T-20 Komsomolets armored semi-tracked artillery tractors with 45-mm anti-tank guns at the parade on November 7, 1941 in the Russian city of Kuibyshev.
On October 15, 1941, the Government of the USSR, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, diplomatic missions and large cultural institutions were evacuated to the city of Kuibyshev. In the case of the capture of Moscow by the Nazis, in which the headquarters of the Supreme Command, the State Defense Committee and the General Staff of the Red Army continued to be, Kuibyshev was to become the new capital of the USSR.
The parade on November 7, 1941 in Kuibyshev demonstrated to the world the presence of fresh reserves, which were well armed and equipped with advanced military equipment. The parade was attended by the 65th division of Colonel Peter Koshevoy (a future marshal and twice Hero of the Soviet Union) arrived from Transbaikalian Dauria and the 415th division of Major-General Peter Alexandrov just formed in Primorye. Parade commanded by Lieutenant-General MA Purkaev, and took – Marshal K.E. Voroshilov. Members of the government of the USSR attended the stands, the diplomatic corps, military attaches of 27 Western countries and journalists attended the left of the stands. One and a half hours into the twenty-degree frost in front of the stands were a combined regiment of commanding personnel, infantry, cadets of the Military Medical Academy, a combined women’s battalion of air defense troops and cavalry – altogether over 22 thousand people. They were followed by light tanks T-26 and T-38, heavy tanks T-35, tractors T-20 Komsomolets with 45-mm anti-tank guns and armored vehicles BA-10. In the sky several Il-2 attack aircraft, as well as fighters and bombers, passed in several waves.
Location: Kuibyshev, USSR
Photo date: November 07, 1941
Author photo: Mark Markov-Greenberg