1939 Madrid Victory Parade facts for kids
The 1939 Madrid Victory Parade was a big event held in Madrid, Spain, on May 19, 1939. It happened just over a month after the Nationalists won the Spanish Civil War, which lasted from 1936 to 1939. This parade was the first of many "Victory Day" celebrations. These events took place every year on April 1st until 1976, which was the year after Francisco Franco passed away.
The parade was led by General Andrés Saliquet. He was the commander of the Madrid Military Region. Francisco Franco, who was the leader of Spain at the time, was also present and oversaw the event.
What Happened at the Parade
More than 120,000 soldiers and 1,000 vehicles took part in this huge parade. Some smaller groups from other countries also joined. These included the German Condor Legion, the Italian Corpo Truppe Volontarie, and the Portuguese Viriatos.
The Parade Route
The parade marched along Paseo de la Castellana. This is a very important main street in Madrid. The soldiers and vehicles moved from the North part of the city to the South. The entire parade took about four hours to pass by. Around 400,000 people came to watch this impressive event.
Decorations and Messages
The city was decorated in a special way for the parade. There were many signs and banners. These decorations showed patriotic messages and celebrated the victory. They also showed how much people were encouraged to admire Francisco Franco.
See Also
- Hispano-Suiza J12
In Spanish: Desfile de la Victoria de Madrid de 1939 para niños
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