After centuries of tension, newly independent finland and its former ruler russia were about to go to war, with moscow aiming. These guerilla tactics served to wear down the russian army, which was laboring under by the harsh winter conditions. The public face of this treaty was a tenyear period of nonaggression between nazi germanyand stalins russia. A finnish army just a third the size of the soviet force slowed and bloodied the invaders until a peace deal ended the war. Finlands fierce resistance changed the course of world war ii and saved a democracy. Jan 20, 2018 the war between russia and finland, generally referred to as the winter war, lasted from november 30th1939 to march th, 1940. A bestseller in finland, the englishlanguage version of sanders book draws on interviews with both finnish and russian veterans of the war, in addition to a bountiful archive of articles from both the western and finnish press, to create the most comprehensive and uptodate singlevolume history of the war. The story of the hungarian volunteers was published by antal ruprecht in a bilingual hungarian and finnish book in 2003.
The winter war 193940 from osprey publishing describe as prophetic. Another newer book by viktor stepakov sodalla on hintansa the war has its price,1995 sheds more light on this issue. The bibliography at the back of the book is depressingly limited to english and german publications, but he clearly has used considerably more. With a sizeable advantage in manpower, tanks and aircraft, the red army command expected victory within weeks. Winter war untold backstory and its wwii continuation by. Jul 23, 2012 the winter war of finland and russia 1939 1940.
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. Foreign support in the winter war consisted of materiel, men and moral support to the finnish. Instead, the winter war became one of the ussrs most shocking defeats. 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. The continuation war was a conflict fought by finland and nazi germany, as cobelligerents, against the soviet union ussr from 1941 to 1944, during world war ii. Russia against finland ballantines illustrated history of the violent century paperback january 1, 1972 by. The soviet attack on finland, 19391940 stackpole military. The soviet attack on finland, 19391940 stackpole military history series new ed by engle, eloise, paananen, lauri isbn. On november 30, 1939 the soviet union attempted to annex finland. It takes place in the late 1930s and the 1940s during the winter war against the soviet union and finland. The story of the winter war between finland and soviet russia is a dramatic david versus goliath encounter. During the ensuing finnish civil war, the red guards. It gives a fast look at the winter war between russia and finland in 193940.
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. It tells about how clever the finns were in fighting the russians. In the midst of wwii, stalin decided to invade the small nation of finland. 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. You obviously do not know but finland is lost winter war. A contributing factor that impairs military maneuvering is general mud rasputitsa, a phenomenon that occurs with autumnal rains and spring thaws in russia, whereby transport over unimproved roads is.
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. On november 30, 1939, the soviet unions red army invaded the young. World opinion at large supported the finnish cause. Home world war two world war two and eastern europe the winter war 1939. William trotters book provides a detailed and engaging account of the winter war. Fire and ice the winter war of finland and russia youtube. Can finland defend against russia like in the winter war. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. The underlying cause of the winter war was soviet concern about nazi germanys expansionism.
Map of the areas ceded by finland to the soviet union after the winter war 1940. The winter war when the finns humiliated the russians. Russia against finland the panballantine illustrated history of. 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. But the 105day winter war, pitting the scrappy finnish army against a much larger but poorly led russian force, would end with the battered russians suing for peace. They also gained more than they had initially demanded from finland before launching their surprise inva. 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.
The winter war is always topical when speaking about finnish. Although many of the pows of winter war were executed, many were sentenced to hard labor in northern russia. This book focuses on the winter war between the soviet union and neighboring finland. The russofinnish winter war and australia alternative finland. Dec 23, 20 instead, the winter war became one of the ussrs most shocking defeats.
Russian winter, general winter, general frost, or general snow refers to the harsh winter climate of russia as a contributing factor to the military failures of several invasions of russia. European history quarterly delivers new facts via archival research and interviews with vets. The winter war was a war between the soviet union ussr and finland. Pages 3347 from the saga of the karelofinnish republic by i. 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. There are a few scattered through the book, about both russian and finnish troops, but mostly this is a, fairly readable admittedly, account of troop movements and. Finns are commemorating the 70th anniversary of the start of the winter war against the soviet union. 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. Plus the book downplayed the finnish alliance with the germans, but i gained respect for the tough fortitute of the finnish winter fighter.
The winter war was an epic life and death struggle that changed the course of world war ii, and saved a democracy. In november 1939 a conversation took place in the kremlin that vesa nenye, peter munter and toni wirtanen authors of the new book finland at war. But this war, like all wars, was not fought in a ledger book. In december 1939, the russians reached the mannerheim line and attempted to breach it. The soviet attack on finland, 19391940 paperback january 1, 1992 by eloise engle author, lauri paananen author. In russian historiography, the war is called the sovietfinnish front of the great patriotic war. These pages have been created purely out of a hobby and are unofficial and unpolitical. Sovietrussian view of the reasons of the winter war and establishment of the karelofinnish soviet socialist republic. With jason agnello, joe brady, phillip courtney, paul gitsis. Foreign support of finland in the winter war wikipedia. Russias invasion of finland, 19391940 by edwards, robert isbn. Learn more about the russofinnish war in this article.
War between finland and russia, david and golliath, good and evil, democracy and totalitarianism, freedom and slavery, against the third aggressor of wwii contents. The site is intended to serve as an internet source for information about the finnish soviet winter war, fought in 19391940. In november 1939, the soviet unionwith a red army numbering in the millions of men, tens of thousands of tanks, and thousands of aircraftinvaded tiny finland, a thirdrate power whose military force was less than a tenth as large. Germany regarded its operations in the region as part of its overall war efforts on the eastern front and provided finland with. The finns are a proud people, and the book is from the finnish view so i would not call it 100% objective. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The epic battle of finland against the soviet invasion. Dec 29, 2017 in the midst of wwii, stalin decided to invade the small nation of finland. The short period after the war and before the next, the continuation war, is known as the interim peace. Aug 16, 2017 finlands stand against soviet aggression aroused the worlds admiration. Until a comprehesive military history of the war is written this book is the best avaiable.
Before its independence, finland was an autonomous grand duchy inside imperial russia. A much more objective choice would be history professor richard w condons the winter war russia against finland. 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. This is the story of the quagmire of 1939 that often isnt talked about between. Belatedly the russians realized that an expected easy triumph over a vastly.
Ussr russia finland world war ii winter war photos business. The soviets had won the winter war and, in the subsequent treaty of moscow, took much more than what they had demanded originally. The bibliography at the back of the book is depressingly limited to english and german publications, but he clearly has used considerably more sources than those stated, including some in finnish. They won the war in the sense that they could dictate the terms of peace in their favor. Search for library items search for lists search for. Edwards recounts events, both shameful and heroic, with insight, conviction and considerable wit. The topic was raised by our neighbors the embassy of finland that told a story about the 80th anniversary of the end of the war between the soviet union and finland.
Fire and ice documents this timeless story of courage against all odds by a people united to preserve their freedom. After months of ultimatums, on november 30, 1939, the soviet union invaded finland. The amazing story of finland in world war ii, 19391945. The second world war had not yet begun in earnest and was known to the public as the phoney war. Finnish civil war between germansupported white guards and soviet. The winter war of finland and russia is a timeless story of courage against all odds, of a people united to preserve their freedom. The russofinnish war of 193940 by trotter, william r. It makes you think what it was like for the people who had to live in finland closeish to the boarder of russia.
That proximity led to a major conflict during world war iithe horrific winter warand even now it keeps finns. Why did the soviet union lose the winter war of 1939. This is a book of battlessavagely fought, often with great heroism on both sides. The winter war, however, proved to be only a curtain raiser for finlands growing entanglement in world war ii. I had bought a hardcopy of the book and was able to purchase the kindle version cheap, so i read the kindle version on the bus. It was a war one of the sides involved would rather forget, while the other fights to keep the memory alive. Fire and ice is a timeless story of courage against all odds, of a people united to preserve their freedom. Finlands gallant stand against the soviet army, by gordon f.
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. Molotov cocktails, improvised bottle based petrol bombs, were used by the finns against the soviet t26 and bt tanks with devastating effect. The aftermath of the winter war covers historical events and comments after the winter war between finland and the soviet union from 30 november 1939 to march 1940. Finland shares an 833mile border with an aggressive and unpredictable neighbor. Winter war finland 16 items by victorwz updated 20141014. This was the soviet pyrrhic victory, but in the end, finland was forced to hand over a much larger territory than moscow sought before the winter war.
Unlike other wars, the war between russia and finland was fought in a winter landscape of endless forests, swamps, frozen lakes. The book does not give deep details on orders of battle, troop counts or weapon specs, but as a narrative history of. Finland had to cede viipuri and the northern port of petsamo, as well as the entire karelian isthmus. Soviet attack on finland november 30, 1939march 1, 1940following the german invasion of poland in september of 1939, the soviet union also invaded poland from the east, seizing polish territory, and, in effect, establishing a buffer zone between soviet territory and. Ussr russia finland world war ii winter war photos. Trenches which were dug at the beginning of the finnishrussian tension in helsinki, december 1, 1939. There are a number of books available on the winter war between finland and the. The winter war russia against finland a ballantine book this is another common book that can be located on ebay or with ease. Avraam shmulyevich, an israeli analyst, provides just such an important insight in tallinns postimees newspaper, in which he suggests that the recent proclamation by moscows agents in ukraine of plans to create the state of malorossiya has some disturbing parallels with soviet actions against finland in the winter war of 1940. Finland against russia 19391940 hardcover june 1, 1957 by vaino a. How finland lost world war ii to the soviets, but won. Finland against russia 19391940 stanford university press. In the winter war yes, its not capitalized on the cover the author gives a brief but thorough account of the sovietfinnish war of 193940, including the events leading up to the russian invasion and the postwar effects. In the november 1939 meeting at the kremlin, political commissars gregory kulik and lev mekhlis grilled chief marshal of artillery nicholas voronov.
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