The International Scientific Conference «75th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War and World War II: Lessons from History and the Present»

On 8 September 2020, in Vladivostok, the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Peoples of the Far East FEB RAS and the Russian Historical Society held, the International Scientific Conference «75^th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War and World War II: Lessons from History and the Present»

Chairman of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician V.I. Sergienko opened the conference andemphasized the great importance of the 75^th anniversary of the Victory for all Far Eastern society. He also stressed the need to affirm truthful, objective assessments and ideas of tragic moment of history in the mindsets of the world community.

Director of the Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Peoples of the Far East FEB RAS, Corresponding Member of RAS, N.N. Kradin noted the fundamental collective scientific monograph “History of the Russian Far East. Vol 3. Book 3. The Far East of the USSR: 1941-1945“  and the Institute’s huge jobon the preparation and publication of this book.It’s a real unique and unprecedented volume, in Russian and or even in foreign historiography. The book is dedicated to the blessed memory of all defenders spared no effort and life inthe Great Victory over German fascism and Japanese militarism.

The chairman of the Duma of Vladivostok A.P. Brick  noted the great contribution of Vladivostok to the Victory.

Five reports were presented and discussed at the plenary session.

Chief Scientific Secretary of the Far Eastern Branch of RAS, Academician V.V. Bogatov  reported on the outstanding contribution of the President of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Academician V.L. Komarovto theVictory in the Great Patriotic War, on his labor feats and on the role of the Academy of Sciences in defence of the fatherland. G.A. Tkacheva (IHAE FEB RAS)  dedicated her report to the Far Eastern society in August – September 1945. The people consolidation was very important for the quick and decisive victory over Japan and for the end of World War II.The results of domestic research in recent years on the Soviet-Japanese war (1945) were summed up in the speech of prof. L.I. Gallyamova (IHAE FEB RAS). Chief researcher of the Institute of Mongolian Studies, Buddhism and Tibetology SB RAS (Ulan-Ude) L.V. Kuras and senior researcher of the Institute B.D. Tsybenov highlighted the great role of the Mongolian People’s Republic. They talked about the supplies such ashorses, agricultural products, and even a financial assistance from Mongolia to the USSR during the war. Chief Researcher, IHAE FEB RAS V.V. Podmaskin  noted the contribution of the indigenous peoples of the Far East. He stressed that all Soviet society, regardless of ethnic, social and political affiliation stood together to defeat.

Next part of the Conference was held in two sections: “The countries of the Asia-Pacific region at the Second World War and at the endof it” (12 reports) and “The Russian Far East at the period of the Second World War” (9 reports).

In total, the conference was attended by over 30 representatives of Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, Ulan-Ude, as well as Samara and the Republic of Kazakhstan. They were academicians, doctors and candidates of historical sciences, graduate students, students, museum workers. Many experts took part in the discussion of the reports, different and interesting questions wereaddressedto the speakers. During the discussion all of them agreed all present attempts to revise the history of the Second World War and the distort of the memory required a worthy rebuff. Publication of the book “History of the Russian Far East. Vol. 3. Book. 3. The Far East of the USSR: 1941-1945. ” was the most important contribution of Far Eastern historians to the preservation and comprehension of the memory of the Great Victory.