Vasily Ivanovich Agapkin was a Russian and Soviet military orchestra conductor, composer, and author of the well-known march "Farewell of Slavianka".

The 1941 October Revolution Parade of November 7, 1941 was a parade in honor of the October Revolution 24 years earlier. It is most famous for taking place during the Battle of Moscow. The Communist Party General Secretary, Joseph Stalin, delivered a speech to the soldiers on the parade on Red Square, who would go to battle immediately after the parade. Many of the soldiers on the parade would be killed in battle. Every year in modern Russia, November 7th is a holiday in honor of the 1941 parade as a substitute for celebration of the October Revolution, as a Day of Military Honour.