The winter war when the finns humiliated the russians. Finland was forced to cede 11 percent of its territory to the soviet union along with 30 percent of its economic assets. Share read this book and over 1 million others with a kindle unlimited membership. Finland, a weak, sparsely populated, and diplomatically isolated nation, succeeded in imposing staggering costs on a far more potent aggressor. Swedish volunteers in the russofinnish winter war, 19391940. There are not that many books available to the english reader on the winter war and this has always been a problem for the finnish collector and researcher. Until a comprehesive military history of the war is written this book is the best avaiable. The russo finnish winter war of 19391940 by trotter, william r isbn. Political background of the winter war a brief swedish and finnish history 7 the geographical location problem the nonaggression treaty between germany and the soviet union 15 soviet demands on finnish territory 18 molotovs address to the supreme soviet of the soviet union 21 swedens military preparedness 26. The site is intended to serve as an internet source for information about the finnish soviet winter war, fought in 19391940. As the book explains, the germans were able to draw upon the experiences of their finnish allies, plus their own resllience, to wage an effective war against the soviet union in the far north and threaten the strategic ports of murmansk and archangel. Foreign support of finland in the winter war wikipedia. Jun 01, 2008 a brisk, efficient account of one of the most overlooked episodes of world war iithe soviet invasion of finland. Faced with the difficulty of engaging with an overwhelmingly superior invading force, mannerheim placed his forces on a defensive footing, while making skilled use of the prevailing severe winter conditions and natural surroundings to harass the advancing russians.
Citing concerns about a potential attack by the germans, stalin demanded that finlands border with russia be moved back 16 miles along the. Jan 01, 2000 in 1939, tiny finland waged war the kind of war that spawns legendsagainst the mighty soviet union, and yet their epic struggle has been largely ignored. It is well written and structured, providing good contextualisation as to the path to war, the roles of key actors and events, detailed accounts of the various battles and how they fitted into the wider war, and gives a good overview from both finnish and soviet perspectives. And they were fed the same food as the people at the farm did. The soviet tactics were, of course, much more demanding in this respect, as were their resources bigger for executing such attacks. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. On war and the winter war florida state university. 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 which ended on march 1940 with the moscow peace treaty.
World unimpressed with winter war heroics yle uutiset yle. The second world war had not yet begun in earnest and was known to the public as the phoney war. Although documenting the winter war, it provides a fascinating. At the beginning of the 1990s the atmosphere changed. At the head of the resisting finnish forces stood field marshall mannerheim. William trotters book provides a detailed and engaging account of the winter war. The russo finnish winter war of 19391940 first edition by trotter, william r isbn. Russo finnish war based on the ideas advanced in his book.
This book analyzes the multifaceted phenomenon of finnish military effectiveness in the winter war 193940. Since its publication, vom kriege hereafter referred to in the text as on war has been thoroughly scrutinized by many authors, but few of them apply his trinitarian method to a specific war, and none could be found who employ it to analyze the winter war. 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. The russo finnish winter war of 19391940 and millions of other books are available for instant access. The epic of the soviet finnish winter war, allen f. The russofinnish winter war of 19391940 trotter, william on. It began with a soviet invasion of finland on 30 november. Sovietrussian view of the reasons of the winter war and establishment of the karelo finnish soviet socialist republic. The war, therefore, became an infantry duel, waged across a frozen landscape. Why did the soviet union lose the winter war of 1939. At the same year the film talvisota winter war was released which was the most expensive finnish movie at the time.
Scandinavia wwii books on the war in norway, denmark. Though trotters book gives quite a good overview of the winter war i would refrain from rating it too highly. Firstly, i have the uk edition, titled the winter war. 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. Before the winter war, the finnish and soviet tactics had one thing in common. Trotter audio books, best sellers, author bio audible. I find this to be a more apt title than the more excitingly titled american edition. My first contacts with the winter war came through skimming picture books.
The league of nations deemed the attack illegal and expelled the soviet union from the organisation. Hi everyone, im attempting to find some information about my finnish grandfathers service in the winter war. Pages 3347 from the saga of the karelo finnish republic by i. New historical research questions the dearlyheld myth that the international community admired and applauded finlands bravery during the. Publishers weekly 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. 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. The underlying cause of the winter war was soviet concern about nazi germanys expansionism.
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 russofinnish winter war of 193940 by william trotter. They won the war in the sense that they could dictate the terms of peace in their favor. This is a book of battlessavagely fought, often with great heroism on both sides. The stories of finlands war children sue saffle in 2001, while living in finland, i became fascinated by stories about the mass evacuations of finnish war children during the winter 19391940 and continuation wars 19411944 fought mostly against the. The russo finnish winter war of 19391940 audiobook by william r. The book paints a unified picture of finland that redeemed its freedom through a blood offering. His poetry and short stories have been included in anthologies.
Both were strongly emphasizing the attack, aiming for the encirclement and destruction of enemy forces. Edwards recounts events, both shameful and heroic, with insight, conviction and considerable wit. Trotters account is the best one yet of this unique war. The russofinnish war of 193940 reprint by trotter, william r. As it is impossible to prevent anybody to copy material from web sites, in case you copy any of my maps, sketches etc. The soviet attack on finland, 19391940 stackpole military. Plus the book downplayed the finnish alliance with the germans, but i gained respect for the tough fortitute of the finnish winter fighter. It was an epic battle of a tiny finnish force of four thousand men against a.
Learn more about the russofinnish war in this article. It does offer a treatise of from pretty much solely from the finnish perspective to the winter war, but that is riddled with errors which luckily usually remain on the small detail level. 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. The 50th anniversary of the winter war started a new era in 1989. My father had talked often of the winter war and this is the book that truly explains what sacrifices and hardships the finns had to face during that fateful time in their history. Being of finnish descent, i was very proud to read of the finns and what they were able to accomplish against the soviet aggressors. They also gained more than they had initially demanded from finland before launching their surprise inva. 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.
The red army soldiers were put to work in the finnish farms because the men were at war, and the guarding of these men was quite loose to be honest. The finns are a proud people, and the book is from the finnish view so i would not call it 100% objective. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Thereupon massive soviet forces, dreadfully led, poorly trained and scandalously ill equipped for the.
The winter war ended in march 1940 with the signing of the moscow peace treaty. The russo finnish winter war of 19391940 by william r trotter online at alibris. 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. Many of the stories and facts of the winter war have been gleamed from movies as well as internet sites dealing with the subject, but printed reference works are few and far between. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. World opinion at large supported the finnish cause. Publishers weekly on november 30, 1939, the soviet unions red. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. Finlandswede philip teir is considered one of the most promising young writers in scandinavia.
Winter war alternative history finland alternative history. This book is an amateurish military history of an oft overlooked conflict at the very beginning of wwii. 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. 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 russo finnish winter war of 19391940 by william r. A soviet book of red army war heroes in the winter war.
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