Drawing on a wide array of primary and secondary sources, pasi tuunainen shows how by focusing on their own strengths and pitting these against the weaknesses of their adversary, the finns were able to inflict heavy casualties on the red army whilst minimizing their own losses. Even the best book on the war thus far in my opinion, the diplomac. The soviet union collapsed and moscow archives opened revealing new information about the winter war. Trotters gracefully written book addresses, if it does not fill, a real need. This book focuses on the winter war between the soviet union and. How finland defied the red army during the winter war. The hundred day winter war university press of kansas. With a frozen hell, william trotter details this vicious and miserable conflict in an entertaining manner that reads more like a dramatic novel than history. On november 30, 1939, the soviet unions red army invaded the young nationstate of finland, in the full expectation of routing the small, illequipped finnish army and annexing the former russian territory by the end of the year. It is set in the winter war and tells the story of a finnish infantry regiment from southern ostrobothnia fighting on the karelian isthmus, focusing mainly on a platoon of reservists from kauhava.
The film was released in finland and sweden on 30 november 1989, the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the winter war, and in the united states in december 1989. Even before the winter war started, the idea of giving the atdefense depth, already existed. It was adopted as the official national marking of the finnish air forces and later on, the army. Finnish military effectiveness in the winter war, 1939. It is also a common question of what are some good books about finnish. Pasi t uunain en, finnish military effectiveness in the winter war springer. The finnish civil war 1918 offers a rich account of the history and memory of the short conflict between socialist reds and nonsocialist whites in the winter and spring of 1918.
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. Finnish antitank units and tactics in the winter war. On war and the winter war florida state university. At the same year the film talvisota winter war was released which was the most expensive finnish movie at the time. Firstly, i have the uk edition, titled the winter war. 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. By 1942 finland was involved in the blockade of leningrad that starved to death 1 million civilians. The origins of the winter war cannot be explained solely by reference to the hectic. Winter war between finland and the soviet union the soviets expected to crush finnish forces. William trotters book provides a detailed and engaging account of the winter war. The short period after the war and before the next, the continuation war.
This book on finlands stand against the soviet union during the winter war remain the most stirring in history. The battle would last for 105 days, until march, 1940, with finland. On november 30, 1939, the soviet union, an august entity with a population of more than 170 million, declared war on finland. Both were strongly emphasizing the attack, aiming for the encirclement and destruction of enemy forces.
Foreign support of finland in the winter war wikipedia. At the beginning of the 1990s the atmosphere changed. It also traces the legacy of the bloody war in finnish society until today. The winter war is always topical when speaking about finnish selfconsciousness says antero holmila, a researcher at the university of jyvaskyla with a background in british academia, and the editor of a book entitled talvisota muiden silmin the winter war through the eyes of others. The winter war russia against finland a ballantine book this is another common book that can be located on ebay or with ease. The world war had not yet begun in earnest and was known to the public as the phony war. The story is based on linnas experiences as an infantry man in the. He says in his introduction that it is deeply indebted to halsti. Winter war simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The film was released in finland and sweden on 30 november. Feb 22, 2011 it is included in his book finlands folk i kamp the finnish people at war from 1941. The winter war is one of those rare novels that leave you wishing there could have. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to learn a little more about this part of history.
The foreign support in the winter war contained materiel, men and moral support to the finnish struggle against the soviet union in the winter war. But finland held out for 105 bitterly cold, fiercely combative days, until march 15, 1940, when a peace agreement ended the short, savage winter. Earn money by sharing your favorite books through our affiliate progr. This is a good book if you are looking for an introductory volume on the winter war. This is an hisorical fiction book about the winter war, the war between finland and russia in 193040. With jason agnello, joe brady, phillip courtney, paul gitsis. Foreign support of finland in the winter war military. He used a finnish produced m2830, a variant of the mosinnagant rifle, and a suomi kp31 submachine gun. 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.
What are the best books to understand the finnish civil. Until a comprehesive military history of the war is written this book is the best avaiable. The 50th anniversary of the winter war started a new era in 1989. 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. Nov 23, 2019 professional farmer and hunter simo hayha reportedly killed more than 500 soviet soldiers during the winter war, before he was shot in the face and badly wounded by a soviet sharpshooter. Even the end of the winter war is characterized as a lastminute diplomatic drama that saves finland from soviet rule. Jun 29, 2007 a book about the winter war by vaino tanner, finland s foreign minister during the conflict, provides a different perspective, the author having been a leading social democrat, and principal on the finnish negotiating team. Julia abelev perceptual realism and the winter war of. Hayha is believed to have killed over 500 men during the winter war, the highest number of sniper kills in any major war. Guerrillas on skis, heroic singlehanded attacks on tanks, unfathomable endurance, and the charismatic leadership of one of this centurys true military geniuses these are the elements of both the finnish victory and a gripping tale of war. Simo estimated in his private war time diary that he shot around 500. Simo simuna hayha was a finnish military sniper in the second world war during the 19391940 winter war against the soviet union. 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 winter war, however, proved to be only a curtain raiser for finland s growing entanglement in world war ii. The russo finnish winter war of 19391940 by william r. The winter war showed also that atguns werent suited for offensive operations in the finnish winter. The background of the winter war covers the period before the outbreak of the winter war between finland and the soviet union 19391940, which stretches from the finnish declaration of independence in 1917 to the sovietfinnish negotiations in 19381939. Is it any wonder that the russianfinnish conflictor talvisota as it is known in. Michaels grandfather died one hour before the cease fire ended the war. Early in the war in petsamo, where the terrain was mostly open and where the troops had no atguns or atmines, the enemy advance was slowed by blowing the road up, or by blowing rocky. The book is mainly a factual but highly coloured description of the winter war which can probably be found much better elsewhere. Finlands war years 19391945 a list of books and articles. Before the winter war, the finnish and soviet tactics had one thing in common. Julia abelev perceptual realism and the winter war of 1939. This book is an amateurish military history of an oft overlooked conflict at the very beginning of wwii.
Before its independence, finland had been an autonomous grand duchy within imperial russia. When the soviet union invades its tiny neighbor finland in november 1939, marko volunteers to help the war effort. The russo finnish winter war of 19391940, us historian william r trotter wrote that finnish soldiers dressed in layers of heavy woollen underwear, sweaters, several pairs of socks, boots lined with reindeer fur, and lightweight snow capes. Your pre order item will usually be shipped on the publishing date of the book. Before we return to the foreign press for a final summation, its perhaps also worth taking a look at the finnish press and the winter war more specifically, how the finnish newspapers reacted to, and reported on, the winter war. Even though his leg was weakened by polio, he can ski well, and he becomes a messenger on the front line, skiing in white camouflage through the forests at night. This book provides a great overview and context of the winter war between finland and russia. The underlying cause of the winter war was soviet concern about nazi germanys expansionism. The text is based on a book called talvisodan pikkujattilainen isbn 9510235369. Russian spy laughing through his execution in finland, 1942.
May 02, 2017 essential guerrilla tactics from the finnish winter war finland alone, in danger of death superb, sublime finland shows what free men can do. A captivating guide to the russo finnish war between finland and the soviet union the eastern front book 1 captivating history 4. The finns are a proud people, and the book is from the finnish view so i would not call it 100% objective. It began when the soviet union tried to invade finland soon after the invasion of poland. The winter war of finland and russiain november 1939, when finland was invaded by the soviet union, no one expected that this tiny nation could. What are the best books to understand the finnish civil war. Plus the book downplayed the finnish alliance with the germans, but i gained respect for the tough fortitute of the finnish winter fighter. It proved impossible to move them in the first echelons, as.
This book analyzes the multifaceted phenomenon of finnish military effectiveness in the winter war 193940. Winston churchill, january 1940 all we had to do was raise our voices a little bit and the finns would obey. 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. On november 30, 1939, the soviet union, an august entity with a population of more than 170 million, declared war on finland, a country of four million. Sep 03, 2018 less than two years before the soviet union faced off against nazi germany during world war ii, it waged a bloody war with another adversary. The winter war is a 1989 finnish war film directed by pekka parikka, and based on the novel talvisota by antti tuuri.
Finland was not that involved, to be exact they refused to assist with the siege directly even though their frontlines were just about 30km away. Russian spy laughing through his execution in finland. The soviet union invaded finland in november 1939 but was soon bogged down amidst wintry. The epic of the soviet finnish winter war 197 1 is still useful on some. The winter war was one of the first modern wars of the red army before nazi. The winter war was an epic life and death struggle that changed the course of world war ii, and saved a democracy. Guerrillas on skis, heroic singlehanded attacks on tanks, unfathomable endurance, and the charismatic leadership of one of this centurys true military geniusesthese are the elements of both the finnish victory and a gripping tale of war. The 105day war between finland and the soviet union in the winter of 1939 1940 has been overshadowed. Finlands war years 19391945 a list of books and articles concerning the winter war and the continuation war. Finnish press and the winter war alternative finland. 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. The hundred day winter war the life and media of gordon f.
Facts winter war was fought between finland and the soviet union winter war started november 30th 1939 with a soviet offensive and ended in moscow peace treaty march th 1940 kyosti kallio was the president of the republic of finland. The winter war was a military conflict between the soviet union and finland in 19391940. Tanners minutebyminute descriptions of the wartime negotiations with the ussr indicate that the collapse of. It is also a common question of what are some good books about finnish military history. World opinion at large supported the finnish cause. The initial shock caused by the masses of red army tanks faded quite quickly, but still, the little attraining before the war did cost a lot of finnish lives. Talvisota is a 1989 finnish war film directed by pekka parikka, and based on the novel talvisota by antti tuuri. The volume brings together established scholarship of political and social history with newer approaches stemming from the cultural history. The short period after the war and before the next, the continuation war, is known as the interim peace. The sheer booktraveling pleasure of encountering finnish names li. The winter war was a war between the soviet union ussr and finland.
The finnish and soviet tactics in winter war in english. This authoritative account of the 105day war between finland and the soviet union in the early stages of world war ii focuses on the human side of the story, particularly the bravery of the finns who, despite being outnumbered, fought the red army tenaciously and held out far longer than anyone expected. In 1939, tiny finland waged war the kind of war that spawns legends against the mighty soviet union, and yet their epic struggle has been largely ignored. The amazing story of finland in world war ii, 19391945.
Finnish military effectiveness in the winter war, 19391940. Although the diplomatic background of the winter war has been covered before, this is the. When the red army invaded finland in november 1939 most observers expected a. I find this to be a more apt title than the more excitingly titled american edition. The soviet attack on finland, 19391940 stackpole books, 2014, 14 3. The winter war 30 november 1939 march 1940 was a conflict fought between the soviet union and finland. Although the diplomatic background of the winter war has been covered before, this is the first substantial.
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