Celebrating November 7th in Red Square

Blog 11-07-11 Celebrating the October Revolution!

Red banners in parade past Lenin’s Tomb on Red Square

          Every year on November 7^th, the Soviets put on a massive celebration honoring the Great October Revolution.  When the Soviets changed their calendars to match that of the western world, the date of the October Revolution in 1917 fell on Nov. 7^th.

            In the two years we lived in Moscow, watching this huge Bolshevik celebration was something to behold.  The Soviets prepared for this for days in advance, because it involved many thousands of Soviet soldiers, sailors, airmen, as well as still more thousands of civilians.  For us military and naval attachés, it was also an opportunity to see whatever the Soviet Union wanted to show off in their latest weaponry. 

            We were invited to come in uniform and sit in reserved seats, right below the tribune where General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev and all the Politburo and all the Soviet generals and admirals stood to review the parade.

            However, in the years I was there, we were directed to show American disapproval with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, so we showed up heavily wrapped in warm civilian clothing, in the crowd of hundreds of thousands of Russians. 

            [Isn’t it strange that twenty years later America would invade Afghanistan!]

            This day was a day to observe Russians celebrating the birth of their Communist State, to watch the marching troops, and hopefully, to discover a new missile or other weapon the Soviets were producing.  It was a tremendous celebration, and millions of Russians would drink quite a lot of vodka before the day was over.

            For American and allied military attachés in the Embassy, after several hours of standing in frigid weather watching the parade, we’d show up at the home of one of us for plates of steaming hot American chili, Danish or Polish beer, and Swedish Glögg (a lethal concoction of akvavit, red wine, port, cinnamon and other spices).

            Watching an event in Red Square is one of life’s exciting experiences, I think, because your mind can take you back to grainy black-and-white images of Marshal Stalin standing atop that tribune, as the Red Army troops, the same ones who had defeated the Nazis at Stalingrad and many other battles, marched in review.  On one end of the square is St. Basil’s Cathedral, and all along another side are the onion domes of churches inside the Kremlin. 

            What a fascinating experience it was last year to see pictures of an American Army unit marching in Red Square, to help the Russians celebrate the Allied victory over Germany May 9^th, 1945. (America, Great Britain and France celebrated on May 8^th, but the actual German surrender happened after midnight Moscow time, hence May 9^th.)

            U.S. Army helps Russians Commemorate Victory over Germany May 9^th, 2010

 (Soldiers of Co. C, 2nd Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, part of the 170th Brigade Combat Team)  

           

The Personal Navigator offers these books and papers :

Abdul Buhl: The Chronicles of Abdul Buhl by Leslie F. Deacon, Illustrations by Polly Hill ca. 1948.  These are the timeless adventures of Abdul Buhl the terrible, and Morbhid Dhung, his man, told in verse.  Charmingly illustrated by Polly Hill, Adul and Morbhid cross a desert, go out to sea, meet some Amazons, including Sweet Ahlmad Buhl, from Abdul's clan. They encounter Whirling Dervishes, Attila's Huns, sail back over the sea to Araby the Fair.  [Author believed to be the same L.F. Deacon b. 1913 who served in the RAF in World War II and taught at Tanglin in Singapore after the war, then moved to Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) and then South Africa.] 23 pp.           13.5 x 23.8 cm. Green suede leather cover, text block loose from binding, poor. (8200)   $39.00. Poetry

Posev Ezhenedelnik Obschestvennoy I Politichestkoi Mysli (Weekly Social and Political Thought), with Zarubezhnoe Prllozhenoye (The Sowing, and anti-Bolshevik Journal,  with foreign supplement), Sunday, 27 December 1953. [In Russian]  1953 Munich, Germany: Posev Izdatyels'stvo Posev (The sowing) was the journal of an anti-Bolshevik organization. "Military Attaché in Moscow-- Richard Hilton" tells story of his work in USSR. Lead article in this issue: "Process of G. Mueller (N. Khorunzhego) is Completed"--On Friday 18 December the Frankfurt American Court completed the process of George Muller (N. Khorunzhego) and his wife Elizabeth Mueller, accused of Soviet Espionage. This report takes up nearly three pages of this issue.  Bureau of KTsAV has asked to publish this letter to the Editor of the Washington Post that underlines the fact that American social opinion wholly approves of the Committee for Freeing from Bolshevism, etc. Letter, from Munich, is signed by S.P. Mel'gunov, President of Bureau. Ads for forthcoming issue of "Mysl'" (Thought) from the Posev Press; Bust of A.S. Pushkin, price 16.50 Marks (20 kron.); ad for gift books for Christmas from Posev Press includes several by N. Gogol, one by N. Nekrasov, one by Tretyakov, one by Chekhov, and one by L. Tolstoi. "Sovietskie Prosoyuzi" (Soviet Tradeunions) by S. Kursanov.  "Za Slovesnoi Shirmoi" (Behind the Masked Words) --- "Besklassove Obschestvo" (Classless Society); "Diktatura Proteliariata"  (Dictatorship of the Proletariat); "Religia--Opium dlya Naroda" (Religion--opium for the people); "Akuli s Uoll-Streeta" (Sharks of Wall Street). 16 pp. 30 x 42 cm. Newspaper, small tear in fold, main section unopened, very good.(8079) $33.00. Cold War

Portsmouth Navy Yard Peace Conference 1905-- Set of five post cards commemorating Russo-Japanese War Peace Conference 1905    Portsmouth, NH: First National Bank. Set of five postal cards commemorate the Russo-Japanese War Peace Conference sponsored by President Theodore Roosevelt. Two cards show participants: Sato, Takahira, Komura, Otchai and Adachi for Japan, and Korostovetz, Navohoff, Witte, DeRosen and Plancon for Russia. Another card shows inset pictures of Czar Nicholas, the Mikado and President Roosevelt.     5 cards 13.7 x 8.7 cm.   Four photographic post cards and one printed post card, all very good. (8202) $45.00. History

Art Metal Steel Office Furnitre and Filing Supplies, 1915 No. 757 1915 Jamestown, NY: Art Metal Construction Co.            All the modern business needs--the best steel office equipment in the world, according to E. St. Elmo Lewis, General Manager.  Photo of Art Metal Engineering Department. Fire resistance of Art Metal. Cast Bronze Hardware. Features of Art Metal Files--why they excel. File Drawers, Upright Units, Vertical file units, Suggestions for voluminous correspondence, vertical file guides, file folders; card record units, tabulating card units, sections for folded documents, depositi slips, checks and vouchers, private lock drawer sections, unit record-card desks, bond boxes, plan files, waste baskets, shelving, desks, tables, typewriter stands, safes, vault equipment.            80 pp.   20 x 27.5 cm.    Paper booklet, cellophane tape repairs to spine, good.            (8199) $28.00. Advertising

Boston Weekly Journal, Boston, Mass., Thursday Morning, February 25, 1869    Boston, MA: Charles O. Rogers, 120 Washington St. Dispatch from St. Louis reports that all of the Kiowas except four or five lodges have come in to make peace, and will at once be assigned reservations. Kiowas have been the most troublesome and hostile of the frontier tribes. Part of the Arapaho and Cheyenne tribes have also presented themselves at the Government headquarters for assignment ot reservations. Gen. Cushingmet with success in negotiations with the Government of Colombia for the right to construct an inter-oceanic canal across the Isthmus of Darien. Discussion about the way that the President-elect, General Grant, is going about forming his Cabinet.  Meagre information from Cuba indicates that troubles there are daily becoming more serious, and both the Spanish government and Gen. Dulce have misapprehended the extent and true nature of the outbreak.  Bands of insurgents are making their appearance in every part of the island.        4 pp.     52 x 68 cm. Newspaper, worn, dampstained, good. (8197) $25.00 Newspapers/History

Vermont Journal, Brattleboro, Saturday, April 9, 1881 Brattleboro, VT:  The Journal Company. The sacredness of the Sabbath is not always observed by politicians.  Last Saturday Senators Conkling and Platt, Governor Cornell, Vice President Arthur and Postmaster-General James  did not get through comparing notes until Sunday. Four years ago Conkling engaged in a power struggle with President Hayes.  "The Hero of Gettysburg" was not General Hancock, recently defeated in the national election by Garfield, but General Meade.  There are at least a dozen Senators who may be called millionaires, led by Sen. Fair of Nevada, probably worth as much as all the others put together.  Next is Davis of Illinois who has gathered millions, as well as 375 pounds avoirdupois. Sawyer of Wisconsin, who was a poor Vermont boy, is next.   The Story Teller:  "Poor Miss Brackenthorpe" --what was revealed after she died. Illustrated ads for Perry Davis' Pain Killer, The "Only" Lung Pad, Madame Griswold's Skirt-supporting Corsets. 8 pp.           40 x 58 cm.       Newspapers, numerous tiny tears in creases, paper unopened, fair. (8198) $24.00. Newspapers/History

London: The Canadian's Guide Book to London 1937 1937 London, England: High Commissioner, Canada House. Guide book for the Coronation, May 12 and all other events in 1937. Includes colored folding map of Central London, showing the Coronation Parade route. 65 pp. 12.2 x 15.1 cm. Paper booklet, owner name written on inside front cover. Inside front hinge slightly loose. Good. (8201) $24.00. Travel

Shipmate, The Eyes and Ears of the Navy; Publication of the United States Naval Academy Alumni Association, September 1945         1945 England, Harry W., Managing Editor. Annapolis, MD: U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association. Victory and Industrial Issue: End of World War II came as a surprise to editorial staff, so they rushed to include "The Sinking of the Rising Sun" by Lt. S.L. Freeland. "a concise and vivid report of how U.S. Navy made Japs wish they had never thought of Pearl Harbor." Story of new USNA Superintendent, first Naval Aviator to take post, Vice Admiral Aubrey W. Fitch, '06, by Comdr. Louis J. Gulliver, '07. "Ships from the Texas Plains" story of ships built by newcomers to shipbuilding in Houston. These ships passed the "final examination" when they survived the horrible typhoon off Luzon in December 1944, that caused sinking of three other destroyers. "How the Seabees Transformed Tinian" as base for Superforts bombing Japan. "P.H. to Okinawa"-- "’The Big E’, carrier Enterprise, fought the whole bloody war, and came out asking for more”. "What's the Dope" news of alumni, first entry is from Col. Harry Hawthorne, Class of 1882.  Names of naval officers mentioned in this issue is an honor roll of naval heroes of World War II and afterward. 104 pp. 21.7 x 29.3 cm. Magazine, moderate wear, good. (6229) $35.00. World War II/Naval                                  

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