This informative study explores the Soviet invasion of Finland,
detailing the events of the Winter War of November 1939 to March 1940.
The invasion was expected to be swift and decisive, however, the
fighting qualities of the Finnish Army blunted the Soviet advance and
inflicted high numbers of casualties. A combination of difficulties
caused by the weather, the terrain, the Mannerheim Line defenses
and Finnish tactics resulted in a fascinating David vs Goliath type
struggle.
On 23 August 1939, a secret protocol was appended to the German-Soviet
Non-Aggression Pact; as part of this, Finland was assigned to the Soviet
sphere of influence. On 30 November that year, in an effort to protect
against renewed German aggression in the East, the Soviet Union attacked
Finland, beginning what became known as the Finnish-Soviet Winter War.
This long-awaited addition to the Campaign series explores the events of
the war of November 1939 to March 1940. Set against the background of
the developing global conflict, the conflict saw the Finnish Army thwart
the plans of the sizeable Soviet forces assembled against it, before
finally being forced to concede. The major battles of the war, which
took place in harsh winter conditions, are covered in detail, including
the Mannerheim Line, the fighting in Ladoga Karelia and Kollaa, and the
clashes in Finnish Lapland. The key points that led to success and
failure for both sides, and how these influenced the campaigns that
followed in this theatre, are also explored in depth in a superbly
illustrated and easy to follow study.
