Before the Ukrainians, It Was the Finns Who Kicked Russia’s Ass

The Bulwark ^ | APRIL 1, 2022 4:54 AM | MICHAEL J. TOTTEN

[GonzoII]

The largely forgotten Winter War of 1939-40

When Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, it seemed apt to compare it to the Soviet Union’s invasions of Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968, when those states sought to throw off Moscow’s yoke and go their own way. The Soviet army needed barely a week to extinguish the last breaths of the Hungarian resistance, and it took only a day to put down Czechoslovakia’s.

But Ukraine is not Hungary, and it is not Czechoslovakia. Five weeks in, the Ukrainians have killed thousands of Russian soldiers, destroyed entire enemy columns, downed planes, sunk at least one ship, captured more than a thousand prisoners, towed abandoned tanks off the road, pushed Russian forces away from Kyiv, and liberated the occupied cities of Makariv, Irpin, and parts of the larger city of Kherson. Russia, clearly humiliated, now declares that its military objective is limited to the “liberation” of the eastern Donbas region rather than regime change, nationwide occupation, or state death.

The apt comparison then is to Russia’s botched invasion of Finland in 1939. Before the Ukrainians established themselves as Europe’s f[***]-around-and-find-out crew, that honor went to the Finns.

Not two months into World War II, Joseph Stalin’s Soviet Union made the fateful decision to declare war against Finland. The Russians had some of the usual reasons for invading one of its neighbors. Finland had been a tsarist possession that stalked off in a huff after the Bolshevik Revolution.....

[GonzoII]

"Finland’s armed forces outmaneuvered, out-thought, and outfought the Russians with guerrilla tactics powered by blistering morale and the total dedication that free people nearly always have when defending their families, their homes, and their land."

[Sacajaweau]

Fortunately, no Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and none of their tanks have been destroyed. s/

[rktman]

All of that pales in comparison to branDUHn backing down cornpop and his ‘posse’ back in the day. /S Looks like branDUHn won’t play the “behind the gym” card after all.

[moovova]

Simo Häyhä (Finnish; 17 December 1905 – 1 April 2002), often referred to by his nickname, The White Death, was a Finnish military sniper in World War II during the 1939–1940 Winter War against the Soviet Union.

[moovova]

Finland named world’s happiest country for fifth year running.

[GonzoII]

Simo Häyhä after being awarded with the honorary rifle model 28

[Leaning Right]

Finland certainly gave the Soviets a bloody nose during the Winter War. But it’s worth noting that Finland was forced to cede a considerable amount of territory at the end of the war. Yes, Finland kept its independence. But they actually lost more land than what the Soviets originally demanded.

Bravery can take you only so far against a much larger foe.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_War#Moscow_Peace_Treaty

[JonPreston]

The Bulwark is 100% NEVER TRUMP, NEOCON. Did you mean to reference them?

[dforest]

Must be because he is doing a real asskicking that Zelensky is begging for no fly zones and help from other countries while calling them cowards.

[Afterguard]

I don’t think I’ve ever heard of this author or The Bulwark, but this is an excellent piece on Russia’s ability to fail. Of course, Stalin didn’t have nukes then...

[Tupelo]

Very interesting article. It helps flesh out my limited knowledge of The Winter War. Plus, it adds a little more context to what seems to be happening in Ukraine today.
It seems that history does sometimes repeat itself.

[kabar]

But the Russians took a slice of Finland, large part of Karelia.

A large part of Finnish Karelia was ceded by Finland to the Soviet Union in 1940 after the Soviet aggression known as the Winter War, when the new border was established close to that of 1721. During the Continuation War of 1941–44, most of the ceded area was liberated by Finnish troops, but in 1944 was occupied again by the Red Army. After the war, the remains of the Province of Viipuri were made into the Province of Kymi. In 1997 the province was incorporated within the province of Southern Finland.

[dforest]

This was an excellect piece on what is going on lately.

https://rumble.com/vz7cf7-i-support-the-current-thing.html

[Celtic Conservative]

It’s the akavit.

CC

[Celtic Conservative]

The Finns knew that when you pay Danegeld you never get rid of the Dane.

CC

[Renfrew]

So you support brave Biden in his reluctance to anything?

[mac_truck]

Sorry chickenhawks, the trains from Helsinki to St. Petersburg are still running.

[dforest]

This would be you. You fall for every flavor of the current thing.

https://rumble.com/vz7cf7-i-support-the-current-thing.html

[Dixie Yooper]

Russia’s defeat in Afghanistan in 1989 led to fall of the Berlin Wall during the same year and later to the end of the Soviet Union

Although it reinforces the article, this is not case. The USA's ability to imagine, engineer, pay for and produce STARWARS while the USSR quickly fell behind trying to keep up, is what led to the end of the Soviet Union.

[tlozo]

Sorry chickenhawks, the trains from Helsinki to St. Petersburg are still running.

So are the weapons from Helsinki to Ukraine.

Finland to send additional military equipment to Ukraine-3/25/2022

This is the first time the government has withheld detailed information about military support offered to Ukraine.

Finland pledged to send defence material, namely, 2,000 bulletproof vests, 2,000 composite helmets, 100 stretchers and equipment for two emergency medical care stations, to Ukraine in February.

Following this, the country decided to deliver additional military aid in the form of 2,500 assault rifles, 150,000 cartridges for the rifles, 1,500 single-shot anti-tank weapons and 70,000 combat ration packages.

It also granted Estonia a permit to export artillery pieces to Ukraine

https://yle.fi/news/3-12374793