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Kings and Generals animated historical documentary series on the Winter War continues with a video on the battles in the Northern part of Finland, as the Finnish army is doing its best to defend against the superior Red Army in the Arctic and Subarctic regions. The video covers the battles in Lapland and the usage of the motti tactic by the Finns.
Previous videos in the series: Cold War channel: Modern Warfare series:
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The video was made by Leif Sick, while the script was developed by Ivan Moran. The video was narrated by Officially Devin ( &
I would not perhaps call the area arctic. Its not inside the arctic circle and the climate in the area of Suomussalmi is far from arctic. Same latitude in Canada or Siberia might be arctic.
Must have been nasty to get executed because of strategic blunder that you were against in the first place. Referring to 44th battalion led by Vinogradov.
In Brazil, whatsoever people know about times the Second War is the clashes between Japan, Germany, and Italy against the allies. Rarely the brave and courageous Finland is remembered for the fights against Russia to defend its independence and freedom. When I taught History in my country, Brazil, I always emphasized the fearsome war that Finland choose to defend its territory, which army was very little in comparison with the Soviet Army. Although was a disparate confront, Finish soldiers had halted the Russian offensive and placed the Soviet army in a fix, severing its logistic chain and dislodging the Russian Army in several areas, by several times. Finland, which by then nobody believed to be a doable adversary of Russia, showed to all world that was able to solve a bunch of military challenges, expel and halted the Russian intruders, and transforms their country into an impassable fortress. Finland is an example of courage and determination. I love the Finnish people and I taught my pupils to respect and love this commendable nation. Long live to Finnish people!!!!!
Just a wee quibble: the narrator gets the pronunciation of close to half of the Finnish names right. Why not all of them? A voice coach would have made short work of the task (and it would have been fun, too!).
No wonder, Stalin executed most talented russian army leaders shortly before the winter war. The russian generals who lost the winter war, also got shot back home.
The winter war was an incredible win by the Finns. the greatest sniper that ever lived racked up the body count… instilled fear throughout the soviet army
I served in military 92-93 and took part in collecting funds to the WWII veterans. Many veterans from my home area took part in the battle of suomussalmi and I met one of them. He showed an old bullet wound in his wrist, and told he got it when his squad was chasing a Russian company which had broken out from their encirclement. His squad of 8 guys chasing a company of 100+ guys. I asked about it, he shrugged and said "well those were the odds".
They should built a monument to Unknown Finnish Cook and his dreadfull weapon that stopped a Soviet offensive: a field kitchen full of saussage soup. 😛 😛 😛
My father and my uncles fought in the Winter War. My father in Suomussalmi, Raate and Pitkäranta (a heavy battle but not mentioned here). One of my uncles who was a pilot, bombed soviets who were retreating on the ice of lake Kianta with the Bristol Blenheim bomber which skipper he was. Unfortunately our small airforce had only two of those to send there for the mission. That was the only time my father saw our planes in that war.
Interesting video but don't you have original footage of the war rather than making graphic chess-like illustrations. Thanks anyway for this wonderful series.
I had read about a boating accident in remote Karelia region or province state of Russia in which some school children during summer camp were killed in Karelia about 7 years back or so. I read further about Karelia in youtube more recently. True facts on Karelia instead of propaganda:: A perfect example of why certain wars are bound to happen in certain scenarios. Human beings are bound to lose lives, in the past, present and future, in wars. The winter war and continuation war in Karelia province of Imperoal Russia, or Finland formerly under Swedish rule, were necessary or unnecessary depending on which side you support. Sweden as a kingdom had in earlier centuries conquered all of Finland and one province of Russia kingdom::: the province of Karelia which Imperial Russia owned at the time, Karelia province which on one side was situated on the suburban outskirts of Saint Petersburg, and stretches / juts into Finland for a hundred miles or so. When Sweden gave independence to Finland, Sweden gave previously conquered Karelia province to newly independent Finland. Actually even earlier, on maps drawn in Stockholm, imperial Sweden had already started drawing the maps of Karelia into the maps of Finland even before Sweden gave independence to Finland. In the post independence scenario, why should Finland give Karelia to Russia unless there is a war. This meant war:: There was a war. Next a war was bound to happen, as Finland will say Karelia belongs to them. Likely after the Continuation war, Soviets created tiny north Karelia out of Karelia province to give back to Finland out of the bigger Karelia. Also, that time, Soviets gave back to Finland tiny west Karelia (small western part of Karelia), which they gave to Finland also for re-settling the small Finnish population of Karelia. Soviets kept the bigger bulk of the rest of Karelia province likely after the Continuation war. More important than the military tactics is a sad mental conclusion that certain wars are absolutely unavoidable. Earlier, the Romanov Dynasty of imperial Russia did everything (meaning, nothing) while in power to avoid a war in Karelia, as the members of the Romanov dynasty were related to all other royal houses and royal kings and queens of Europe, including Finnish Royalty and Swedish Royalty. If a king or queen starts a war, all hell breaks loose, as calls and urgent diplomatic letters start pouring in from royal houses all over Europe, to stop the war and to withdraw troops. King from a neighbouring country may call Czar Nicholas if he sent troops to Karelia: "Hey cousin, what are you up to? Why are your troops in my backyard?" The Romanov Dynasty was no exception. Nearly all Royal houses in Europe were somewhat related or even closely related in Europe including Imperial Russia at the time. Czar Nicholas was closely related to the king of England, for instance.
Actual reason for the Winter war: In about 1935, there was a demo of artillery pieces by a Russian manufacturer of artillery big gun pieces to military top brass in about 1935, give or take 5 years some where near Saint Petersburg. A Russian artillery was demonstrating big artillery pieces which could supposedly hit distant targets about 26 miles away. In that artillery demo, the new artillery flew 26 miles as promised, but missed their targets. Demo was a failure::: In the 1935 demo by manufacturers of artillery pieces, demo artillery shellings missed their intended target of a distant house 26 miles away by 100 meters to 150 meters. The point was well taken: Red Army decided, it's only a matter of time before Finland could start shelling their capital city, as the border with Karelia province was only about 26 miles away. They were paranoid. To make matters seem worse, Finnish army of 1935 peering at Saint Petersburg through binoculars wore uniforms similar to Nazi uniforms of ww1. Finnish army that time wore military uniforms similar to Nazi German uniforms, and border guards used to peer and look through binoculars at Saint Petersburg, from the Karelia border. Karelia border at the time was 25 miles away. Karelia, which Imperial Russia had lost to Sweden in an earlier war many many decades earlier. 100 years prior to building of Saint Petersburg, province of Karelia was likely bear coutry, a no – man's land and heavily wooded area of pine forests, with few ethnic Karelian villages in the area of present day Karelia and few ethnic Russian families in cabins in the same province and likely few ethnic Finns too living in other cabins in the same area. imperial Russia was the owner of Karelia province at the time city of Saint Petersburg was being built by Peter the Great for a decade from about 1693 to about 1703.
I had read about a boating accident in remote Karelia region or province state of Russia in which some school children during summer camp were killed in Karelia in a boating accident about 7 years back or so. I read further about Karelia in youtube more recently. I had come back to India from some place in America. True facts on Karelia instead of propaganda:: A perfect example of why certain wars are bound to happen in certain scenarios, such as the winter war and continuation war. Human beings are bound to lose lives, in the past, present and future, in certain unavoidable wars. Certain other wars were avoidable though. The winter war and continuation war in Karelia province of Imperial Russia, or Finland formerly under Swedish rule, were necessary or unnecessary depending on which side you support. Sweden as a kingdom had in earlier centuries conquered all of Finland and one province of Russia kingdom::: the province of Karelia which Imperial Russia owned at the time of construction of Saint Petersburg. Karelia province which on one side was situated on the suburban outskirts of Saint Petersburg, and stretches / juts into Finland for a hundred miles or so. When Saint Petersburg was being built for about 10 years from 1693 to about 1703 by Peter the Great, Karelia province which was in the outskirts of Saint Petersburg. was part of Imperial Russia the kingdom. Saint Petersburg was inaugurated as a city of Russia by Peter the Great in 1703, while Imperial Russia owned Karelia province. In 1712, Peter the Great declared that Saint Petersburg will be the new capital, as it still lies on the suburbs of Karelia province (at the time) deep in the heart of Russia far from Finland. When Sweden gave independence to Finland, Sweden gave previously conquered Karelia province to newly independent Finland. Actually even earlier, on maps drawn in Stockholm, imperial Sweden had already started drawing the maps of Karelia into the maps of Finland even before Sweden gave independence to Finland. In the post independence scenario, why should Finland give Karelia to Russia unless there is a war. This meant war:: There was a war. Next a war was bound to happen, as Finland will say Karelia belongs to them. Karelians, including Finns were offered Russian citizenship (meaning Soviet citizenship), which the ethnic Finns refused while the Karelians accepted citizenship, along with long time ethnic Russians of Karelia. Likely after the Continuation war, Soviets created tiny north Karelia out of Karelia province to give (back) to Finland out of the bigger Karelia. Also, that time, Soviets gave back to Finland tiny west Karelia (small western part of Karelia), which they gave (or gave back) to Finland also for re-settling the small Finnish population of Karelia who refused offers of Russian citizenship. Soviets kept the bigger bulk of the rest of Karelia province likely after the Continuation war, supposedly to make Saint Petersburg city impossible to invade. More important than the military tactics is a sad mental conclusion that certain wars were absolutely unavoidable. Earlier, the Romanov Dynasty of imperial Russia did everything (meaning, nothing) while in power to avoid a war in Karelia, as the members of the Romanov dynasty were related to all other royal houses and royal kings and queens of Europe, including Finnish Royalty and Swedish Royalty. If a king or queen starts a war, all hell breaks loose, as calls and urgent diplomatic letters start pouring in from royal houses all over Europe, to stop the war and to withdraw troops. King from a neighboring country may call Czar Nicholas if he sent troops to Karelia: "Hey cousin, what are you up to? Why are your troops in my backyard?" The Romanov Dynasty was no exception, and may have decided not to send troops to Karelia so long as the Romanov dynasty was in power. Nearly all Royal houses in Europe were somewhat related or even closely related in Europe including Imperial Russia at the time. Czar Nicholas was closely related to the king of England, for instance. having said that, I agree with Swedes of earlier centuries that 100 years prior to Russia owning Karelia during the time of construction of their new capital, that heavily wooded pine filled province was likely populated with just a few Russian long time residents living in cabins along with a few Finns living in wooden cabins along with many Karelians living in a few villages within the area of present day Karelia. Karelians are trying to revive their nearly dead language for purposes of tourism, as it is supposedly a form of medieval Russian language, according to Molotov and gang.
Although Soviets didn't meet the objectives in Winter war they still managed to take lands from Finland plus the Soviets got their revenge against Finland in the continuation war taking even more lands but Stalin should've invaded and annex the whole Finland in late 1940s
Talk about the coldest hot war…
"The 1st Sissi Battalion." Come on, I bet you had to chuckle a bit as well…
Soviets should have took all of finland and reeducated those northern nazi scums
good that Fins lost
These numbers are insane. A battalion vs a full division in any other place is an easy victory. But dear God the Finns 😆 non f'ng stop
I would not perhaps call the area arctic. Its not inside the arctic circle and the climate in the area of Suomussalmi is far from arctic.
Same latitude in Canada or Siberia might be arctic.
Russian win in winter war
King and general please make the video of world war 2 war
Will definitely appriciate if someday a video on afghan usa war is made!
Must have been nasty to get executed because of strategic blunder that you were against in the first place. Referring to 44th battalion led by Vinogradov.
In Brazil, whatsoever people know about times the Second War is the clashes between Japan, Germany, and Italy against the allies. Rarely the brave and courageous Finland is remembered for the fights against Russia to defend its independence and freedom. When I taught History in my country, Brazil, I always emphasized the fearsome war that Finland choose to defend its territory, which army was very little in comparison with the Soviet Army. Although was a disparate confront, Finish soldiers had halted the Russian offensive and placed the Soviet army in a fix, severing its logistic chain and dislodging the Russian Army in several areas, by several times. Finland, which by then nobody believed to be a doable adversary of Russia, showed to all world that was able to solve a bunch of military challenges, expel and halted the Russian intruders, and transforms their country into an impassable fortress. Finland is an example of courage and determination. I love the Finnish people and I taught my pupils to respect and love this commendable nation. Long live to Finnish people!!!!!
Just a wee quibble: the narrator gets the pronunciation of close to half of the Finnish names right. Why not all of them? A voice coach would have made short work of the task (and it would have been fun, too!).
Hard to believe that the biggest problem for the russians was the cold…
No wonder, Stalin executed most talented russian army leaders shortly before the winter war.
The russian generals who lost the winter war, also got shot back home.
Finnish SISU!!
The winter war was an incredible win by the Finns. the greatest sniper that ever lived racked up the body count… instilled fear throughout the soviet army
"Sissi battallion". "sissi" translates as guerilla/skirmisher
Many was fighting close to their homes, while russians brought armies from far ukraine, that causes the difference in moral.
אן באף סירטון עברית
I served in military 92-93 and took part in collecting funds to the WWII veterans. Many veterans from my home area took part in the battle of suomussalmi and I met one of them. He showed an old bullet wound in his wrist, and told he got it when his squad was chasing a Russian company which had broken out from their encirclement. His squad of 8 guys chasing a company of 100+ guys. I asked about it, he shrugged and said "well those were the odds".
They should built a monument to Unknown Finnish Cook and his dreadfull weapon that stopped a Soviet offensive: a field kitchen full of saussage soup. 😛 😛 😛
"..and the forests spoke Finnish" should be enough of an indicator to GTFO lol
"the trees start speaking finnish" 😂😂😂 lol
My father and my uncles fought in the Winter War. My father in Suomussalmi, Raate and Pitkäranta (a heavy battle but not mentioned here). One of my uncles who was a pilot, bombed soviets who were retreating on the ice of lake Kianta with the Bristol Blenheim bomber which skipper he was. Unfortunately our small airforce had only two of those to send there for the mission. That was the only time my father saw our planes in that war.
Interesting video but don't you have original footage of the war rather than making graphic chess-like illustrations. Thanks anyway for this wonderful series.
I am playing Conflict of Nations it is the best game in world I am recommending it for everyone.
I had read about a boating accident in remote Karelia region or province state of Russia in which some school children during summer camp were killed in Karelia about 7 years back or so. I read further about Karelia in youtube more recently. True facts on Karelia instead of propaganda:: A perfect example of why certain wars are bound to happen in certain scenarios. Human beings are bound to lose lives, in the past, present and future, in wars. The winter war and continuation war in Karelia province of Imperoal Russia, or Finland formerly under Swedish rule, were necessary or unnecessary depending on which side you support. Sweden as a kingdom had in earlier centuries conquered all of Finland and one province of Russia kingdom::: the province of Karelia which Imperial Russia owned at the time, Karelia province which on one side was situated on the suburban outskirts of Saint Petersburg, and stretches / juts into Finland for a hundred miles or so. When Sweden gave independence to Finland, Sweden gave previously conquered Karelia province to newly independent Finland. Actually even earlier, on maps drawn in Stockholm, imperial Sweden had already started drawing the maps of Karelia into the maps of Finland even before Sweden gave independence to Finland. In the post independence scenario, why should Finland give Karelia to Russia unless there is a war. This meant war:: There was a war. Next a war was bound to happen, as Finland will say Karelia belongs to them. Likely after the Continuation war, Soviets created tiny north Karelia out of Karelia province to give back to Finland out of the bigger Karelia. Also, that time, Soviets gave back to Finland tiny west Karelia (small western part of Karelia), which they gave to Finland also for re-settling the small Finnish population of Karelia. Soviets kept the bigger bulk of the rest of Karelia province likely after the Continuation war. More important than the military tactics is a sad mental conclusion that certain wars are absolutely unavoidable. Earlier, the Romanov Dynasty of imperial Russia did everything (meaning, nothing) while in power to avoid a war in Karelia, as the members of the Romanov dynasty were related to all other royal houses and royal kings and queens of Europe, including Finnish Royalty and Swedish Royalty. If a king or queen starts a war, all hell breaks loose, as calls and urgent diplomatic letters start pouring in from royal houses all over Europe, to stop the war and to withdraw troops. King from a neighbouring country may call Czar Nicholas if he sent troops to Karelia: "Hey cousin, what are you up to? Why are your troops in my backyard?" The Romanov Dynasty was no exception. Nearly all Royal houses in Europe were somewhat related or even closely related in Europe including Imperial Russia at the time. Czar Nicholas was closely related to the king of England, for instance.
Actual reason for the Winter war: In about 1935, there was a demo of artillery pieces by a Russian manufacturer of artillery big gun pieces to military top brass in about 1935, give or take 5 years some where near Saint Petersburg. A Russian artillery was demonstrating big artillery pieces which could supposedly hit distant targets about 26 miles away. In that artillery demo, the new artillery flew 26 miles as promised, but missed their targets. Demo was a failure::: In the 1935 demo by manufacturers of artillery pieces, demo artillery shellings missed their intended target of a distant house 26 miles away by 100 meters to 150 meters. The point was well taken: Red Army decided, it's only a matter of time before Finland could start shelling their capital city, as the border with Karelia province was only about 26 miles away. They were paranoid. To make matters seem worse, Finnish army of 1935 peering at Saint Petersburg through binoculars wore uniforms similar to Nazi uniforms of ww1. Finnish army that time wore military uniforms similar to Nazi German uniforms, and border guards used to peer and look through binoculars at Saint Petersburg, from the Karelia border. Karelia border at the time was 25 miles away. Karelia, which Imperial Russia had lost to Sweden in an earlier war many many decades earlier. 100 years prior to building of Saint Petersburg, province of Karelia was likely bear coutry, a no – man's land and heavily wooded area of pine forests, with few ethnic Karelian villages in the area of present day Karelia and few ethnic Russian families in cabins in the same province and likely few ethnic Finns too living in other cabins in the same area. imperial Russia was the owner of Karelia province at the time city of Saint Petersburg was being built by Peter the Great for a decade from about 1693 to about 1703.
I had read about a boating accident in remote Karelia region or province state of Russia in which some school children during summer camp were killed in Karelia in a boating accident about 7 years back or so. I read further about Karelia in youtube more recently. I had come back to India from some place in America. True facts on Karelia instead of propaganda:: A perfect example of why certain wars are bound to happen in certain scenarios, such as the winter war and continuation war. Human beings are bound to lose lives, in the past, present and future, in certain unavoidable wars. Certain other wars were avoidable though. The winter war and continuation war in Karelia province of Imperial Russia, or Finland formerly under Swedish rule, were necessary or unnecessary depending on which side you support. Sweden as a kingdom had in earlier centuries conquered all of Finland and one province of Russia kingdom::: the province of Karelia which Imperial Russia owned at the time of construction of Saint Petersburg. Karelia province which on one side was situated on the suburban outskirts of Saint Petersburg, and stretches / juts into Finland for a hundred miles or so. When Saint Petersburg was being built for about 10 years from 1693 to about 1703 by Peter the Great, Karelia province which was in the outskirts of Saint Petersburg. was part of Imperial Russia the kingdom. Saint Petersburg was inaugurated as a city of Russia by Peter the Great in 1703, while Imperial Russia owned Karelia province. In 1712, Peter the Great declared that Saint Petersburg will be the new capital, as it still lies on the suburbs of Karelia province (at the time) deep in the heart of Russia far from Finland. When Sweden gave independence to Finland, Sweden gave previously conquered Karelia province to newly independent Finland. Actually even earlier, on maps drawn in Stockholm, imperial Sweden had already started drawing the maps of Karelia into the maps of Finland even before Sweden gave independence to Finland. In the post independence scenario, why should Finland give Karelia to Russia unless there is a war. This meant war:: There was a war. Next a war was bound to happen, as Finland will say Karelia belongs to them. Karelians, including Finns were offered Russian citizenship (meaning Soviet citizenship), which the ethnic Finns refused while the Karelians accepted citizenship, along with long time ethnic Russians of Karelia. Likely after the Continuation war, Soviets created tiny north Karelia out of Karelia province to give (back) to Finland out of the bigger Karelia. Also, that time, Soviets gave back to Finland tiny west Karelia (small western part of Karelia), which they gave (or gave back) to Finland also for re-settling the small Finnish population of Karelia who refused offers of Russian citizenship. Soviets kept the bigger bulk of the rest of Karelia province likely after the Continuation war, supposedly to make Saint Petersburg city impossible to invade. More important than the military tactics is a sad mental conclusion that certain wars were absolutely unavoidable. Earlier, the Romanov Dynasty of imperial Russia did everything (meaning, nothing) while in power to avoid a war in Karelia, as the members of the Romanov dynasty were related to all other royal houses and royal kings and queens of Europe, including Finnish Royalty and Swedish Royalty. If a king or queen starts a war, all hell breaks loose, as calls and urgent diplomatic letters start pouring in from royal houses all over Europe, to stop the war and to withdraw troops. King from a neighboring country may call Czar Nicholas if he sent troops to Karelia: "Hey cousin, what are you up to? Why are your troops in my backyard?" The Romanov Dynasty was no exception, and may have decided not to send troops to Karelia so long as the Romanov dynasty was in power. Nearly all Royal houses in Europe were somewhat related or even closely related in Europe including Imperial Russia at the time. Czar Nicholas was closely related to the king of England, for instance. having said that, I agree with Swedes of earlier centuries that 100 years prior to Russia owning Karelia during the time of construction of their new capital, that heavily wooded pine filled province was likely populated with just a few Russian long time residents living in cabins along with a few Finns living in wooden cabins along with many Karelians living in a few villages within the area of present day Karelia. Karelians are trying to revive their nearly dead language for purposes of tourism, as it is supposedly a form of medieval Russian language, according to Molotov and gang.
The secret to cold weather warfare is keeping your socks dry and your weapons cold.
Communists are not imperialists. They never attacked Finland, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania. Oh. Wait….
гуддддддддддд
And people wonder why "Operation Barbarossa" is considered a pre-emptive strike…
Russia: we are the most powerfull country in Europe
Finland: hold my winter
All heil alla out Finnish Soldat,no one invade Us soft ,check stats
Although Soviets didn't meet the objectives in Winter war they still managed to take lands from Finland plus the Soviets got their revenge against Finland in the continuation war taking even more lands but Stalin should've invaded and annex the whole Finland in late 1940s