Winter War

The Winter War was a military conflict between Finland and the Soviet Union. It began with a Soviet invasion on 30 November 1939. This invasion occurred only three months after the start of World War II. The war lasted for three and a half months. It ended on 13 March 1940, with the signing of the Moscow Peace Treaty.

Soviet leaders had several reasons for wanting Finnish territory. General Secretary Joseph Stalin believed the Finnish border was too close to Leningrad. He wanted to increase the security of this important city. The Soviets made demands for Finland to cede substantial border territories. They offered to give Finland land elsewhere in exchange. When the Finnish government refused these demands, the Soviet Union invaded. Some historians believe the Soviets intended to conquer all of Finland. They point to the creation of a puppet communist government as evidence.

The relationship between these two nations had a long history. Until the early nineteenth century, Finland was part of the Kingdom of Sweden. During the Finnish War from 1808 to 1809, the Russian Empire conquered Finland. Finland became an autonomous buffer state known as the Grand Duchy of Finland. This status lasted until the late nineteenth century. During that time, Russia tried to implement a policy of Russification to unify the empire. These attempts failed due to internal Russian strife. In 1917, the Russian Revolution and Civil War allowed Finland to declare independence. The Soviet government recognized Finland's sovereignty three weeks later.

Despite the 1920 Treaty of Tartu, relations remained very strained. The two nations signed a Non-Aggression Pact in 1932. This pact was reaffirmed in 1934 for ten years. However, the Soviet Union and Finland had different political goals. In August 1939, the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany signed the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. This agreement included a secret protocol. It divided Eastern Europe into spheres of influence. Under this protocol, Finland fell into the Soviet sphere.

The actual fighting involved several distinct stages and locations. Initially, the Soviet Union used its superior military strength. They had many more tanks and aircraft than the Finnish forces. However, the Soviet Red Army suffered severe losses during the first two months. Finnish troops successfully repelled attacks in very cold temperatures. Major battles occurred at Taipale and along the Karelian Isthmus. Fighting also took place at Kollaa and on the Raate Road. Battles were even reported in Lapland and North Karelia.

In February 1940, the Soviet military reorganized its strategy. They adopted new tactics and renewed their offensive. This new push allowed them to overcome Finnish defenses on the Karelian Isthmus. The Finnish Army reached a breaking point and faced an inevitable retreat. The Finnish commander-in-chief, Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, urged a peace negotiation. He wanted to secure a deal while Finland still had bargaining power. The resulting Moscow Peace Treaty required Finland to cede 9% of its territory. The Soviets received large areas along Lake Ladoga and further north.

The Winter War had significant international consequences. The League of Nations declared the Soviet attack illegal. As a result, the organization expelled the Soviet Union. The Red Army's poor performance also changed how other leaders thought. German Chancellor Adolf Hitler believed a successful attack on the Soviet Union was possible. This belief influenced his later decisions during World War II. After a 15-month period of interim peace, the Continuation War began in June 1941. While Finland lost land, it successfully retained its national sovereignty.