Soviet-Finnish War

The Soviet-Finnish war was fleeting. Its beginning was in November 1939. In 3,5 months it was over.

The Soviet-Finnish war, the reasons for which are still questionable, was provoked by the Maynil incident, when Soviet border guards fired from the Finnish territory in the village of Maynila. The Soviet authorities claimed that this event took place. The Finnish side denied its participation in the shelling. Two days later, the Soviet Union abolished the non-aggression pact with Finland unilaterally and launched hostilities.

The real causes of the war lay somewhat deeper than the shelling at the border. Firstly, the Soviet-Finnish war was a continuation of the Finnish attacks on the territory of Russia in the period from 1918 to 1922. As a result of these clashes, the parties reached peace and formalized an agreement on the inviolability of the border. Finland received the Pecheneg region and part of the Middle and Fisher Islands.

Since then, relations between countries have remained tense, despite the non-aggression pact. Finland feared that the USSR would try to return its lands, and in the USSR it was assumed that the opponent would let the forces of another unfriendly country on its territory to carry out the attack.

In Finland, during this period, the activities of the Communist Party were banned, as well as actively preparing for war, and the Soviet Union takes this country into its zone of influence on the secret protocols of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.

In the same period, the USSR is trying to get a part of the Karelian Isthmus to be exchanged for Karelian territory. But Finland does not agree with the conditions put forward. Negotiations practically did not advance, sinking to mutual insults and reproaches. When they reached a dead end, Finland announced a general mobilization. Two weeks later, the Baltic Fleet and the Leningrad Military District began preparations for hostilities.

The Soviet press launched an active antifin propaganda, which instantly found a corresponding response in the country-opponent. The Soviet-Finnish war was finally over. Before her, less than a month left.

Many believe that the shelling at the border was an imitation. It is possible that the Soviet-Finnish war, whose reasons and motives were limited to this shelling, began with unfounded statements or provocations. No documentary evidence was found. The Finnish side insisted on a joint investigation, but the Soviet authorities sharply rejected this proposal.

Official relations with the government of Finland were interrupted immediately, as the war began.

Attacks were planned to be deployed in two directions. Having made a successful breakthrough, Soviet troops could take advantage of their undeniable power superiority. Command of the Army expected to carry out the operation in a period of two weeks to a month. The Soviet-Finnish war should not have dragged on.

Subsequently it turned out that the leadership of the Soviet Army had very scant ideas about the enemy. Successfully started fighting slowed down when the defense of the Finns broke through. There was not enough military power. By the end of December it became clear that further offensive on this plan was hopeless.

After considerable changes, both armies were again ready for battle.

The offensive of the Soviet troops continued on the Karelian Isthmus. The Finnish army successfully defeated them and even made attempts to counterattack. But unsuccessfully.

In February, the retreat of Finnish troops began. On the Karelian Isthmus, the Red Army overcame the second line of defense. On February 13, Soviet soldiers entered Vyborg.

After that, the Finnish authorities put forward a request to the USSR for negotiations. March 12 was marked by the world, according to which the Karelian Isthmus, Vyborg, Sortalava, the islands of the Gulf of Finland, the territory with the city of Kuolayarvi and some other territories became the property of the Soviet Union. Finland returned the territory of Petsamo. Also, the USSR was leased territory on the peninsula of Hanko.

At the same time, the confidence of the Western countries in the USSR was finally lost. The reason was the Soviet-Finnish war. 1941 began in an extremely difficult situation.