(29 Apr 1995) Russian/Nat
Moscow's preparations for V-E day on May 9th are using millions of dollars which the country can scarcely afford.
Several huge war monuments are being put up and the whole city is being cleaned up for the ceremonies.
However, most Muscovites agree that the rest of the world should be reminded of the Soviet Union's crucial role in defeating the Nazis.
For years Marshal Georgy Zhukov was a forgotten hero. He masterminded the defeat of the Nazis but his popularity was too much for Joseph Stalin, who had him banished from Moscow.
However, it will be in front of a statue of Marshal Zhukov and not Stalin where world leaders will gather on May 9th to celebrate V-E day.
On top of his famous white horse, Zhukov's statue will take pride of place in front of Red Square.
Teams of workers have been cleaning up the centre of the Russian capital in preparation for the arrival of Western leaders.
Every major building is being hosed down and painted. However, the amount of money being spent on the celebrations is a cause of concern for some Russians who think that during a time of economic hardship the money could have been spent on other things.
SOUNDBITE:
(Russian)
"Q. Should the money be better spent on the veterans? A. Yes, I think it should. The Veterans should have been given the money."
SUPER CAPTION: Russian Policeman
SOUNDBITE:
(Russian)
"They should have spent just a small amount. Such a holiday should be marked but probably not in such a grand way, especially against a background of hardship and deprivation."
SUPER CAPTION: none
Along Moscow's main streets, posters and balloons adorn shop windows, symbols of Russia's past sitting a little uneasily among those of Russia's present.
The showpiece for the celebrations is Victory Park, a place where Napoleon waited for the keys to Moscow more than 150 years ago. The brainchild of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, the park has taken almost 15 years to finish at a cost of millions of dollars. Workers are labouring around the clock to finish the monuments which include a huge museum of the war, an Orthodox church and an obelisk topped by the Goddess of Victory and two angels.
While some have criticised the park as tasteless and reminiscent of the worst examples of Soviet grandiose architecture, for many Russians it is a fitting tribute to the memory of their fallen countrymen.
SOUNDBITE:
(Russian)
"It's a monument for the future. It will stand for many years. We can come here and remember the past."
SUPER CAPTION: None
For decades, Russian veterans have felt that their wartime allies never truly acknowledged their debt to the Red Army. Last year they were outraged when President Yeltsin was not invited to take part in the D-Day anniversary celebrations.
For a country which has had little cause for celebration in recent times, every effort is being made to make V-E day a huge success and to remind the rest of the world that without the tremendous sacrifices of the Soviet people they would have nothing to celebrate on May 9th.
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