Posted on 01/21/2025 2:29:07 PM PST by nickcarraway
If you are not Finnish, you may not be aware of the Winter War which saw Finland fighting an invading Soviet army between November 1939 and March 1940.
Finland’s oldest war veteran who survived two invasions by Russia died aged 108 It was an ill conceived plan by the Stalin led Soviet Administration which saw the small Finnish army stand against a much larger Soviet invading force but with the Soviet losses being much more significant than expected.
In the end, a Peace Treaty was agreed which saw the end of the invasion, although Finland gave up 9 per cent of its land as the Soviets were desperate to protect nearby Leningrad.
Finnair flights may be cancelled at short notice due to industrial action by pilots One of those taking part in the defence of Finland was Arvi Hämäläinen who was born in 1917 and served in the Winter War as an artillery rangefinder and he remained in the army with the rank of sergeant.
Peace didn’t last too long as what is known as the Continuation War broke out in June 1941 when Finland responded to a Soviet bombing raid by declaring war on the Soviet Union and allowing Nazi German troops access to Finnish soil as part of the invasion of Russia.
This war lasted until September 1944 when a new peace treaty was singed which saw Finland paying reparations to the Soviets as well as having to expel the Germans from all Finnish Territory which then saw the Finns fighting German troops in Lapland.
After fighting against the Russians in at the time of the Second World War, Finland’s oldest war veteran had a good life and died aged 108 Arvi Hämäläinen survived the various hostilities, married and the couple had one daughter before his wife died in 1994.
His friend Tuula Vallius who announced his death remembers him as a person with an infinite sense of humour, kindness and warm-heartedness but although a genuine veteran, he was not treated well by local councils.
He spent some time in a nursing home where he was happy and had many friends but in a change of policy in 2023 he was unexpectedly moved to a nursing home in a different area where he know no-one but the involvement of his daughter and Tuula Vallius saw him returned back to his original home where he saw out his last years in comfort.
RIP Sir. Your Country Thanks You.
And the World loses yet another of The Greatest Generation.
Sabaton - Talvisota
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtfBcDV7etA
If you can find the movie, “Winter War” is good.
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