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Saturday, January 21, 2012
The Winter War -- A Movie Review.
One of my Christmas gifts was a DVD of a 1989 Finnish movie, Talvisota (The Winter War). Made during the 50th anniversary year of the attack on Finland by the Soviet Union, Talvisota details the stories of some local Finnish boys from their call-up as Civil Guards (organized militia formations) through the horrors of war until the armistice.
Those who are unfamiliar with the history of the Winter War can find an excellent overview article at Wikipedia here.
When I unwrapped the gift and popped it in the DVD player, I noted that it had come from South Korea and there were but two choices for subtitles -- Korean and English. I suppose this is natural, since South Koreans can certainly identify with the story of a free people in a small country attacked by Bolshevist hordes.
Although it is a great movie, a human story, I was disappointed to see that the narrative presented only the desperate trench warfare of the Mannerheim Line and did not cover some of the more tactically interesting (to me) Suomussalmi–Raate double operation (see the Wikipedia citation) or the exploits of legendary Finnish sniper Simo Hayha in the battles in Ladoga Karelia. The movie thus becomes an advertisement for all of the evils of attrition warfare -- sort of a Finnish All Quiet on the Western Front.
Still, there are some items of interest that stood out to me, the first one being the individual payback of preparedness to the Civil Guards, compared to the last-minute volunteers. So short were the Finnish logistics that only the regular army formations and the Civil Guards sent into battle equipped as soldiers with uniforms and equipment. Johnny-come-lately's were issued a rifle (of indifferent quality), a cartridge belt and a cockade button to put in their civilian hats to identify them as Finnish troops. There is a scene in the beginning of the movie where the newbies are grousing that they have not been issued the same gear as the Civil Guards, who as volunteers bought their gear (and improved upon it) in the years before the outbreak of war. Civil Guards also had the advantage of arsenal reworked Moisin-Nagant rifle, captured in the 1918 Civil War and painstakingly redone to Finnish specs (the Finnish Moisins remain a highly collectible item even today).
As the war progressed, the Finns did their best to issue gear to everyone, but in some cases the armistice was declared before some volunteers got all their uniforms and gear. Capture of weapons and gear from the Russians was an obvious way to remedy shortfalls, and the Russian felt boots were particularly prized.
The role of faith in the struggle of the Finn's is also highlighted at points throughout the film. For most Finns this really was a holy war for existence. They were also very conscious of their role as a free people who intended to remain free.
So, previously stated disappointments at what was not shown aside, I highly recommend this movie.
15 comments:
Anonymous
said...
I'm surprised you've never seen that one befor. Ironically, it's one of my very favorite movies even as a Russian.
I have long been fascinated by the Winter War and Continuation Wars of Finland. I've noticed in some more recent writings of those wars, revisionist authors down playing the numbers of Russian casualties. I once got to see a Finish 20mm sled mounted cannon in a museum in Clairemore Oklahoma. This single shot, 20mm cannon played hell on Russian tanks, moved about by ski troops. For those interested in the finish sky war, read about Finish Ace "Illu" Juutilanen. Great stuff.
You may also want to seek out a movie titled 'Ambush' that takes place in the same war. Again, mostly human interest, but the main character's transition from reluctant soldier to killing machine is interesting
By far most of the Finns protected the Jews, largely as a result of the influence of the Lutheran Church. Only eight of them, out of thousands, were handed over.
For the rock and metal fans among the III, the song Talvisota by Sabaton is worth listening to as well.
Anon 8:51, regarding the Siege of Leningrad, payback is a bitch.
Winter War: 11/30/39 - 3/13/40
The Siege: 9/8/41 - 1/27/44
And let's not forget that Russia and Nazi Germany were pals before The voices in Hitlers Head told him to toss the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact out the window.
Interestingly, I found this movie at the library last weekend. I'd never heard of it, to my disappointment. HH6 and I watched it Tuesday night, and I was considering a review of it for the blog, but came to the same conclusions you did, re: the emphasis on attrition warfare.
Read your history. The Finns were our (U.S.) allies before the Russians, without provocation, invaded them - We even sold the Finns aircraft to defend themselves from the Russians. They were only "allies" with Germany in the Continuation War to get back their homes and land, which the Russians took when the Russians invaded them the first time. From their perspective, you could say we sold them out to gain Russia as an ally against the Germans.
The Finns are a proud people, and justifiably so. I met an old Finnish gentleman on the bus when I was going to college back in the mid-'70s. I mentioned that I had read the biography of a famous Finnish fighter pilot, and his eyes lit up and they actually *sparkled*!
"We beat the Russians! Twice!" he said, with a huge smile. I did a little more reading after that, and discovered that Finnish ski troops killed over two million Russian troops!
Their fighter pilot brethren weren't slouches either, using obsolete American Brewster B-239 Buffalos to run up the highest kill ratio of any aircraft in any conflict ever fought in the sky, an astounding 26:1. The 43 (plus one assembled from spares) B-239s made them 34 aces, and one of their B-239s had more kills attributed to it than the highest scoring allied ace of WW II. That's a real tribute to the skill of the Finnish fighter pilots.
If they hadn't been such a tiny country to start with, who's to say how the war would have come out. The Continuation War may not have even been necessary if the Finns hadn't had to sue for peace.
Swift at 9:26 am:
For those who want to read it, Juutilainen's book about his exploits as a fighter pilot is called "Double Fighter Knight". He acheived 94 victories, more than twice that of the highest-scoring allied ace.
Another Famous Finnish Fighter pilot, Eino Luukanen, wrote a book called "Fighter Over Finland". Luukanen scored 54 victories. Both flew B-239s early in their careers.
I have several 1938 and 1939 Mosin Nagant m91/30's and a Finnish m39 on an 1895 Chatterault rec. The transformation the Finns made to their weapons is nothing short of amazing. Solid as an '03 Springfield and with a new bbl, also a tackdriver! Truly a case of making a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
My friend Ian, who collects old military rifles, showed me a couple of Finnish Mosins just last weekend, with the ways they'd been improved from their original configs. Fine rifles, modified with a cold eye toward practicality.
To any who identify Finland as 'allies' of Nazi Germany - they were invaded by the Soviets, and pleaded for assistance from the West. They were hung out to dry, to fend for themselves, lest the Soviets be angered by our involvement. They wanted freedom and independence. War can make very strange bedfellows, indeed, and the Nazis were the only nation willing to come to their aid militarily; albeit with their own motives. The Finns never considered themselves ideological allies with the Nazis, it was purely a matter of survival. If that garners no sympathy, so be it. My Danish great-grandmother was a Red Cross volunteer in the Winter War, and the sweetest woman I've ever known. To put the Finns on the same footing as the Nazis is an outright falsehood. I am proud to be an American, but I am not proud that we left the Finns with Nazis as their only effective option for assistance.
15 comments:
I'm surprised you've never seen that one befor. Ironically, it's one of my very favorite movies even as a Russian.
Finland was an ally of Nazi Germany and participated in the siege of Leningrad. They get no sympathy from me.
Folks have claimed that the Finnish languge is closest to Korean.Nobody is sure where the Finns came from.They are not another European people.
I have long been fascinated by the Winter War and Continuation Wars of Finland. I've noticed in some more recent writings of those wars, revisionist authors down playing the numbers of Russian casualties. I once got to see a Finish 20mm sled mounted cannon in a museum in Clairemore Oklahoma. This single shot, 20mm cannon played hell on Russian tanks, moved about by ski troops. For those interested in the finish sky war, read about Finish Ace "Illu" Juutilanen. Great stuff.
You may also want to seek out a movie titled 'Ambush' that takes place in the same war. Again, mostly human interest, but the main character's transition from reluctant soldier to killing machine is interesting
@ Anonymous 8:51
By far most of the Finns protected the Jews, largely as a result of the influence of the Lutheran Church. Only eight of them, out of thousands, were handed over.
For the rock and metal fans among the III, the song Talvisota by Sabaton is worth listening to as well.
Anon 8:51, regarding the Siege of Leningrad, payback is a bitch.
Winter War: 11/30/39 - 3/13/40
The Siege: 9/8/41 - 1/27/44
And let's not forget that Russia and Nazi Germany were pals before The voices in Hitlers Head told him to toss the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact out the window.
To the 8:51 Anon, WW2 was a war without much positive to say about either side.
It was a fascist regime (us) a bunch of failed monarchy's and allies vs three loathsome totalitarian regimes and various allies
The US were the good guys here but that ain't saying much.
Interestingly, I found this movie at the library last weekend. I'd never heard of it, to my disappointment. HH6 and I watched it Tuesday night, and I was considering a review of it for the blog, but came to the same conclusions you did, re: the emphasis on attrition warfare.
NousDefions!
John Mosby
its a good film- the 20mm gun was the Lahti Anti Tank Rifle- its pretty impressive, and is actually mentioned in "Unintended Consequences".
Anonymous at 1-21 8:51 am:
Read your history. The Finns were our (U.S.) allies before the Russians, without provocation, invaded them - We even sold the Finns aircraft to defend themselves from the Russians. They were only "allies" with Germany in the Continuation War to get back their homes and land, which the Russians took when the Russians invaded them the first time. From their perspective, you could say we sold them out to gain Russia as an ally against the Germans.
The Finns are a proud people, and justifiably so. I met an old Finnish gentleman on the bus when I was going to college back in the mid-'70s. I mentioned that I had read the biography of a famous Finnish fighter pilot, and his eyes lit up and they actually *sparkled*!
"We beat the Russians! Twice!" he said, with a huge smile. I did a little more reading after that, and discovered that Finnish ski troops killed over two million Russian troops!
Their fighter pilot brethren weren't slouches either, using obsolete American Brewster B-239 Buffalos to run up the highest kill ratio of any aircraft in any conflict ever fought in the sky, an astounding 26:1. The 43 (plus one assembled from spares) B-239s made them 34 aces, and one of their B-239s had more kills attributed to it than the highest scoring allied ace of WW II. That's a real tribute to the skill of the Finnish fighter pilots.
If they hadn't been such a tiny country to start with, who's to say how the war would have come out. The Continuation War may not have even been necessary if the Finns hadn't had to sue for peace.
Swift at 9:26 am:
For those who want to read it, Juutilainen's book about his exploits as a fighter pilot is called "Double Fighter Knight". He acheived 94 victories, more than twice that of the highest-scoring allied ace.
Another Famous Finnish Fighter pilot, Eino Luukanen, wrote a book called "Fighter Over Finland". Luukanen scored 54 victories. Both flew B-239s early in their careers.
BSR
I have several 1938 and 1939 Mosin Nagant m91/30's and a Finnish m39 on an 1895 Chatterault rec. The transformation the Finns made to their weapons is nothing short of amazing. Solid as an '03 Springfield and with a new bbl, also a tackdriver!
Truly a case of making a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
My friend Ian, who collects old military rifles, showed me a couple of Finnish Mosins just last weekend, with the ways they'd been improved from their original configs. Fine rifles, modified with a cold eye toward practicality.
To any who identify Finland as 'allies' of Nazi Germany - they were invaded by the Soviets, and pleaded for assistance from the West. They were hung out to dry, to fend for themselves, lest the Soviets be angered by our involvement. They wanted freedom and independence. War can make very strange bedfellows, indeed, and the Nazis were the only nation willing to come to their aid militarily; albeit with their own motives. The Finns never considered themselves ideological allies with the Nazis, it was purely a matter of survival. If that garners no sympathy, so be it. My Danish great-grandmother was a Red Cross volunteer in the Winter War, and the sweetest woman I've ever known. To put the Finns on the same footing as the Nazis is an outright falsehood. I am proud to be an American, but I am not proud that we left the Finns with Nazis as their only effective option for assistance.
As I remember History It was a Race between Stalin and Hitler as to who would throw the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact out the window.
Hitler started it and Staling finished it.
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