Let’s know some facts about this day. Look throw the text and then answer my questions. Defender of the Fatherland Day is a popular Russian holiday on February 23, although the date itself has no major historical significance in Russia. The day focuses on the achievements of military forces and veterans. Russian men who have never served in the military are also congratulated and receive presents on this day. Defender of the Fatherland Day remembers both current and past achievements of many Russians including Red Army leader Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov). The reasons behind celebrating Defender of the Fatherland Day on February 23 are unclear, as the date does not coincide with any historical event. Russia first celebrated this day in 1922 as the fourth anniversary of the Red Army. However, Russian leader Vladimir Lenin signed a decree for the creation of a Bolshevik Army on a different date (January 15, 1918). In 1938, Soviet history books started claiming that the Red Army won an important victory over German invaders on February 23, 1918, but no independent sources supported this claim. The Russian Parliament voted to remove it from the holiday’s history in 2006. Between 1936 and 1990, February 23 was observed as the Soviet Army and Navy Day. It became a workday in 1991. The Russian parliament reintroduced it as a public holiday in 2002, after renaming it as Defender of the Fatherland Day. |