A rendition of "Stars and Stripes Forever" echoed off the Kremlin walls Saturday as former World War II allies and foes joined to celebrate the 47th anniversary of Nazi Germany's surrender.
U.S., Russian, Italian and German parade regiments filled Red Square, where Soviet leaders had used past Victory Day events to glorify communism."We citizens of Russia have many old holidays. Some will come and some will go. But Victory Day will remain forever," Russian President Boris Yeltsin told about 1,000 people at the beginning of the day's festivities.
Germany surrendered to the Soviet Union on May 8, 1945, and the following day was declared Victory Day. But this was the first year that two of the World War II victors joined together to mark the anniversary.
"Stars and Stripes Forever" - the John Philip Sousa march often heard on Independence Day - reverberated off the granite walls of Vladimir Lenin's mausoleum. A line of U.S. Medal of Honor winners stood nearby as the U.S. military band played.
Bands from Italy and Germany pounded out their traditional military marches while their color guards displayed the countries' national flags on a warm afternoon.
Two Russian military bands rounded out the celebration, once a day of reverence, pomp and propaganda for the Soviet Communist government.
Yeltsin laid a wreath Saturday at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Kremlin and later walked through crowds at Gorky Park, shaking hands and smiling broadly.
"We're for the government; we're for Yeltsin; we're for everything!" said one woman after Yeltsin and his bodyguards pushed through.
The radical newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta praised the government for shedding the official communist dressing on Victory Day.
"All through the years, the victory was a sort of justification for all the crimes of the Soviet regime. There is no need for justification now," the newspaper said.
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(Additional story)
Bush phones Yeltsin
President Bush telephoned Russian leader Boris Yeltsin Saturday to discuss plans for their first summit meeting, which will be held in Washington next month, the White House said. Deputy press secretary Gary Foster quoted Bush as describing the 35-minute exchange as a "very good, cordial discussion," but provided no details. The two will hold the first formal U.S. - Russian summit June 16-17.