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Author : A. Davydenko
First Deputy Editor-in-Chief of International Affairs
An international conference titled "The Soviet Union and Latin
America during World War II and the Present" organized by
the Instituto Bering-Bellingshausen para las Americas (IBBA),
the Raul Roa Higher Institute of International Relations (ISRI)
and the Institute of Cuban History was one of the most im-
pressive and memorable events. It was carried out on the eve
of the Victory Day and the 55th anniversary of restored diplo-
matic relations between Russia and the Republic of Cuba.
Experts in Latin American history from Russia, Cuba, El Sal-
vador, Uruguay, and Honduras shared the results of their studies and offered highly interesting
and hitherto unknown facts about the Soviet-Latin American cooperation during World War II
and the way the states of the Southern Hemisphere had been involved, on the side of the anti-
Hitler coalition, in the struggle against the common enemy. The papers delivered at the confer-
ence dealt with many varied subjects yet all speakers agreed that solidarity and determination to
fight common enemy acutely felt during the war had not lost their relevance. The same can be
saidabout the objective historical memory which does not divide the allies into big and small.
The Soviet people saved their country and the world from fascist slavery; this is an unrivaled
feat. The Great Victory of 9 May 1945 could have never been achieved without the Soviet
Union's paramount role in routing fascist hordes. At the same time, while thanking the Soviet
veterans of the Great Patriotic War, we should never forget about the countries which, acting
on the side of the Soviet Union and the anti-Hitler coalition, contributed to the joint struggle
against the common enemy. This fully applies to the contribution made by the Latin American
countries to the victory in World War II. Russian historians who specialize in Latin American
studies have written extensively on the subject yet the results and the scope of the Latin American
countries' contribution to the victory remain unknown to the academic community let alone the
public at large.
The informal part of the conference was no less active. The Russian participants were commu-
nicating with their Latin American colleagues in a festive atmosphere, with an abundance of
jokes, traditional exchange of souvenirs, taking pictures, and reminiscences. Academician Davy-
dov shared his memories: "I first came to Cuba 51 years ago as a young man to serve in the
Cuban Navy side by side with Soviet officers with the World War II experience behind them.
We worked together with officers of the Navy of republican Spain who shared their fighting
experience with the Cuban colleagues. The Spaniards were far from young but worked on par
with their much younger colleagues.... It was at that time that I became keenly aware of the link
between generations, the spirit of camaraderie and mutual assistance."
The ceremony of laying wreaths to the monument of the Cubans killed at the fronts of World
War II was one of the most touching moments. Historians, political scientists and journalists
from Russia and Latin American countries paid tribute to those who lost their lives for the com-
mon victory over the common enemy.
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