Winter war by kurt belcher overdrive rakuten overdrive. Aug 16, 2017 the amazing story of finland in world war ii, 19391945 a soldier with a pack reindeer, on slippery ice, near the tiny village of nautsi, in northern lapland, finland, on october 26, 1941. A book about the winter war by vaino tanner, finlands foreign minister during the conflict, provides a different perspective, the author having been a leading social democrat, and principal on the finnish negotiating team. At the same year the film talvisota winter war was released which was the most expensive finnish movie at the time. He has been a role model for snipers all over the world and paved the way for them by demonstrating their significance on the. Simo hayha was a finnish marksman of the highest order, and his weapon of choice was the finnish m2830 rifle, which he used in the winter war 1939. The 50th anniversary of the winter war started a new era in 1989. For three months, the two countries fought in the winter war, and in an unexpected turn of events, finland the underdog emerged victorious.
During the 193940 winter war between finland and the soviet union, a hunter and farmer by trade by the name of simo hayha returned to his reserve unit and picked up 542 confirmed kills with iron. This book is the story of the finish wwii sniper simo hayha who had over 500 confirmed kills during the 19391940 winter war against the russians. When the russians invaded finland in the winter of 1939, prior to the soviets being at war with germany, simo was already 33 years old and turned 34 shortly after the invasion while he was on the front lines. Finnish divisions, strength and equipment, tanks, air force and navy. Simo hayha 1905 2002 is the most famous sniper in the world. Instructor at the light services combat school supervises practice with the suomi submachine gun.
It makes you think what it was like for the people who had to live in finland closeish to the boarder of russia. During the winter war, the finns proved particularly adept at channeling, diverting, and demoralizing soviet troops. The winter war was a war between the soviet union ussr and finland. During the winter war fought between russia and finland in 1939 1940 he had 542 confirmed kills with iron. Winter war is about the 100 day war of finland against the invading soviet union army at the dawn of world war ii. In november 1939, the mighty soviet unionwith a red army numbering in the millions of men, tens of thousands of tanks, and thousands of aircraftinvaded tiny finland, a thirdrate power whose military force was less than a tenth that size. Russofinnish war november 30, 1939march 12, 1940, also called the winter war, war waged by the soviet union against finland at the beginning of world war ii, following the conclusion of the germansoviet nonaggression pact august 23, 1939.
The sniper simo hayha 9789525026740 by tapio sarrelainen. The subject of this book, the most famous sniper in the world, because during the winter war between russia and finland in 1939 1940, he had 542 confirmed kills and the record stand still today. The russofinnish winter war of 19391940 by william r. Simo hayha 19052002 is the most famous sniper in the world. The soviet union collapsed and moscow archives opened revealing new information about the winter war. During the ominous lull between the nazi conquest of poland and the assault on france, the soviet union sought palpable assurances from neutral, democratic finland to protect vulnerable leningrad against attack, ostensibly from the british or the french, but in fact from hitler. Tanners minutebyminute descriptions of the wartime negotiations with the ussr indicate that the collapse of.
Its a pretty good book and it chronicles the most prolific sniper of wwii and his work during the winter war between finland and russia. During the winter war, which was fought between finland and soviet union in 1939 1940, he obediently carried out the demanding tasks he was commanded to. Finnish armed forces in the winter war 193940 ww2 weapons. Sep 25, 2019 armed forces of finland in the winter war 193940. Home world war two world war two and eastern europe the winter war 1939. The role of the sniper was largely ignored until the winter war of 193940 between finland and the soviet union. Map of the areas ceded by finland to the soviet union after the winter war 1940. Simo hayha was a man of action who spoke very little, but he was respected by his men and his superiors and. Mar, 2020 imo hayha was a unique sniper in more than one way, actually, in quiet a few ways. During the winter war fought between russia and finland from 1939 to 1940, he had 542 confirmed kills with iron sights, a record that still stands today.
No matter how many books on sniping you have read, this must be. During the winter war fought between russia and finland in 19391940 he had 542 confirmed kills with iron sights, a record that still stands today. The role of the sniper was largely ignored until the winter war of. Skis and reindeers make the finnish soldiers movable. Jul 23, 2012 the winter war of finland and russia 1939 1940. During the winter war fought between russia and finland in 1939 1940 he had 542 confirmed. Sniper tero toivanent answers the call from his homeland, finland, when its attacked by the ussr, which seeks a buffer zone against nazi germany. The amazing story of finland in world war ii, 19391945 a soldier with a pack reindeer, on slippery ice, near the tiny village of nautsi, in northern lapland, finland, on october 26, 1941. When finland rejected the demand, the soviet union launched an attack on november 30, 1939, beginning the russofinnish war. During the winter war fought between russia and finland from 1939 to. Designed by finlands most notable arms inventor, aimo lahti, the m31 suomi submachine gun is an iconic weapon of the winter war and the continuation war. Nov 19, 2019 simo hayha 19052002 is the most famous sniper in the world. Finnish sniper simo hayha and his activities during the 100day winter war. Simo hayha, also known as the white death is widely regarded as the most skilled and successful sniper there ever was, with over 500 kills to his name.
The problem with this book is that it is repetitive and lacks a cohesive timeline. During the winter war fought between russia and finland in 1939 1940 he had 542 confirmed kills with iron sights, a record that still stands. The man from rautajarvi aka the white death best snipers series book. The winter war goodreads meet your next favorite book. The amazing story of finland in world war ii, 19391945. The soviet attack on finland, 19391940 stackpole military history series new ed by engle, eloise, paananen, lauri isbn. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. A brisk, efficient account of one of the most overlooked episodes of world war iithe soviet invasion of finland. Finland had to cede viipuri and the northern port of petsamo, as well as the entire karelian isthmus. He helped defend finland from the soviets during world war ii. List of snipers by confirmed kills the worlds military.
Shipping may be from multiple locations in the us or from the uk, depending on stock availability. During the winter war fought between russia and finland in 1939. At the dawn of world war ii in 1939, josef stalin sent over half a million men across russias western border to invade finland. On war and the winter war florida state university. The book explores his life, his exploits in the winter war, the secretsbehind his success, including character, weapon, and technique, and examines his. He has been a role model for snipers all over the world. It began with a soviet invasion of finland on 30 november 1939, three months after the outbreak of world war ii, and ended three and a half months later with the moscow peace treaty on march 1940. Jul 20, 2016 during the winter war, the finns proved particularly adept at channeling, diverting, and demoralizing soviet troops. During the winter war fought between russia and finland in 1939 1940 he had 542 confirmed kills with iron sights, a record that still stands today. It is much like the winter war the soviet attack on finland 19391940 by eloise engle and lauri paananen as this book is more a starting out point than a detailed work on the subject. Owing to the harshness of that particular winter, hundreds of finlands lakes were covered with thick layers of ice that provided the invading force wide expanses to mass troops at a safe remove from the sniperinfested forests. The soviets had won the winter war and, in the subsequent treaty of moscow, took much more than what they had demanded originally. This short story about one of the most unusual snipers in the history of.
The winter war russia against finland a ballantine book this is another common book that can be located on ebay or with ease. Fire and ice the winter war of finland and russia youtube. Jun 01, 2008 a brisk, efficient account of one of the most overlooked episodes of world war iithe soviet invasion of finland. This page is in no way intended to glorify the amount of people these soldiers have killed, it is intended to recognize the manner in which these soldiers excelled at accomplishing the misson assigned to them in a time of war. After polands defeat in the autumn of 1939, the soviet union, wishing to safeguard leningrad, demanded from finland a minor part of the karelian isthmus, a naval base at hanko hango, and some islands in the gulf of finland.
He was nicknamed white death by his russian prey and held the record for the most recorded confirmed kills in any major conflict for a sniper. Popular winter war books meet your next favorite book. The book made by viktor stepakov and dmitri orehov paraatimarssi suomeen parade march into finland,1992 clearly states that they were executed. The finnish army was one of the smallest in europe. Later in his book, rantamaa credited hayha with 542 sniper kills. He has been credited with a mindboggling 505 reported kills, which is actually the highest number of confirmed sniper kills in the history for any major war. This is backed up by the information acquired from several soviet pows captured during the continuation war 19411944. It takes place in the late 1930s and the 1940s during the winter war against the soviet union and finland. At the beginning of the 1990s the atmosphere changed. Learn more about the russofinnish war in this article. He is believed to have killed over 500 men during the 193940 winter war, the highest number of sniper kills in any major war.
In my opinion its better than trotters book in that it does not wonder off after details too often. Snipers at war is a detailed history and analysis of the equipment, tactics, and personalities of the sniping world, from the pursuit of accuracy to the latest electronic aids to observation and ranging. After settling down ww2 erupts, and he is lost in finland, as she falls in love with the german soldier maximilian. Mar 19, 2015 former finnish sniper simo hayha reading a book. During the winter war fought between russia and finland from 1939 to 1940, he had 542 confirmed kills. When finland rejected the demand, the soviet union launched an attack on november 30, 1939, beginning the russo. A norwegian nurse falls in love with a finnish soldier in the winter war of 193940 between finland and the soviet union. During the winter war fought between russia and finland in 1939 1940 he had 542 confirmed kills with iron sights, a record.
Lundes finlands war of choice is a book that concentrates on the war of 194144 and also has description of lapland war though only a bare mention of the winter war. He is credited with 505 confirmed sniper kills in the winter war of 193940. During the winter war fought between russia and finland in 19391940 he had 542. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Oct 31, 2016 the remarkable story of the finnish marksman nicknamed white death by the red army for his record number of confirmed kills. Depending on the record, simo hayha was born in 1905 in the farming town of. Soviets vs finish ww2 introduction im not sure how many people know the history of the winter war between russia and finland, but it is an incredible story and one worth telling, it is a war that helped convince the nazis to invade russia in operation barbarossa. For most of finlands history, the country had lived on the periphery of world events, but for a few weeks during the winter of 193940, finland stood at.
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