Finland and World War II, 1939-1944

Finland gained its independence from Russia in 1917 during the turmoil of the Russian Civil War, and ever since the communist leaders cast envious eyes toward their former domain; only waiting for a chance to invade. With the rise of Hitler’s Germany the face of Europe changed, agreements were reached between the Soviets and the Nazis in brutally dividing up a nigh-defenceless and the detente culminated in the Non-Aggression Pact of 1939. This gave Stalin and his cohorts a chance to expand their borders, whilst Hitler looked west at France and Britain, by launching an attack directed to recapture their former Grand Duchy. Thus started Finland’s participation in the Second World War. This book eloquently recounts the stubborn resistance of the Finns against the Soviet attack during the Winter War, the horrific siege of Leningrad and the Finns brave bid to retain its independence from Soviet dominance. The manuscript for the book was smuggled out of Soviet controlled Finland in late 1945, it was passed to Professor Wuorinen who skilfully edited and annotated the work into its present form.

A fascinating sidelight on a little known corner of the brutal Second World War.