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Victor Davis Hanson: Ukraine and the Winter War, 1939-1940
American Greatness ^ | 4 Jul, 2024 | Victor Davis Hanson

Posted on 07/04/2024 5:22:25 AM PDT by MtnClimber

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky might do well by studying the career of Carl Mannerheim and how he saved Finland from the Russian meatgrinder.

In early World War II, on November 30, 1939, a Soviet-Russian army invaded Finland in a surprise massive attack. The Finns were eventually outnumbered nearly 3 to 1. The population of the Soviet Union in 1940 was 50 times larger than that of Finland’s.

Finland’s former anti-Soviet ally, Nazi Germany, had sold it out under the August 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, which made Germany and Russia de facto allies.

Finland’s other allies, particularly France and Britain, were slow in giving aid. Both were unsure whether Finland had any chance of survival. And they were further confused as to whether their archenemy Germany was friendly or hostile to Finland.

Yet for nearly the next four months, the Finns fought ferociously. They were led brilliantly by their iconic general and commander-in-chief, Carl Mannerheim.

By March 1940, however, the brave but exhausted Finns were being slowly ground down. Soon they were facing abject defeat—even after courageously inflicting nearly 500,000 Russian causalities, ten times the number of their own dead, wounded, and missing.

Finnish ferocity shocked Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. Eventually, he was willing to abandon his original objective of controlling, if not annexing, Finland—in exchange for stealing 9 percent of Finland’s territory.

Mannerheim reluctantly took the deal, stopped the war, and saved an autonomous Finland.

The fallout from the Winter War directly influenced World War II.

(Excerpt) Read more at amgreatness.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Ukraine
KEYWORDS: finland; mannerheim; vdh; victordavishanson

1 posted on 07/04/2024 5:22:25 AM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

There seem to be many who don’t want the war to end.


2 posted on 07/04/2024 5:22:35 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page. More photos added.)
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To: MtnClimber

Wow. Even Hansen, who started as a supporter of senile Joe’s Ukie war is coming to his senses….

“ Zelensky might do well by studying the career of Mannerheim and how, with dignity, he saved Finland from the Russian meatgrinder.“.

They rightly call it the “ Russian meatgrinder” because of the horrendous casualties Vlad is inflicting on the Ukies. Even worse, the most current demographic studies show Ukraine is now down to 20 million inhabitants, down from 40 million pre-war….and yet there are those still claiming Ukraine is winning?

The West has been fed lies by this administration and western MSM. The truth always does surface, post war analysis and confessions will be stunning.


3 posted on 07/04/2024 5:38:27 AM PDT by delta7
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To: delta7
The West has been fed lies by this administration and western MSM. The truth always does surface, post war analysis and confessions will be stunning.

Oh, so true.

If only this was the first lie our government spoon-fed to the naive masses who soak it up like a sponge.

Unfortunately, the truth will be a long time coming and most likely for a generation or two -- if ever.

Example: JFK 1963

4 posted on 07/04/2024 5:56:05 AM PDT by icclearly ( )
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To: MtnClimber

Wars are expensive. Lots of money to be made.


5 posted on 07/04/2024 6:16:39 AM PDT by shooter223 (the government should fear the citizens......not the other way around)
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To: icclearly

I differ. When Vlad officially wins this war, EVERYONE will start the blame game, scapegoat senile Joe.

Destroying our currency through weaponizing the dollar, sanctions, severe draw down of our military arms, rise of Brics, loss of US hegemony,etc. will all be blamed on “ that senile old man”…..

There will be no one held accountable. No Justice.


6 posted on 07/04/2024 6:38:32 AM PDT by delta7
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To: MtnClimber

“Most of Russia’s population considers the 2022 surprise invasion a terrible mistake”

Lack of protests, sky-high polling for Putin, and a CLEAN* election ROMP earlier in the year might speak differently...

*at least according to election observers there


7 posted on 07/04/2024 6:39:57 AM PDT by BobL
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To: MtnClimber

Not to discount the incredible courage and skills of Finland (still one of greatest stories in the history of warfare), the Soviet Union was a TOTAL MESS when they attacked Finland. In fact a year later, when Germany attacked the Soviet Union, there was train full of Soviet military officers heading to the Gulag...and Stalin had to order the train to reverse direction.


8 posted on 07/04/2024 6:50:23 AM PDT by BobL
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To: delta7
There will be no one held accountable. No Justice.

We agree.

Where was the accountability for.....

-Vietnam (60,000 plus US lives)
-Iraq (WMDs everywhere and over a million lives lost)
-Afghanistan (not a single US citizen was left behind as we fleed/escaped the country)

And now we give to you......

..........Ukraine

Nothing new under the sun!

9 posted on 07/04/2024 7:08:36 AM PDT by icclearly ( )
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To: MtnClimber

if I am correct the Ukrainians sided with the Nazis during ww2 not only against the Russians but murdered jews in the millions


10 posted on 07/04/2024 7:23:19 AM PDT by ronnie raygun
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To: delta7

Vlad does love fighting wars and invading sovereign countries. You can’t deny that.


11 posted on 07/05/2024 3:09:09 PM PDT by DavidThomas
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To: DavidThomas

Do your research, how many countries has the US invaded, or deployed troops to: Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Somalia, Panama, Africa, …. you are the pot calling the kettle black.


12 posted on 07/05/2024 3:14:18 PM PDT by delta7
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To: delta7

Yeah and Iraq and Afghanistan were wrong too, just like Russia invasion of Ukraine is wrong. Can we agree to that?


13 posted on 07/05/2024 3:22:08 PM PDT by DavidThomas
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