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Finns mark 70th anniversary of Winter War against Stalin's Red ArmyAuthor: Huuhtanen, Matti

Publication info: The Canadian Press [Toronto] 30 Nov 2009.

ProQuest document link

Abstract: HELSINKI, Finland _ Finns on Monday marked the 70th anniversary of theWinter War, a conflict that

saw this tiny country hold off Stalin's Red Army for 105 days and suffer one-third as

many casualties in weather

that was so cold some soldiers hallucinated.Links: Linking Service

Full text: HELSINKI, Finland _ Finns on Monday marked the 70th anniversary of the

Winter War, a conflict that

saw this tiny country hold off Stalin's Red Army for 105 days and suffer one-third asmany casualties in weather

that was so cold some soldiers hallucinated.

Finland lost the war, but its resistance against the massive Soviet war machine with itswhite-clad ``ghost army''stunned Moscow, which had planned to occupy its western neighbour within a few

weeks, into accepting peace.

Some 27,000 Finnish soldiers were killed and 43,000 wounded in a population of 3.7

million. The Soviet Unionput its losses at 217,500 dead or wounded.

Many froze as temperatures dipped to as low as minus 49 degrees Fahrenheit (-45 C)

during the three monthsof hostilities _ one of the coldest wars in history. The extreme weather caused frostbite

and hallucinations that

forced a drop in guard duty from two hours to 30 minutes.Viljo Kontio, 95, served in a signals battalion near the border when Soviet troopsinvaded.

``Grenades rained on us and the Russians came straight at us in open areas. In the thick

forest, the Soviet boys

didn't dare fight because they feared the snow-camouflaged Finns,'' Kontio said. ``I sawwith my own eyes how

the Russians motivated their fighters differently to us _ withdrawing soldiers were coldly

shot.''

The Soviet losses and unsuccessful campaign forced Stalin to reassess his plans and agreeto a truce, leading

to a peace treaty signed by Finland and the Soviet Union on March 12, 1940.The question of who began the war had been contentious until the breakup of the Soviet

Union when Russianhistorians admitted Stalin was to blame.

On Nov. 26, 1939, Soviet Foreign Minister V.M. Molotov accused Finnish troops of

firing at the Russians across

the 800-mile (1,300-kilometre) border near the village of Mainila, in southeasternFinland.

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The Finns have consistently denied firing the ``Mainila Shots,'' and Russian historians

now acknowledge thatthe Red Army fired the shots and Stalin used the alleged incident as a pretext to invade

Finland four days later.

Though the Russians were well equipped, many historians considered their strategy and

planning as poor. Butafter three months of holding off Soviet forces, which at the outset numbered 450,000,

the Finns began to tire

due to a lack of adequate backup and ammunition.

Field Marshal C. G. Mannerheim, the commander of the Finnish troops, rejected an offerof assistance from the

Western powers, saying it was ``too little, too late,'' and recommended that Finland

negotiate peace after a

Soviet offensive in March 1940.The peace treaty forced Finland to cede 11 per cent of its land, mostly large areas of

eastern Karelia, and more

than 400,000 Karelians were resettled in Finland.Monday's ceremonies included wreath laying at tombs and graveyards, exhibitions,special events in schools

and a memorial service in Helsinki Cathedral attended by President Tarja Halonen.

15 January 2014 Page 1 of 2 ProQuest

Subject: Peace; War; Armed forces;Publication title: The Canadian Press

Publication year: 2009

Publication date: Nov 30, 2009Year: 2009

Publisher: Canadian Press Enterprises Inc.

Place of publication: TorontoCountry of