The Winter War

November 30, 1939, marked the start of a war that has been all but forgotten in Russia: the war between the Soviet Union and Finland, commonly referred to in English as “The Winter War.”

The two countries had been negotiating an exchange of borderlands, but were unable to come to terms. Not surprisingly, Finland had no desire to give up territory that included the well-developed city of Vyborg in exchange for undeveloped Karelian forest (albeit a lot of it). After talks broke down, the Soviet people were given the improbable news that little Finland had invaded. Thankfully, the Red Army had turned the table on the shameless aggressor and crossed into Finland.

The assumption was that Soviet tanks would reach Helsinki in no time. At that point, a new Soviet government that was waiting in the wings would be quickly installed and immediately express its desire to become a part of the USSR.