The Russo-Finnish War and its secrets

The Russo-Finnish War began in November 1939and lasted 105 days - until March 1940. The war did not end with the final rout of any of the armies and was completed by the conclusion of a peace treaty on conditions favorable to Russia (then the Soviet Union). Since the war was in the cold season, many Russian soldiers suffered from severe frosts, but did not retreat.

All this is known to any schoolboy, all thisstudied in history lessons. Only here about how the war began, and what it had to the Finns, is spoken less often. It's not surprising - who needs to know the enemy's point of view? And our guys fellows beaten opponents.

It is because of this worldview that the percentage of Russians who know the truth about this war and accept it is so insignificant.

The Russian-Finnish war of 1939 did not break outsuddenly, like a bolt from the blue. The conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland has been brewing for almost two decades. Finland did not trust the great leader of that time - Stalin, who, in turn, was dissatisfied with the alliance of Finland with England, Germany and France.

Russia, to ensure its own security,tried to conclude an agreement with Finland on terms favorable to the Soviet Union. And after another refusal, Finland decided to try to coerce her, and on November 30, Russian troops opened fire on Finland.

Initially, the Russian-Finnish war was not successfulfor Russia - the winter was cold, the soldiers received frostbite, some froze to death, and the Finns held the defense firmly on the Mannerheim line. But the troops of the Soviet Union won, having gathered together all the remaining forces and going over to a general offensive. As a result, peace was concluded between the countries on favorable terms for Russia: a significant part of the Finnish territories (including the Karelian Isthmus, part of the Fishing Peninsula and the northern and western coast of the Ladoga Lake) passed into Russian possessions, and the Hanko peninsula was rented to Russia for 30 years .

In history, the Russo-Finnish war was called"Unnecessary", since it gave almost nothing to Russia or Finland. Both sides were to blame for its beginning, and both sides suffered huge losses. Thus, during the war the Soviet army lost 48,745 people, 158,863 soldiers were wounded or frost-bitten. Finns also lost a huge number of people.

With the course of the war described above, if not all,then, at least, many. But there are also such information about the Russo-Finnish war, about which it is not customary to speak out loud or they are simply not known. And there are such unpleasant, in some ways even indecent information about both participants in the battle: both Russia and Finland.

So, it is not customary to say that the war withFinland was unleashed and unjustifiable: the Soviet Union attacked it without warning, violating the peace treaty concluded in 1920 and the non-aggression pact of 1934. Moreover, having started this war, the Soviet Union also violated its own convention, which stipulated that an attack on the state party (which Finland was), as well as its blockade or threats against it, can not be justified by any considerations. By the way, according to the same convention Finland had the right to attack, but did not use it.

If we talk about the Finnish army, then there is noit was without unsightly moments. The government, taken by surprise by an unexpected attack by the Russians, drove into the military schools, and then into the troops not only all capable men, but also boys, still schoolchildren, pupils of 8-9 grades.

Somehow trained children were sent toreal, adult war. Besides, in many detachments there were no tents, the weapon was not at all at all soldiers - one rifle was given out for four. Volokushi for machine guns did not stand out, and even with machine guns the guys almost did not know how to handle. Yes, what to say about weapons - the Finnish authorities could not provide their soldiers with warm clothes and shoes, and young boys, lying in a forty-degree frost in the snow, wearing light clothes and polubotinki, froze hands and feet, freezing to death.

According to official data, during severe frostsThe Finnish army lost more than 70% of the soldiers, while the company sergeant-major warmed their feet in good felt boots. Thus, having sent hundreds of young children to a certain death, Finland itself ensured defeat in the Russo-Finnish war.