16 Facts About Winter War

1.

Winter War, known as the First Soviet-Finnish War, was a war between the Soviet Union and Finland.

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2.

World Winter War I led to the collapse of the Russian Empire during the Russian Revolution of 1917 and to the Russian Civil Winter War.

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3.

Period after the Finnish Civil Winter War until the early 1930s was a politically unstable time in Finland because of the continued rivalry between the conservatives and the socialists.

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4.

Winter War thought that the pro-Finland movement in Karelia posed a direct threat to Leningrad and that the area and defences of Finland could be used to invade the Soviet Union or restrict fleet movements.

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5.

Winter War claimed that Stalin had little hope for such a deal but would play for time for the ongoing mobilisation.

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6.

Winter War stated the objective as being to secure Finland from being used as a staging ground by means of regime change.

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7.

Winter War stated that "the strongest argument" against a Soviet intention of full conquest is that it did not happen in either 1939 or during the Continuation War in 1944 even though Stalin "could have done so with comparative ease".

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8.

World War II, which had started before the Winter War, proved more costly for the Finnish merchant vessels, with 26 lost due to hostile action in 1939 and 1940.

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9.

Winter War's offered to contact Moscow through the Soviet Union's ambassador to Sweden, Alexandra Kollontai.

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10.

World War II had not yet directly affected France, the United Kingdom or the United States; the Winter War was practically the only conflict in Europe at that time and thus held major world interest.

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11.

Max Manus, a Norwegian, fought in the Winter War before returning to Norway and later achieved fame as a resistance fighter during the German occupation of Norway.

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12.

Winter War was released after Stalin's death and returned to Finland in 1956.

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13.

Finland wished to re-enter the war mainly because of the Soviet invasion of Finland during the Winter War, which had taken place after Finland had failed by relying on the League of Nations and on Nordic neutrality.

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14.

The Continuation Winter War began in June 1941 and led to Finnish participation in the Siege of Leningrad as well as the Finnish occupation of East Karelia.

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15.

Winter War laid bare the disorganisation and ineffectiveness of the Red Army and that of the Allies.

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16.

The Anglo-French Supreme Winter War Council was unable to formulate a workable plan, revealing its unsuitability to make effective war in either Britain or France.

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