Review of Military Parade on National Day

Producer & Editor: Rao Hongqiao, Ji Guilin, Yang Liming, Ouyang Dongmei, Fan Aifeng

The 1st National Day Parade on October 1, 1949
It’s decided on the preparatory meeting the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in June 1949 that a grand ceremony to mark the founding of the People’s Republic of China would be held on the Tian’anmen Square, Beiping on October 1.

We salute Chairman Mao in our fighters
“According to international convention, warplanes to be reviewed can’t take shells,” said Fang Huai, the then head of the Combat and Education Section of the Aviation Bureau of the Central Military Commission,

I lead the combat vehicle phalanx to pass by the Tian’anmen
“Our combat vehicle formation entered the Tian’anmen Square behind the artillery phalanx. When we passed by the Tian’anmen Gate, the air force planes were just flying over the sky, and that was a spectacle of rare magnificence,” said Tian.


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◆ 1958　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 [more]

Tanks show their mighty images in military parade

The newest armaments of the parade troops including the PLA’s 1st generation of main battle tanks, auto-rifles, cannons and high-speed fighters were all home made.

Militia force parade in National Day celebrations

The Capital Militia Division appeared in the military parade phalanxes for the first time and the phalanx of militiawomen was absolutely an invention in the history of military parade in New China.

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The IL -28 bombers and fighters made by China put on their maiden flight in the military parade in 1957 which also saw 266 tanks and 81 warplanes, the highest and lowest in size respectively compared with the previous 8 National Day military parades.

The military parade going off with rain

The 8th National Day military parade in 1956 was the only one going off in spite of the rain and the flight review of PLA Air Force warplanes was cancelled due to the bad weather.

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◆ 1954　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 [more]

Parade troops have military ranks in 1955

The Chinese PLA took the military rank system in 1955 and in the military parade on the National Day of that year, a 38-year-old major general was seen leading the parade troops, marking that the Chinese PLA would no longer be an army without generals.

Paratroopers in military parade on National Day of 1954

The phalanx of paratroopers was seen for the first time while the cavalry troops made their final appearance in the sixth National Day military parade.

◆ 1953　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 [more]

◆ 1952　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 [more]

Gun-Howitzers in military parade

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Motorcycle formation in military parade on National Day

The public security troops made their debut and the motorized infantry phalanx with 160 former Soviet-made motorcycles became the biggest attraction in the military parade held on the National Day of 1952.

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◆ 1950　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 [more]

Militia force in military parade

The square formation of militiamen composed of combat heroes and models from the old Liberation Areas in North China appear for the first time in the military parade held in Beiing on Oct. 1, 1951 to mark the 2nd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

PLA commander-in-chief reviews cavalry troops

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◆ 1949　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 [more]

The 1st National Day Parade on October 1, 1949

As an important content of the founding ceremony, the People’s Republic of China held its first ever National Day parade on October 1, 1949.

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