Moscow to parade military might again

1935: A great tank parade, during which hundreds of lumbering forts on caterpillars rolled through the square and airplanes created a deafening roar as they flew above. Here, the giant propaganda plane Maxim Gorki is seen flying above the square, escorted by two Gad-Fly two-seaters Photograph: Bettman/Corbis

1942: Rockets roll into Red Square for the parade, which was reviewed from Lenin's Tomb by the Soviet premier, Nikita Khrushchev Photograph: AP

1951: Crowds cheer the annual parade Photograph: Yevgeny Khaldei/Corbis

1957: Nearly every Communist leader in the world was on hand to see the parade which began with the booming of 40 cannons Photograph: Bettman/Corbis

1958: Paratroopers of the Civilian Air Club Photograph: Howard Sochurek/Getty

1960: Floats display missiles Photograph: Bettman/Corbis

1960: Troops of the Moscow garrison Photograph: Bettman/Corbis

1961: A T-5B tactical missile mounted on a tank in front of dignitaries watching from Lenin's mausoleum Photograph: James Whitmore/Getty

1965: An inter-continental missile passing crowds on Red Square Photograph: Central Press/Getty

1966: A gigantic inter-continental missile, mounted on a cartridge Photograph: Central Press/Getty

1986: A flag procession Photograph: Sipa/Rex Features

1990: The parade coincides with the 45th anniversary of the end of the second world war Photograph: Sipa/Rex Features

Vladimir Putin's decision to revive this symbol of the cold war is, critics fear, a step closer to turning Russia into a pastiche of the Soviet Union Photograph: Maxim Marmur/AFP