Azerbaijan marks 68th anniversary of victory over fascism
By Aynur Jafarova
Azerbaijan celebrates the 68th anniversary of the Day of Victory over fascism on Thursday, May 9.
Azerbaijani people made a crucial contribution to the historic victory over fascism, displaying the greatest heroism and bravery at the front and rear lines during World War II . Azerbaijani oil played a particular role in the decisive victory of the Soviet Union over the Nazi forces.
As the war raged, Azerbaijan was a driving force of the sector: the main provider of oil and oil products, specialists in the oil sector and producer of oil equipment. Despite the military action, Baku remained the main provider of fuels and lubricants. Azerbaijani oilworkers produced 80 percent of fuel of the whole country in wartime.
Large-scale work had been carried out in the country with the purpose to direct economic activity to the front lines. The light and food industries started to work for the battlefront.
Under the motto "Everything for the front, everything for victory", Baku managed to turn into an important arsenal of the fighting army in a short period of time. It made a huge contribution to the victory, with much of the Soviet fuel supplied from the Azerbaijani capital.
Despite all the difficulties, oilworkers toiled and succeeded in supplying the battling Soviet military and the economy with fuel. They increased the volume of oil production to its peak of 23.5 million tons. That figure comprised 71.4 percent of all the oil produced in the USSR. Azerbaijani oil workers delivered 75 million tons of oil and 22 million tons of petrol to the country during the war.
Baku oil was one of the main factors in the victory over fascism. Four of each five planes, tanks and motor cars worked on Baku fuel.
"We will lose the war if we don't possess the oil of Baku." This was the core of the strategy of Adolph Hitler. He appreciated Baku as "a valuable piece of the victory cake." Hitler knew that Baku and the North Caucasus were the main sources of oil for the whole economy of the USSR. Therefore, a military group created for an attack on the Caucasus was given coded identification "A".
Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov wrote that the oilmen of Baku supplied to the front lines and the country a large volume of fuel required for defense of the Soviet Union and for a quick victory over the enemy.
According to Russia's former ambassador to Azerbaijan Vasily Istratov, a victory in the Second World War wouldn't have been possible without Azerbaijan's natural resources.
More than 600,000 Azerbaijani young fellows and women were sent to the front lines in 1941-1945, of whom 300,000 did not return.
In a short time 87 battalions of jets and 1,124 self-defense units had been formed. The 77th, 223rd, 396th, 402nd and 416th Azerbaijani divisions covered the glorious path from the Caucasus to Berlin.
About 130 Azerbaijanis were awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union. 170,000 Azerbaijani soldiers and officers were awarded various orders and medals of the USSR.
Hazi Aslanov, two-time Hero of the Soviet Union, the Heroes of the Soviet Union - Israfil Mammadov, Ruslan Vazirov, Adil Guliyev, Ziya Bunyadov, Garay Asadov, Malik Maharramov and Mehdi Huseynzade, Generals Mahmud Abilov, Akim Abbasov, Tarlan Aliyarbeyov and Hajibala Zeynalov - and many others honored the Azerbaijani people and wrote new pages in the history of our people by their unbending will and bravery.
Azerbaijani women were also involved in the war. Guerilla fighter Aliya Rustambeyova, sniper Ziba Ganiyeva, anti-craft gunner Almaz Ibrahimova, steamship captain Shovkat Salimova and others were among those who struggled in the war.
The world said "no" to fascism, injustice, occupation, and crimes against humanity, and Azerbaijan was a true part of this enormous movement.
Memories
"It was April of 1945. All fronts were ordered to attack. After the artillery preparation, the Belarus-1 front began to attack Berlin," a war veteran who fought against fascism till the final victory said in his memoirs. "The strengthened fascist defense line was breached. We reached Berlin, however, the fascists didn't want to surrender. Hard battles continued night and day. Berlin was on fire, the houses were destroyed and street battles intensified. There was a danger for our wounded soldiers. We were able to provide medical aid and rescue seven Soviet soldiers, but I was wounded in my right arm during the street battles."
"Yes, we won the war and attained great victory, however, it was not so easy," the victorious soldier said. "Our country and people overcame a lot of difficulties. We lost more than 20 million people. Cities, villages, forests were destroyed. A lot of people remain miserable and in tears. How can we forget such history?!"
Feeling the magic sense of victory is real luck and despite bloodshed, losses and tears, the Second World War remains in the minds of Azerbaijanis...