Russia wanted to take control of karelia, salla, a port in hanko, and some islands off the coast of both russia and finland, so they launched an attack on. Osprey deserves kudos for its firstclass treatment of nenyes indispensable. The country that has won the most winter olympics medals since the games started is norway with 290 medals after vancouver 2010 games were over. 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. In the war, the soviet union had sent over one and a half million men to finland. Russian sources, such as the book stalins missed chance, maintain that. By september 1941, finland had reversed its postwinter war concessions to. Soviet forces began the war on november 30, 1939, and it was concluded on march 12, 1940.
Continuation war 19411944 part of the second world war finland germany soviet union. While they didnt expand their military influence too far, they did secure the northern flank during the siege of leningrad. The russofinnish war of 19391940, also known as the winter war, forms a. These implications manifested in the lessons that the soviet union and nazi germany learned, or failed to learn from the conflict. Finland had to cede viipuri and the northern port of petsamo, as well as the entire karelian isthmus. Even the end of the winter war is characterized as a lastminute diplomatic drama that saves finland from soviet rule. Can someone please explain to me how finland won the. Foreign support of finland in the winter war wikipedia. While my curiosity in understanding the russo finnish war created my desire to read about it, i never thought i would become so engrossed in the conflict once i started reading a frozen hell. Leningrad cowboys go america and those heavy metal berserkers who won eurovision. This is evident in the countless books and movies that depict. The winter war russia against finland a ballantine book this is another common book that can be located on ebay or with ease. Plus the book downplayed the finnish alliance with the germans, but i gained respect for the tough fortitute of the finnish winter fighter.
The continuation war was a conflict fought by finland and nazi germany, as co belligerents. William trotters book provides a detailed and engaging account of the winter. Defeat but survival as an independent state moscow peace treaty. Fire and ice is a timeless story of courage against all odds, of a people united to preserve their freedom. After months of ultimatums, on november 30, 1939, the soviet union invaded finland.
It began when the soviet union tried to invade finland soon after the invasion of poland. Finland had to give up the land the soviet union wanted in order to end the winter war. Finlands fierce resistance changed the course of world war ii and saved a democracy. Map of the areas ceded by finland to the soviet union after the winter war 1940. Until a comprehesive military history of the war is written this book is the best avaiable. In my opinion its better than trotters book in that it does not wonder off after details too often. 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. 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. Otl, prior to the winter war, finland took delivery of 53 bofors 40mm aa guns in 1939 as well as a small number of madsen 20mm aa guns, 30 german flak30s just before the winter war and a small number of lahtidesigned 20 mm l34 aa guns. We talk to finnish historian antero holmila about how that time is seen from a modern perspective. This is the story of the quagmire of 1939 that often isnt talked about between.
In 1939, two finnish brothers are conscripted in the army to fight in the war between finland and the soviet union. The winter war 30 november 1939 march 1940 was a conflict fought between the soviet union and finland. What if finland had been prepared for the winter war. It takes place in the late 1930s and the 1940s during the winter war against the soviet union and finland. Finns are commemorating the 70th anniversary of the start of the winter war against the soviet union. The term means to become like finland referring to the influence of the soviet union on finlands. The winter war of 193940, in which stalin invaded finland to grab border territories and possibly to turn it into a communist state, was a disaster for the soviets. Firstly, i have the uk edition, titled the winter war. The second world war had not yet begun in earnest and was known to the public as the phoney war. 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. World opinion at large supported the finnish cause.
Some people think one million of them were killed, although some other people think it could have been a lot less. A brisk, efficient account of one of the most overlooked episodes of world war iithe soviet invasion of finland. For the finns this was a chance to right the wrongs of the winter war, and having reached. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books. The finns also destroyed 1,000 aircraft and more than 2,000. What would have happened if finland had won the winter war. The amazing story of finland in world war ii, 19391945. The finns are a proud people, and the book is from the finnish view so i would not call it 100% objective. The jews in finland who fought together with the germans. The amazing story of finland in world war ii, 19391945 a soldier with a pack reindeer, on slippery ice, near the tiny village of nautsi, in northern lapland, finland, on october 26, 1941. The winter war and its outcomes bore some serious implications far beyond the scope of finland, and had a considerable impact on the course of the european theatre during world war two. 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 film was released in finland and sweden on the 50th.
The soviets had won the winter war and, in the subsequent treaty of moscow, took much more than what they had demanded originally. Osprey deserves kudos for its firstclass treatment of nenyes. Finland did lose the winter war, and had to cede territory to the russians. Why is the winter war finnishrussian war so important. It makes you think what it was like for the people who had to live in finland closeish to the boarder of russia. The story of the winter war between finland and soviet russia is a dramatic david versus goliath encounter. Winter war alternative history finland alternative history. In 1939, tiny finland waged war the kind of war that spawns legend. In the midst of wwii, stalin decided to invade the small nation of finland.
The heroic stand of finland against the soviet union in 1939 was a lesson for the ages. 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. While the soviet union eventually won a somewhat hollow victory, the winter war. Defeat but survival as an independent state moscow armistice. At the end of both these campaigns the winter war, and the continuation war the fiercely patriotic defiance of vastly stronger soviet forces by marshal mannerheims soldiers won their.
Published by osprey publishing 2018 the story of the winter war between finland and soviet russia is a dramatic david versus goliath encounter. Learn more about the russofinnish war in this article. Pasi tuunain en, finnish military effectiveness in the winter war springer. When finland rejected the demand, the soviet union launched an attack on november 30, 1939, beginning the russofinnish war. Edwards the winter war is a mustread for anyone interested in the david vs. The winter war was fought between finland and the soviet union. Review 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.
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 soviet attack on finland, 19391940 eloise engle, lauri paananen on. The finnish army was and still is one of the finest, best trained military forces in the world. 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. I find this to be a more apt title than the more excitingly titled american edition. 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.
How finland lost world war ii to the soviets, but won. Industrial cinematic industrial cinematic kevin macleod licensed under creative commons. In the face of soviet invasion in 193940, and once again in 194144, the armies raised by finland a tiny nation of only 4 million people astonished the world by their effective resistance. Finland at war 193945 philip jowett, brent snodgrass. Probably the best book on war that ive ever read among hundreds. 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 soviet union very very much expected, when they crossed the border in late november, that they would be in helsinki within a week. The soviet military forces expected a victory over finland in a few weeks, because the soviet army had many more tanks and planes than the finnish army. Finland purchased and received donations of war materiel during and. Finlands eastern provinces were occupied by the soviets, and a fragile truce was signed. At the end of both these campaigns the winter war, and the continuation war the fiercely patriotic defiance of vastly stronger soviet forces by marshal mannerheims soldiers won their country a unique prize. This book is an amateurish military history of an oft overlooked conflict at the very beginning of wwii. March, 2020 marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the winter war, the name finland gives to the phase of the second world war that lasted from november 30, 1939 to march, 1940.
Although finland lost territory, the soviet union did not occupy finland like they did latvia. Talvisota is a 1989 finnish war film directed by pekka parikka, based on the winter war, a novel by antti tuuri. Winter war simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. War between finland and russia, david and golliath, good and evil, democracy and totalitarianism, freedom and slavery, against the third aggressor of wwii contents. This was based on what had happened in poland earlier that year.
At the end of both these campaigns the winter war, and the continuation war the fiercely patriotic defiance of vastly stronger soviet forces by marshal mannerheims soldiers won their country a. The finns not only survived the initial attacks but succeeded in inflicting devastating casualties before superior. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. When nazi germany decided to invade the ussr, finland had an opportunity to regain its lost territories. The winter war of 19391940 was a military conflict between the soviet union and finland that began with a soviet offensive on 30 november 1939two months after the start of world war ii and the soviet invasion of poland and.
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