance fighters, workers of the home front, concentration camp prisoners, blockade survivors, war children — and also record family stories about them in the People's Chronicle on the website of the "Immortal Regiment" movement. To date, the campaign covers more than 80 states and territories.