It is the last day of November 1939. After months of trying to strongarm Finland into giving up strategically important territories, the Soviet Union finally decides to use force. A casus belli is hastily cooked up, and before any official declarations, the Red Army is already marching on Finland.
The Finnish lines of defense are woefully insufficient, and the nation's army is spread thin.
Soviet strategic bombers are swarming in the skies above Helsinki and other cities and towns.
The Soviet advance is spearheaded by at least 2000 tanks, soon to be reinforced with 4000 more. Finland has 32 at best.
In the West, the expected outcome is the redrawing of the Finnish borders, and that's if Stalin generously allows Finland its continued existence. In the Kremlin, the Red Army is expected to parade through Helsinki in no more than 12 days.
On the night of November 30, the Soviet forces finally cross the border, and for many Finnish soldiers, the shots they are about to take will become the first combat experience of their lives. Some are paralyzed by the colossal military machine they are facing. Some are almost overwhelmed by the stress of firing at another human being.
And a mere few hours later, the Red Army will be bleeding all over the Finnish soil.
Unescorted by infantry, their tanks go up in flames with their crews still inside. Their logistics columns are cut off and decimated by Finnish ambushes. Their soldiers scatter in a panic, getting cut down by small arms fire, or losing their way in the Finnish wilderness, swiftly freezing to death in their autumn equipment.
The Winter War began on this very day 83 years ago. And the young nation of Finland, thought by some to be a fluke of history, was about to forever earn its place among the European equals.
The story of the Winter War, or rather the myth of it, has firmly entered pop culture. The devious Finnish cold, proving that "General Winter" wasn't always on Russia's side, the cunning motti tactics, resulting in endless fields of burned Soviet vehicles. Finally, the greatest sniper in history, the Finnish farmer called Simo Hayha, earned his fame in this very conflict. One can hardly imagine a better example of the David vs Goliath story – as Field Marshal Mannerheim himself said, "I did not think that my men were so good, or that the Russians could be so bad".
There are many more sides to this war, which never quite became mainstream but are fascinating nonetheless. The Finnish ace pilots were some of the best in the world, second only to Germans, and ahead of the Allies. Finnish artillery too was some of the most well-trained and organized in the world at the time, making use of many ingenious tactics and inventions that allowed it to lay down precise and deadly fire. The biggest women's volunteer organization in history, Lotta Svard, earned its fame during this war, aiding in observation, communication, and logistics.
The Finnish defiance during the Winter War took the world by surprise and earned the admiration of the Western states. In Britain, it became a mainstay of 1939-1940 war propaganda: an example that sometimes, the traditional wargame logic of superior numbers was shattered by skill, motivation, and sheer courage.
A few months later, the Soviet Union began to make progress, but by then, the mounting losses had tempered Stalin's appetites. Finland inflicted staggering 168,000 dead and more than 208,000 wounded on the "victorious" Red Army, while losing almost 25,900 dead and 44,000 wounded — one of history's most famous examples of a pyrrhic victory.
While the Finnish delegation in Moscow was forced to cede some territories after all, Finland was able to keep its independence — an outcome that seemed impossible in November 1939. And even that peace treaty only lasted a little over a year, eventually leading to the Continuation War of 1941-1944.
Today, Karelia and some other pre-war Finnish territories remain under Russian control.
In the game
In Strategic Mind: Spirit of Liberty the first 6 operations of the historical campaign cover the events of the Winter War:
1) Border clashes
2) Battle of Taipale (See our review of that scenario)
3) Battle of Tolvajärvi
4) Battle of Suomussalmi
5) The Second Battle of Summa
6) Battle of Viipuri Bay (1940)
The full historical 15-operation-long campaign covers Winter War, Continuation War, and Lapland War.
Gameplay-wise Winter War part is really tough, since you do not have experienced troops yet, and have yet to get the heroes, better equipment, skills, and some Soviet trophies. AT teh same time the Soviets are also not in their best condition. So, it is critical to make the most out of the situation and strengthen your army to repel the Soviets and be ready for future battles.
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With Best Regards from Kyiv
Starni Games team