Finland in the winter war book

Learn more about the russofinnish war in this article. In 1939, tiny finland waged war the kind of war that spawns legend. Fire and ice documents this timeless story of courage against all odds by a people united to preserve their freedom. The defender had no options, only survive or let the kossacks 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. The period after the finnish civil war till the early 1930s. Trotters account is the best one yet of this unique war. If you are only looking for such a treatise, then buy frozen hell. When the soviet union invades its tiny neighbor finland in november. The soviet invasion of finland remains one of the lesser known segments of world war ii. Why was finland so successful during the winter war. The russofinnish winter war of 19391940 by william r.

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. Invading finland in wintertime was one of stalins biggest blunders that cost the russian soldiers dearly. Told from the perspective of marko, the fourteenyearold polio survivor, the story captures the heroic defense of finland from the soviet aggressor. Russias invasion of finland, 19391940 by edwards, robert isbn. This is a good book if you are looking for an introductory volume on the winter war. Robert edwards 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. Decorations of finland winter war campaign crosses. Finlands gallant stand against the soviet army modern war studies hardcover. 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. Finlands military policy included clandestine defence cooperation with estonia.

The book essentially follows the pattern established in the earlier work. 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. Aug 14, 2014 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. The winter war is a historical fiction book about boy trying to help out his homeland during wartime.

The winter war goodreads meet your next favorite book. The winter war is a fantastic window into the littleknown war withina war between finland and the soviet union in 1940. The winter war, 193940 is also available in paperback and several eeditions. Edwards recounts events, both shameful and heroic, with insight, conviction and considerable wit. Included are also minibiographies of finnish, soviet and german commanders, and the winter war volume also contains modernday route. New historical research questions the dearlyheld myth that the international community admired and applauded finlands bravery during the. In my opinion its better than trotters book in that it does not wonder off after details too often. Finnish military history is a subject rich in lessons, however most of it is in finnish and what little information is out there in english is.

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. 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. 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. Despite superior military strength the soviet union advance was halted by finland. Thus in all the total number of tanks employed in the winter war is around 6 000.

Russias invasion of finland, 19391940 robert edwards 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. Until a comprehesive military history of the war is written this book is the best avaiable. Markos job is to alert the troops if the soviets are coming. Pretty much everybody was aware of, that if stalins orchestra gets to perform with the red army at town square in hel. Trotters book is an exhaustive look at the military aspects of the winter war. This is a book of battlessavagely fought, often with great heroism on both sides. Winter war clip the writer, whose father had just joined the finnish army in the summer of 1939, believes that most people are tired of the propaganda films and history books that leave out uncle josephs genocide and simply magnify stalins defeat of hitler. Aug 16, 2017 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 epic battle of finland against the soviet invasion. Edwards the winter war is a mustread for anyone interested in the david vs. This book, written by finns, is a solid account, explaining the battles in detail.

Foreign support of finland in the winter war wikipedia. The winter war was an epic life and death struggle that changed the course of world war ii, and saved a democracy. By laurancekenneth 09052020 in the aftermath of the winter war, several campaign crosses were commissioned for the various areas of operation of the. The soviet attack on finland, 19391940 stackpole military history series new ed by engle, eloise, paananen, lauri isbn. It takes place in the late 1930s and the 1940s during the winter war against the soviet union and finland. 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. Fire and ice the winter war of finland and russia youtube.

The winter war 193940 general military 9781472806314. Jun 01, 2008 a brisk, efficient account of one of the most overlooked episodes of world war iithe soviet invasion of finland. World unimpressed with winter war heroics yle uutiset yle. When finland rejected the demand, the soviet union launched an attack on november 30, 1939, beginning the russo. Material from the peoples commissariat for foreign affairs of the soviet union and other sources. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The winter war russia against finland a ballantine book this is another common book that can be located on ebay or with ease.

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. Books from finland is a journal of writing from and about finland. The soviet attack on finland, 19391940 paperback january 1, 1992 by eloise engle author, lauri paananen author. Compelling account of the winter war between finland and the soviet union the soviets expected to crush finnish forces in mere days, but the finns broke the. The site is intended to serve as an internet source for information about the finnish soviet winter war, fought in 19391940. It makes you think what it was like for the people who had to live in finland closeish to the boarder of russia. This book analyzes the multifaceted phenomenon of finnish military effectiveness in the winter war 193940. Finnish antitank units and tactics in the winter war. But if you are looking for the humanitarian aspects of that conflict, then winter war may be better for your needs. After a short look at how and why finland came to join the german invasion of russia, with the limited objective of recovering territories lost in the winter war, the authors proceed to cover military operations during 19411945. The amazing story of finland in world war ii, 19391945. These pages have been created purely out of a hobby and are unofficial and unpolitical.

Decorations of finland winter war campaign crosses by laurancekenneth 09052020 in the aftermath of the winter war, several campaign crosses were commissioned for the various areas of operation of the. It was, in a way, a classic case of being up against the wall. 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 finns are a proud people, and the book is from the finnish view so i would not call it 100% objective. Finnish military effectiveness in the winter war, 19391940 pasi. Instead of securing the soviet unions northern flank. Jul 23, 2012 the winter war of finland and russia 1939 1940.

The story of the winter war between finland and soviet russia is a dramatic david versus goliath encounter. It is also a common question of what are some good books about finnish military history. Osprey historical book finland at war the winter war 1939. The winter war was a war between the soviet union ussr and finland. 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.

While the red army had some 2 000 tanks against finland at the start of the war, on march 1940, when the war ended, the red army had 2 998 operational tanks against 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. 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. Publishers weekly on november 30, 1939, the soviet unions red. With authority, this skillfully narrated military history unfolds its story of the four month sovietfinnish war and explores its consequences from. The winter war is a fantastic window into the littleknown warwithinawar between finland and the soviet union in 1940. For most of finlands history, the country had lived on the periphery of world events, but for a few weeks during the winter of 193940, finland stood at. 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.