Winter War

[karl]

Is anyone interested in the fact that the Winter War took place 60 years ago? I have not seen any references to the historical memories of its occurrance. I am just beginning to research my new interest in the history of Karelia. Is anyone else interested its history?

[Lokari]

Karl, I'm interested in the history of the Winter War for obvious reasons. I don't remember much of that war, because it was almost over when I was born. On the very first day of my life my mom had to take me to a bomb shelter in the basement of the hospital, because the russian bombers were in the vicinity. That time they didn't come to Pori, but other times they killed several people; once a bomb hit a shelter causing numerous casualties.

[karl]

I find it interesting that you were born during the Winter War...I was born 2 1/2 months before it began. However, I was born in NYC. My Mother lost several half-brothers in the war. I must look up Pori. My Mother's family was near Viipuri. I just finished reading "Storm Over the Land" about the war and the lives of some of the people affected by it. While not a smooth reading book..I think due to the translation...it contained a good view of the lives of the Karelian people. Mostly, the poor and how they lived and survive.

[Pyry Vainio]

Karl look www.mil.fi (http://www.mil.fi) It is the information pages of the Finnish army. There are pages for each day of the winter war, from beginning to the correspondin day so to-day until the 17th Dec. These pages are available in Finnish, Swedish and Englesh languages. You ca follow the war day by day.

[karl]

Pyry..
Thanks for the information on the site. It is very interesting to follow the day by day occurrences. I have a couple of newspaper cartoons from New York papers at that time in support of the Finns. Do you know if there is a good source on the internet for a map of Karelia during the time of the Winter War?

[Tero]

The www.uutiset.com page doesn't have much, but there's a link to a gift shop in DC(Memories of Finland, I think) and there might be some history books there of interest.
I just looked it up. Some books and a video:
The Winter War (video)

Pekka Parikka's grueling classic videotape -- The first film made about the Winter War, recounting the war from the soldiers' point of view. The screenplay, based on Antti Tuuri's book "Talvisota," is a dignified tribute to the tenacious Finnish heroes who preserved their country's independence. (125 minutes)
 $29.95 http://www.memoriesoffinland.com/Products/ww.html


[This message has been edited by Tero (edited December 17, 1999).]

[karl]

Thanks, Tero. I have a copy of the Winter War. I have it viewed twice, so far. I still need to view it without concentrating on the subtitles. The movie coupled with the book "Storm Over the Land", which I also got from Memories of Finland give a strong picture of the "Home Guard", their family lives and warfighting. Another book that helps me round out the Winter War picture is the book "Soldier Under Three Flags." It is nearly 150 years since Americans fought on their own land but only 60 since the Winter War. The idea of being able to leave the front lines to bring the bodies of your friends home to their families lends understanding to impact of the invasion of one's homeland. Not sure that statement makes sense...but Americans have been fighting overseas...and separated from the realities of invasion and evacuations from home villages.

[Tero]

You've probably run a search on talvisota, but here's a few links, most were in Finnish: http://www.uta.fi/~tnhasi/inet/heiskan.htm
http://www.saunalahti.fi/~ejuhola/7.62/kollaaintro.html
http://www.sci.fi/~oleh/ww2fin.htm
a high school project!
http://www.mil.fi/joukot/satlsto/historia.htm
satakunnan lennosto
http://www.htk.fi/KIRJASTO/maanpuol.htm
defense in general, some links may have history
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/3818/FINNLIV.HTM
pretty broad coverage in english

[karl]

Thanks, again, Tero...great sites..I don't speak or read Finnish but there is a lot of English available. Will read in depth after I get my Christmas "Honey-do" list completed.

[Tero]

Turns out the winter war page of the last link was a part of a larger FinnoUgric site: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/3818/finnugr.html
I think the guy's name is Osmo