A lot of controversy still rages around the sovietfinnish war, also known as the winter. The finnish army of 160 000 men was opposed to an invading russian army consisting of 2000 russian tanks and 450 000 soldiers. Years of uneasy trench warfare followed, known as the continuation war, during which finland. Jun 01, 2008 a brisk, efficient account of one of the most overlooked episodes of world war iithe soviet invasion of finland.
The winter war of 1939 to 1940, fought between finland and the soviet union, lasted from november to march the same amount of time it takes for a cosmopolitan family to collapse in philip teir. This book focuses on the winter war between the soviet union and neighboring finland. The finnish civil war 1918 offers an account of the history and memory of the conflict and traces its legacy in finnish society until today. Finnlandisierung is the process by which one powerful country makes a smaller neighboring country abide by the formers foreign policy rules, while allowing it to keep its nominal independence and its own political system.
The assault was almost three times larger than the allied landing at normandy. It tells the story of a finnish infantry regiment jr 23, which consists almost solely of men from southern ostrobothnia, focusing mainly on a platoon of reservists from kauhava. Russias invasion of finland, 19391940 edwards recounts events, both shameful and heroic, with insight, conviction and considerable wit. But if you are looking for the humanitarian aspects of that conflict, then winter war may be better for your needs. Despite superior military strength the soviet union advance wa s halted by finland. During her childhood, war remained fresh in peoples minds the second world war which finnish historians divide into the winter war of 193940, the continuation war of 194144 and the lapland war of 194445 and the short but brutal finnish civil war of 1918, just months after finlands declaration of independence from russia. Trotters book is an exhaustive look at the military aspects of the winter war. Winter war uncyclopedia, the contentfree encyclopedia. This is a good book if you are looking for an introductory volume on the winter war. Finland ceded large parts of its territory amounting to approximately 30% of its land area to russia. During the early stages of world war ii, the british and french allies made a series of proposals to send troops to assist finland against the soviet union in the winter war, which started on 30 november 1939.
The winter war is a fantastic window into the littleknown war withina war between finland and the soviet union in 1940. Semirjaga, and according to it, the total tank losses of the red army was 3 543 tanks this figure is the same, as in the memo that was after the war handed over to the chief of general staff, army commander 1st class, boris shaposhnikov. Body of frozen soviet soldier propped up by finnish. Winter isnt worth a war, nor finland, for that matter oscar wilde on winter war. Finnish volunteers very likely participated in killing of. It is much like the winter war the soviet attack on finland 19391940 by eloise engle and lauri paananen as this book is more a starting out point than a detailed work on the subject. The main character marko is caught during the first bombing and loses his best friend johan. This is a rigorously detailed and utterly compelling guide to finland s vital, but almost forgotten role in the cataclysmic world war ii.
The hardships and the fear are not glossed over but neither is the fact that the finns. The november 1939 soviet invasion of finland provoked worldwide outrage. The small nordic country lost several territories but maintained. Both were strongly emphasizing the attack, aiming for the encirclement and destruction of enemy forces. It began with a soviet invasion of finland on 30 november 1939, three months after the outbreak of world war ii, and ended three and a half months later with the moscow peace treaty on march 1940. The winter war russia against finland a ballantine book this is another common book that can be located on ebay or with ease. Finland is one of the northernmost areas in the world with a permanent population. The winter war was a war between the soviet union ussr and finland. Body of frozen soviet soldier propped up by finnish fighters to intimidate soviet troops, 1939. Soviet soldiers were not used to being in the woods.
The winter war of finland and russia is a timeless story of courage against all odds, of a people united to preserve their freedom. Instructor at the light services combat school supervises practice with the suomi submachine gun. If you are only looking for such a treatise, then buy frozen hell. Soviet soldiers were not used to being in the woods wwii. The soviet tactics were, of course, much more demanding in this respect, as were their resources bigger for executing such attacks. Finland is checkered with almost 200,000 lakes, intersected by dozens of rivers, and covered with some of densest forests in the world. The book made by viktor stepakov and dmitri orehov paraatimarssi suomeen parade march into finland,1992 clearly states that they were executed. Nov 02, 2009 finland is the swedish word for the place. Books from finland is a journal of writing from and about finland. It was, in a way, a classic case of being up against the wall. Despite the passage of time, it is clear that in finland, the winter war is forever frozen into the nations. War between finland and russia, david and golliath, good and evil, democracy and totalitarianism, freedom and slavery, against the third aggressor of wwii contents. Finnish defenders sometimes, though very rarely, took fallen frozen russian soldiers and posed them upright as psychological warfare.
The winter war was an epic life and death struggle that changed the course of world war ii, and saved a democracy. They were from russias south, had summer uniforms on, they were afraid to go deep into the woods, whereas we were fighting in the woods. In 1939, tiny finland waged war the kind of war that spawns legend. Nov 25, 2015 in the middle of the book marko is realizing the brutality of war the soldiers stomach had been torn open, and he was cradling his intestines in his hands. Pretty much everybody was aware of, that if stalins orchestra gets to perform with the red army at town square in hel. When finland rejected the demand, the soviet union launched an attack on november 30, 1939, beginning the russo. Although finland lost territory, the soviet union did not occupy finland like they did latvia.
The story of the winter war between finland and soviet russia is a dramatic david versus goliath encounter. It began with a soviet inva sion of finland on 30 november 1939, three months after the outbreak of w orld war ii, and ended three and a half months later with the moscow peace treaty on march 1940. Nov 30, 2009 one finnish war veteran, lars loflund, believes there was nothing wrong with the russian people. Trotters overt sympathy for the justice of finlands cause does not blind him to the justified fear of nazi germany that led russia to demand a buffer zone in front of. Numerically and technologically speaking, the massive soviet force had a tremendous advantage over the. The finnish army was and still is one of the finest, best trained military forces in. When close to half a million soviet troops poured into finland in 1939 it was expected that finnish defences would collapse in a matter of weeks. Finnish armed forces in the winter war 193940 ww2 weapons. Foreign support in the winter war consisted of materiel, men and moral support to the finnish struggle against the soviet union in the winter war. Thats ok, the rest of the world can call it finland, theyll call it suomi and everybody else can fuck off. Told from the perspective of marko, the fourteenyearold polio survivor, the story captures the heroic defense of finland from the soviet aggressor. Finland, a weak, sparsely populated, and diplomatically isolated nation, succeeded in imposing staggering costs on a far more potent aggressor. The soviet attack on finland, 19391940 stackpole military history series new ed by engle, eloise, paananen, lauri isbn. Were just going to have to keep on doing this until we manage to get it right.
But finland held out for 105 bitterly cold, fiercely combative days, until march 15, 1940, when a peace agreement ended the short, savage winter war. During her childhood, war remained fresh in peoples minds the second world war which finnish historians divide into the winter war of 193940, the continuation war of 194144 and the lapland war of 194445 and the short but brutal finnish civil war of 1918, just months after finland s declaration of independence from russia. Are there any good books about the soviet invasion of finland. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The authors cover enough of the geopolitical problems that led up to the winter war, along with the military operations and first person accounts, to give you a pretty broad overview of the war from the finnish perspective. This is very sad, people were just being slaughtered. In my opinion its better than trotters book in that it does not wonder off after details too often. European history quarterly delivers new facts via archival research and interviews. Zimnyaya voyna was a military conflict between angry birds finland and tetris soviet union.
Feb 02, 2018 the winter war began in november of 1939, when the soviets invaded finland, seeking to claim finnish territory. The second world war had not yet begun in earnest and was known to the public as the phoney war. After polands defeat in the autumn of 1939, the soviet union, wishing to safeguard leningrad, demanded from finland a minor part of the karelian isthmus, a naval base at hanko hango, and some islands in the gulf of finland. A novel and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. The winter w ar wa s a war between the soviet union ussr and fi nland. During the ominous lull between the nazi conquest of poland and the assault on france, the soviet union sought palpable assurances from neutral, democratic finland to protect vulnerable leningrad against attack, ostensibly from the british or the. It is limited to sibelius name only i am afraid, sami hyppia, lassi viren, leningrad. The finns are a proud people, and the book is from the finnish view so i would not call it 100% objective.
The book i read was the winter war by william durban. Before the winter war, the finnish and soviet tactics had one thing in common. In march 1940, finland and russia signed the moscow peace treaty and hostilities between the two nations ended. Osprey deserves kudos for its firstclass treatment of nenyes. For the finns this was a chance to right the wrongs of the winter war, and having reached suitable defensive positions, the army was ordered to halt. One of them is about soviet tanks, completely incompetent and helplessly lost in the endless snows of the karelian isthmus and in a huge amount of finland that they got as trophies. The background of the winter war covers the period before the outbreak of the winter war between finland and the soviet union in 19391940, stretching from the finnish declaration of independence in 1917 to the sovietfinnish negotiations in 19381939. Its takes place in finland in the years 19391940, so when the soviet union was starting to invade territories. The documentary shows how the finnishrussian winter war of 1939 influenced world war ii and how finland mobilized against the worlds largest military power. Astonished at the finns fierce resistance, observers made comparisons with the valiant greek defense of thermopylae.
This book is an amateurish military history of an oft overlooked conflict at the very beginning of wwii. World opinion at large supported the finnish cause. The russofinnish war of 19391940, also known as the winter war, forms a. This book, written by finns, is a solid account, explaining the battles in detail. In the aftermath of the winter war, finland found itself drawing ever closer to nazi germany and eventually took part in operation barbarossa in 1941. Common russian soldiers and finnish troops had a great deal of. If youre one of those who just cant get enough of the mannerheim line, finnish ski patrols, and the suomi kp31 submachine gun, and if talvisota winter war is the first finnish word you ever learned, and sisu guts the second, then you wont be able to live without both volumes of finland at war. The plans involved the transit of british and french troops. Be very afraid so, in comments to this thread about some castrated swede making an ass of himself at stingray and labrats place, a finn posted this most excellent comic, drawn by a dane, which i think describes suomi, and its relationship with the rest of northern europe, quite well click to embiggen. In 19391940, the finns repelled a soviet invasion in what became known as the winter war. Book tanks in the winter war russia ussr finland ebay.
I find this to be a more apt title than the more excitingly titled american edition. After world war ii, finland would go on to become one of the ussrs closest partners in the west. During the ominous lull between the nazi conquest of poland and the assault on france, the soviet union sought palpable assurances from neutral, democratic finland to protect vulnerable leningrad against attack, ostensibly from the british or the french, but in fact from hitler. Jul 23, 2012 the winter war of finland and russia 1939 1940. The finnish army was and still is one of the finest, best trained military forces in the world. Francobritish plans for intervention in the winter war. Jul 20, 2016 finlands winter war with the soviet union, waged over the course of 105 days from november 1939 to march 1940, should be an object of study for all students of military strategy. Lundes finlands war of choice is a book that concentrates on the war of 194144 and also has description of lapland war though only a bare mention of the winter war.
The defender had no options, only survive or let the kossacks in. Skis and reindeers make the finnish soldiers movable. Why finland doesnt fear the growling russian bear next. How to survive winter in finland and enjoy it thisisfinland. Lundes finland s war of choice is a book that concentrates on the war of 194144 and also has description of lapland war though only a bare mention of the winter war. The winter war when the finns humiliated the russians. How a small force of finnish ski troops fought off a. Finnish divisions, strength and equipment, tanks, air force and navy. The conflict called thewinter war had begunbut the soviet unions enemy wasnt the war mongering third reich. Why was finland so successful during the winter war. Russofinnish war november 30, 1939march 12, 1940, also called the winter war, war waged by the soviet union against finland at the beginning of world war ii, following the conclusion of the germansoviet nonaggression pact august 23, 1939. Popular winter war books meet your next favorite book. Osprey historical book finland at war the winter war.
On november 30, 1939 the soviet union attempted to annex finland. It makes you think what it was like for the people who had to live in finland closeish to the boarder of russia. With jason agnello, joe brady, phillip courtney, paul gitsis. The soviet invasion of finland remains one of the lesser known segments of world war ii. Dont you remember what you told kuchikikun the person being saved doesnt get any say in the matter. Finnish antitank units and tactics in the winter war.
When close to half a million soviet troops poured into finland in 1939 it was expected that finnish defences would collapse in a. The finns not only survived the initial attacks but succeeded in inflicting devastating casualties before superior. Talvisota is a 1989 finnish war film directed by pekka parikka, based on the winter war, a novel by antti tuuri. This is backed up by the information acquired from several soviet pows captured during the continuation war 19411944. Russias invasion of finland, 19391940 by edwards, robert isbn. The soviet union thus acquired territorial gains which the russians believed were vital to its strategic and military interests. Ww2 battlefield tour to finland the winter war 1939. A brisk, efficient account of one of the most overlooked episodes of world war iithe soviet invasion of finland. May 09, 2018 finland didnt surrender, nor were they winning by the time the moscow peace treaty was signed in 1940.
The russofinnish winter war of 19391940 by trotter, william r isbn. Publishers weekly on november 30, 1939, the soviet unions red army invaded the young natio. The year of the hare is a story of mans, vatanens, yearning back to nature and about his struggles of trying to free himself from the chains of modern day civilization. It was its relatively tiny baltic sea neighbor, finland. The finnish army was one of the smallest in europe. After youd done that you could forget your fear again for a little while and carry on. Firstly, i have the uk edition, titled the winter war. While they indeed fought tenaciously during the winter war 19391940, they were on the fence and very close to losing huge amounts of territo. Osprey general military world war ii finland at war the winter war 193940 mintnew. November 30 th, 1939, following the alleged shelling of russian troops by finnish soldiers, the soviet union launched an invasion on finland.
With overwhelming numbers advantages in men and firepower, the soviets were. The winter war and australia saw many types of material aid supplied to finland from two countries, australia and new zealand, which had no significant armaments industry to speak of but which despite this, did their best to support finland, largely due to significant public pressure on the goverments of the two countries to do something. Foreign support of finland in the winter war wikipedia. The bizarre sausage war that inspired hitler history. When the soviet union invades its tiny neighbor finland in november. At the stirring center of the story lie the resourcefulness and resolve of the finnish people, who against all military oddsin want of ammunition, food, sleep, and troopsfought a blundering, ineptly commanded red army to a. Feb 10, 2019 the fighting in what became known as the finnishsoviet winter war lasted until march 1940, when finland agreed to a peace treaty.
It began with a soviet invasion of finland on 30 november. The term means to become like finland referring to the influence of the soviet union on finland. It takes place in the late 1930s and the 1940s during the winter war against the soviet union and finland. As it happens, sweden conquered about of europe in the 30 years war, so they got to name or rename a bunch of things, including suomi. The hundred day winter war is a military history focusing on the phenomenon called war and its influence on international politics, as well as on the experiences of the people who participated in the war. While every winter is long daylight lasts for only a few hours and bitterly cold, the winter of 19391940 was one of the harshest on record. Apr 26, 2010 during the winter war two soviet divisions died in the syvasalmi swamps. The winter war began in november of 1939, when the soviets invaded finland, seeking to claim finnish territory. Winter in finland varies in duration from about three to seven months, depending on the part of the country, but regardless of location, its cold, dark and snowy. Fire and ice the winter war of finland and russia youtube.