The Winter War: Russia's Invasion of Finland, 1939-1940 [Hardcover]

Robert Edwards (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2008

"Edwards recounts events, both shameful and heroic, with insight, conviction and considerable wit."—Publishers Weekly

On November 30, 1939, the Soviet Union's Red Army invaded the young nation-state of Finland, in the full expectation of routing the small, ill-equipped Finnish army and annexing the former Russian territory by the end of the year. But Finland held out for 105 bitterly cold, fiercely combative days, until March 15, 1940, when a peace agreement ended the short, savage Winter War.

At the stirring center of the story lie the resourcefulness and resolve of the Finnish people, who against all military odds—in want of ammunition, food, sleep, and troops—fought a blundering, ineptly commanded Red Army to a standstill. On March 15, they ceded to the Soviet 11 percent of their territory and 30 percent of their economic assets, but none of their national pride.

The Russians meanwhile had markedly damaged their international standing and effectively ruined their military reputation-to such an extent, as this probing chapter in World War II history demonstrates, that Germany, with proud-blooded Finland as an ally, dared to launch its 1940 invasion of Russia. At the same time, though, the fiasco of the Winter War forced Stalin to acknowledge the shortcomings of the Red Army and to reform it: Germany would fall at Stalingrad in 1941.

With authority, this skillfully narrated military history unfolds its story of the four-month Soviet-Finnish war and explores its consequences from London to Moscow, from Helsinki to Paris, to Washington, DC. 20 black-and-white illustrations

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. The November 1939 Soviet invasion of Finland provoked worldwide outrage. Astonished at the Finns' fierce resistance, observers made comparisons with the valiant Greek defense of Thermopylae. In his first book, journalist Edwards delivers a lively, opinionated account of this half-forgotten but major war. After swallowing up nearby Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, Russia required Finland to cede territory near Leningrad and in the far north and to grant several bases. The Finnish government balked. Thereupon massive Soviet forces, dreadfully led, poorly trained and scandalously ill equipped for the Arctic winter, stumbled forward into a massacre. Despite lack of heavy weapons, the Finns were brilliantly led by Baron Carl Mannerheim, who had also commanded during Finland's independence battle against the Bolsheviks in 1918. Moving on skis, they took advantage of the long northern night to attack, spreading panic. But after 105 days and immense casualties, the Soviets forced the overstretched Finns to yield and surrender 10% of their territory. Governments joined their citizens in cheering the Finns, but did little else. Edwards recounts events, both shameful and heroic, with insight, conviction and considerable wit. (June 5)
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From Booklist

Edwards’ book examines the short, savage war that erupted between the Soviet Union and Finland in November 1939. His point is that it was a one-sided struggle involving at its height more than one million Red Army soldiers against a much smaller Finnish force. The most notable aspect of this conflict is the extraordinary resourcefulness and resolution of the Finns. For 105 days, the underequipped Finnish forces fought the Red Army to a standstill. By March 1940, the Finns had nothing left and were short of food, ammunition, and people, but they refused to surrender. Edwards posits that as a result of the war, the Soviet Union became and remained isolated from every great power except Germany. The author examines the attempt by the Soviet Union to effectively annex the territory of Finland by invasion and why it failed. With 16 pages of black-and-white photographs and maps, this will be of interest to World War II enthusiasts. --George Cohen

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Pegasus (July 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933648503
• ISBN-13: 978-1933648507
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #440,273 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #22 in Books > History > Europe > Finland
  • #83 in Books > History > Europe > Scandinavia

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Great Info - Poor Style, August 20, 2008

By 

David Holman - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Winter War: Russia's Invasion of Finland, 1939-1940 (Hardcover)

This books reads like a revised grad school thesis; full of great information but not written in an appealing narrative format. Random information jumps in from all sides, totally unexplained historical figures are referred to then disappear. Each chapter has numerous footnotes which make it exceedingly irritating to constantly refer to, almost all of these could've been written into the text or made into bibliography. The author pre-supposes voluminous knowledge of European history and politics, writing about many unexplained treaties, events, and figures. The book has some great first hand accounts and I give the author great credit for the depth of research on the subject, but the narrative is simply difficult to read and the maps are not very helpful. Far too much of the book focuses on British politics of the time, and far too little is included about Finnish daily life, politics, history, war stories etc. Many sentences are very awkward and make for difficult reading. Overall I've enjoyed the book for its content but it could be so so much better with a careful re-write.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Quality of Writing is Shockingly Bad, July 31, 2008

By 

Bryan L. White (Duncanville, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Winter War: Russia's Invasion of Finland, 1939-1940 (Hardcover)

I haven't finished this book. I'm doubt that I will. The writing in this book is atrocious-I counted 76 words in one sentence! Mr. Edwards isn't able to bring sentences to an end, and some of his sentences simply make no sense. Here's a verbatim excert from the first chapter-"However,the legacy of that war,a sulpherous resentment on the part of some elements of the working classes, enthusiastically supported by Soviet agitprop, of what they regarded as bourgeois represssion of a populist movement, had made for a delicate political tightrope upon which Mannerheim, in the judgement of a traumatized civil administration, had then been considered perhaps unsuitable to step after he had served briefly as regent." Good God!That's over 65 words! Why would any publishing house release a book like this? This subject is long overdue for a re-examination,which is why I bought the book. I was wondering what newly released Soviet documents would bring to light. I'm not sure, given Mr. Edward's prose, that I'd know even if I read the entire book.I honestly don't get any pleasure from trashing someone else's hard work, but this is just awful.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Provides some additional information on the Winter War, March 4, 2009

By 

Kiwi (Mississauga, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Winter War: Russia's Invasion of Finland, 1939-1940 (Hardcover)

The definitive books on the 1939-40 Winter War are Alan Chews's "The White Death" (Published in 1971) and William Trotter's "A Frozen Hell." This book is a later take on the subject and provides at times a different perspective to the above two books, which are both unashamedly (and deservedly so) full of admiration for the Finn's struggle in this very unequal war.

Edwards covers the subject matter familiar to anyone with previous reading on this subject - the diplomatic prelude, the crisis as it unfolded, the initial Soviet assault and it's failure, the battles in the north and in Ladoga-Karelia, the Finnish counter-attacks, the reform of the Red Arny and the subsequent final Soviet assault. Where Edwards provides additional depth to previous books is in his coverage of the reforms conducted within the Red Army (source material on this subject is now more freely available as a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union and the publication of books on this subject) and on the Anglo-French diplomatic maneouvers ostensibly aimed at supporting Finland but in practice aimed at cutting Germany off from the Swedish iron ore supplies, a gambit which would inexorably have drawn Sweden into WW2.

Edwards provides much more insight into these areas than previous writers, as well as providing a final chapter, "'Outcomes", which briefly analyses the results and impacts of the Russo-Finnish War. There's also extensive footnotes and commentary by the author at the end of the book, together with a good bibliography and some good photo's.

Overall, I found the book informative, well-written and easy to follow and read. It certainly complemented a number of other books I've read on the War and added to my knowledge of facets of the conflict, particularly the anglo-french angle and the duplicity of Winston Churchill ("the most dangerous person in the world is an English Gentleman at bay" as someone, it may even have been Churchill, once put it) in seeking to draw Scandanavia into the greater war. Fascinating book amd well worth the read for any serious student of this now little-known prelude to WW2.

The paperback version has a slightly different title.