Victory Day
Victory Day is the name of a
public holiday in various countries to commemorate the victory in an important battle or war in the country's history.
April 30 is an annual
holiday in Vietnam to commemorate the
fall of Saigon in
1975 at the end of the
Vietnam War. It is commonly known as Victory Day (Ngày Chiến thắng), Reunification Day (Ngày Thống nhất), or Liberation Day (Ngày Giải phóng).
Victory Day marks the end of
World War II in Europe, specfically the
capitulation of
Nazi forces to the
Allies (the
Soviet Union, the
United Kingdom, the
United States and other principal
Allied nations) on
May 8,
1945. It is celebrated in the successor states to the Soviet Union on
May 9, because when the
German Instrument of Surrender actually entered into force (May 8, 1945 at 23:01 CET), it was already May 9 in the USSR and Eastern Europe.
Võidupüha or Victory Day is a
public holiday in Estonia, which has been celebrated on
23 June every year since
1934. Victory Day recalls the
1919 Battle of Wenden (
Võnnu in
Estonian) decisive battle during the
War of Independence in which the
Estonian military forces and their allies defeated the
German forces who sought to re-assert
Baltic-German control over the region. Today,
Võidupüha also marks the contributions of all
Estonians in their fight to regain and retain their independence.
* See also:
Estonian Ministry of Foreign AffairsCroatia celebrates
Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day on
August 5, commemorating the
1991-1995 war.
Victory Day is usually observed in
Rhode Island on the second Monday of August. It celebrates the conclusion of
World War II, see also
Victory over Japan Day. It was a nationally recognized holiday, but it has since been removed because of the nature of the war's ending (ie.
Harry Truman and
dropping the atomic bomb on
Nagasaki on
August 9,
1945).
Victory Day on
August 30 is a
national holiday in Turkey to commemorate the victory in the
Battle of Dumlupinar, the final battle in the
Turkish War of Independence in
1922.
Victory Day on
September 8 is a
national holiday in Malta to commemorate the victory of the
Knights Hospitaller over the
Ottoman Turks in the
Great Siege of
1565, as well as the
capitulation of
Italy in
1943, turning against its former
Nazi German ally during
World War II.
September 8 is also the
feast day of the birth of
Mary, the mother of Jesus, which is popularly celebrated in
Naxxar,
Senglea, and
Mellieha on the same day.
Victory Day on
December 16 is a
national holiday in Bangladesh to commemorate the surrender of
Pakistani forces in the
Bangladesh Liberation War in
1971.
This holiday is known as
Vijay Diwas in India.
There is also a Victory Day in
Egypt in October, commemorating the
Yom Kippur War and in
Angola on March 27th.
*
Victory over Japan Day*
November 11:
Remembrance Day,
Veterans Day,
Armistice Day
