War which is a shame for remembering

Kobrin → Creativity of fellow countrymen → Marchuk Nina Grigoryevna

By 70th anniversary of the beginning of the Soviet-Finnish war (on November 26), 1939

I. It is a little history
Finland was separated from Sweden in 1809 as a result of the Russian-Swedish war and almost all the 19th century lived in the world as a part of the Russian Empire.

Lenin in December, 1917 recognized independence of Finland. And in 1918 Finland endured revolution and civil war. Attempt to bolshevizirovat Finland failed. And in the 30th years Finland was rather democratic parliamentary state.

In 1932 Finland and the Soviet Union sign the nonaggression pact. And, seeing a shadow of policy of Hitler, Finland in 1935 adopts the declaration on a neutrality. In August, 1939 the Soviet Union and Germany sign the nonaggression pact though they in the confidential protocol agree about the partition of Poland, Baltic and Finland.

At the end of September the 39th three Baltic states received the invitation to Moscow where they upon the demand of Stalin "agreed" to provide the territory under the Soviet military bases. Then the turn of Finland came. Finns did not agree. Negotiations came to a standstill.

II. How it began?
On November 26, 1939 the Soviet government declared that Finns "fired" at the Soviet troops on the Karelian peninsula, and demanded to withdraw troops on 25 km to the north of border. Finns asked to understand. But Moscow got the bit between the teeth.

On November 28 the Soviet Union declares cancellation of the nonaggression pact. And already on November 30 the Soviet aircraft bombed Helsinki, and the Red Army began approach on all border. (on December 4 "Truth" wrote: "The red Army approaches border of Finland at the request of the national government...")

III. How many war which is a shame for remembering cost?
20 thousand Finns were killed in battles. The union took part of the territory of Finland (including Vyborg). From this territory of Finland all 400 thousand Finns voluntarily left the houses and left deep into Finland, already through new border.
In 105 days of war the Red Army lost about 400 thousand people, 600 planes and as much tanks and cars (average daily losses of Red Army men made 3500 people. For comparison: at defense of Stalingrad the same figure made 3280 people). 64 thousand Soviet servicemen were taken prisoner (The Soviet Union refused them, having called them traitors).

On March 12, 1940 the protocol under which to the Soviet Union all Karelian Isthmus (with Vyborg), the area to the north of Lake Ladoga departed was signed. For 30 years the Soviet Union received for rent the peninsula of Hanko for creation of naval base of Balflot there. As a result the border on 150 km was removed from Leningrad. And Finland lost all the defensive works and became almost defenseless.

But at the same time the Soviet Union did not manage to reach the main outcome: Finland was not annexed. (In November of the 1940th the Soviet delegation at the Berlin negotiations according to the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact demanded carte blanche on accession of Finland again. But was refused: socialist Finland did not include in Hitler's plans, it was necessary to him as the ally, and shortly he received it.) "Victory" over Finland was given to the Soviet Union so expensively that once again nobody wanted to remember it.

IV. Reasons of expensive "victory"
The first. Finns were better equipped. Soviet maskhalat was tselnokroyeny and in it it was easy to get confused, especially if to slither. He did not rescue neither from wind, nor from cold and easily passed moisture. Red Army men did not have enough neither valenoks, nor padded jackets, nor short fur coats. And frosts lower than 30 degrees did not fall. Red Army men were dressed in the overcoats, kersey boots and budyonovka (which were not giving any heat).

The Finnish regimentals were separate and are sewed from the wind-shelter fabric which is not passing moisture. The Finnish soldiers had leather boots on a rubber sole with fur inside. Finns did not lack caps with ear-flaps and woolen cap comforters. And fighters of "flying groups" had special ski footwear. In additives Finns "were given birth with skis standing" and moved in general without sticks, shooting on the run. Finns suited warehouses with ammunition and the food beforehand and even in the back of Red Army did not lack anything.

And here Red Army men to learn to survive in the wood in severe frosts did not manage. About arms of armies.

Red Army men had "three-lines" of a sample of 1891. Tokarev's rifle was too sensitive to a frost and dirt. The machine gun of "Maxims" was repaid in the Russian-Japanese war. In the Finnish it became already outdated. Already there was Degtyaryov's machine gun, but them was not so much. Tankmen did not stop the engines of the cars. It reduced their technical resource and providing with fuel.

Finns had the excellent skorostrelny weapon of a sample of 1926. The Finnish government fed illusion about the help from England and France. Sweden in a categorical form refused to provide the territory for pass of any troops, and recommended to Finns to make the peace quicker.

It is necessary to mention Mannerheim's line. It is system of strengthenings on the Karelian Isthmus 135 km wide (it was constructed in 1927-39). The Soviet troops broke through this line twice, but how Finns by order of the marshal Mannerheim departed on the second strip of defense. By the way, in this area of the Soviet troops there were 460 thousand against 150 thousand Finns.

Yes. Finns asked the first about the beginning of peace talks. But Stalin of it already waited. Though Finns accepted all Soviet conditions, but remained undefeated is the main thing. The Finnish soldiers caused a stir in high fighting spirit, discipline. They protected the Homeland, the families, the earth from an aggressor.

V. In conclusion
Diplomatic relations between Finland and the USSR were restored in 1945. And in 1948 the treaty of friendship and cooperation was signed.

There is more. In the territory of Finland there are 70 places of burial of the Soviet soldiers where memorable plates are put. Memorable signs stand also on places of burial of the soldiers who were killed in battles. Burials are constantly looked after...
And not to repeat mistakes, it is necessary to know the truth.

P.S. Here is how about that war A. T. Tvardovsky in 1940 wrote.
"Among big war cruel,
From what – I will not apply mind, –
I grudge for that destiny far,
As though dead, lonely
As though I lie,
Frozen, small, killed
On that war not well-known
Forgotten, small I lie..."

Newspaper "Byarozava vesnik" No. 9 (43), listapad-snezhan 2008

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