During Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the world marveled at how President Volodymyr Zelensky’s troops refused to capitulate to the superior military power of their enemy.
Much has been made of the bad tactics of Vladimir Putin’s generals, along with demoralized Russian troops and faulty equipment.
But more than 80 years ago, a similarly small Finland battled the might of the Soviet Union when dictator Joseph Stalin ordered an invasion of the country after its government refused to go along with demands to give up large territory.
In the Winter War of 1939-1940, which began less than three months after the outbreak of World War II, Finnish troops used innovative tactics to challenge Russia’s hopes of a quick and decisive victory that could give Stalin control of the entire country.
Instead, Soviet troops, numbering close to a million, faced fierce resistance for nearly three months, and dramatic photographs show vehicles and equipment having to be abandoned in the face of resistance and freezing temperatures.
During this time, Russia lost more than 300,000 people, including 126,900, lost up to 3,500 tanks and about 500 aircraft.
In comparison, Finland lost 25,900 men from an initial force of about 300,000.
Stories of Finnish heroism include that of a Finnish farmer who became the deadliest sniper in history by killing 505 Soviet soldiers.
In combat, Finland was also the first to use a homemade Molotov cocktail grenade, named after the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union.
Ultimately, however, the sheer numerical superiority of the Soviet Union’s forces took its toll, and the Finnish government was eventually forced to sign a peace agreement that forced them to give up about ten percent of their territory.
Despite the defeat, Finland retained its sovereignty and strengthened its international reputation, while the Soviet Union was expelled from the League of Nations and condemned by other world leaders.
In the Winter War of 1939-1940, which began less than three months after the outbreak of World War II, Finnish troops used innovative tactics to challenge Russia’s hopes of a quick and decisive victory that could give Stalin control of the entire country. Above: Russian soldiers taken prisoner by Finland.
Instead, Soviet troops, numbering close to a million, faced fierce resistance for nearly three months, and dramatic photographs show vehicles and equipment having to be abandoned in the face of resistance and freezing temperatures. Top: abandoned Soviet tank.
The Winter War began in November 1939 when Finland refused to agree to Stalin’s demand to give up territory so that he could push Russia’s border to the west.
At the time, Stalin feared an attack by Nazi Germany that would eventually come in June 1941 and declared the need to defend the capital Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) from attack.
In September 1939, Adolf Hitler’s forces invaded and overran neighboring Poland after just over a month of fighting.
With temperatures as low as -45 degrees Fahrenheit, Soviet troops attacked Finland on several fronts with troops, thousands of tanks, aircraft and artillery pieces.
Finland had only a few dozen tanks, about 100 aircraft and very little ammunition.
Led by Marshal Carl Gustav Mannerheim, the Finnish troops repulsed the attack wave after wave.
Finnish sniper Simo Häyhä became a hero by committing the most sniper kills in the history of warfare.
The Soviet troops proved themselves in the fight against Finland, but ultimately won thanks to their numerical superiority. Above: a burning Soviet tank.
A Russian soldier smiles with his hands up as a Finnish soldier aims a pistol at him.
The Winter War began in November 1939 when Finland refused to agree to Stalin’s demand to give up territory so that he could push Russia’s border to the west. Pictured: Joseph Stalin.
Elsewhere, Finnish ski troops used the terrain to their advantage to attack isolated Russian units.
Finnish sniper Simo Häyhä became a hero with the most sniper kills in the history of warfare.
At the age of 33, when the war broke out, Hyauha quickly gained a fearsome reputation, striking the enemy unseen and inaudible from hidden positions up to 300 yards from his target.
Nicknamed the White Death, Häyuha was a prime target for the Soviets, who fired on him with mortars and heavy artillery to stop his killing spree, which had once killed 25 people in a single day.
Despite the danger of his position, Hayha claimed he never felt fear and obsessively cleaned his weapons to make sure they worked at -20°C.
Other ploys included freezing the snow around his hideout to keep him from flying into the air when firing his M/28-30 rifle and covering his mouth to stop the steam rising from his breath.
In his white hood and long jacket, Häyha camouflaged himself perfectly in the covered trenches he dug in the icy landscape of eastern Finland, where the USSR invaded on November 30, 1939.
With temperatures as low as -45 degrees Fahrenheit, Soviet troops attacked Finland on several fronts with troops, thousands of tanks, aircraft and artillery pieces. Top: Soviet bomber during the conflict.
Finland had only a few dozen tanks, about 100 aircraft and very little ammunition. Soviet railroad guns fire at the Mannerheim Line, Finland.
Soviet soldiers ride into battle on a sled pulled by a tank during the Winter War. An exhausted Finland was forced to fight without help from Britain and France, who were already at war with Germany.
Soviet ski troops advance into Finland during the 1939-1940 Winter War. In the end, the Russians were victorious due to their sheer numerical superiority.
A Finnish soldier stands guard as Russian POWs pass by during their daily exercise at a POW camp in northern Finland.
Downed military aircraft in Finland during the Winter War 1939-1940 The clear numerical superiority of the Russian army finally took over after the Soviet troops used heavy artillery bombardments to break through the defenses.
Luck ran out after 98 days when he was hit in the jaw and spent a week unconscious in the hospital before waking up on the very day his compatriots signed the Moscow Peace Treaty on March 13, 1940.
An exhausted Finland was forced to fight without help from Britain and France, who were already at war with Germany.
The clear numerical superiority of the Russian army finally took over after the Soviet troops used heavy artillery bombardments to break through the defenses.
The Treaty of Moscow ended the conflict on Soviet terms: the Finns agreed to transfer western Karelia and part of the Hanko peninsula to a naval base.
It ended up working in about 10 percent of Finland.
However, after the start of Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union, the Finnish government allowed German troops to pass through the country.
Later, they even joined the fight against the Soviets in the so-called “Continuation War”.
It is also believed that the poor performance of the Soviet Union during the attack on Finland prompted Hitler to launch an invasion of the country.