Today, 75 years ago, Soviet Union invaded Finland

[Crossroads]

Today marks the 75th anniversary of the 1939 Soviet invasion of Finland, known also as Winter War.

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With invasion of Poland accomplished, in accordance to Molotov-Ribbentrop pact bw. Nazi-Germany and Soviet Union, Stalin proceded to make demands for having military bases on Baltic states and Finland. While the Baltic states yielded, Finland denied these demands.

On November 30, 1939, without a declaration of war, strong Soviet formations entered Finland in three key areas: at North in Pechenga, with an aim to cut off Finland's only open water harbour at Liinahamari; at Middle in Kuhmo and Suomussalmi, with an aim to cut Finland in half and deny the land access to Sweden, and at South in Karelian Isthmus, with aim to advance to Helsinki. Major Finnish cities were bombed from the first day of war.

On, 1 December 1939, a puppet regime was set up at Terijoki, the first town Soviets captured. A devout Finnish communist-in-exile O.V. Kuusinen was declared prime minister of the new Finnish Democratic Republic, which, as a first act, asked for a mutual assistance and co-operation pact with Soviet Union. Stalin gladly agreed.

The League of Nation protested, but Soviet Union denied a war was happening, instead of refering to their agreement with Finnish Democratic Republic. Soon, Soviet Union was expelled. This was possible, as the Soviet ambassador for League Of Nations was not permitted to participate in the vote, for there was no war according to Soviet opinion.

After three months of hard battles, in March 1940, the Red Army was in the brink of a major breakthrough. Stalin was however more and more worried about a real chance of ending up in war against UK and France, and proposed harsh piece terms on Finland. At the time, Germany and Sweden pressured Finland to accept peace on unfavorable conditions, while Britain and France had the opposite objective.

France and Britain promised to send 20,000 men, who were to arrive by the end of February. When France and Britain realized that Finland was considering a peace treaty, they gave a new offer of 50,000 troops, if Finland asked for help before 12 March.

A theory with historians (no hard evidence exists) is that at the time Germany also hinted to Finns about their Barbarossa plans, although without any details, promising any lost land "returned to Finland, with interest" in the coming war, if Finland only would sue for peace now.

Regardless, the Finnish Army was on a brink of a disaster, and Winter War ended in 13 March 1940 as Finland sued for peace. During the short and brutal war Finns lost 70 000 and Soviet Union 320 000 men in total casualties.

The Franco-British plan for an expeditionary force via Norway to Finland, with an aim to secure the Swedish ore mines too, was a major reason for Nazi-Germany's invasion of Denmark and Norway just a few months later.

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Now you can recreate the action in Forgotten Battles Tournament! There's still time to join in for the last battles in Poland, while the first new Winter War scenarios are to be visited next.

-> FORGOTTEN BATTLES TOURNAMENT THREAD HERE <-

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Ed
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dawags
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