Today Finland marked the 70th anniversary of the start of the Winter War, during which the country fought to hold of the massive force of Stalin's Red Army, which attacked Finland on November 30, 1939. The conflict lasted for 105 days, claiming the lives of approximately 27,000 Finns and wounding 43,000 more during a winter that was so cold it caused hallucinations. Soviet losses were reported to be as high as 217,000 killed or wounded, according to an article in the Associated Press.
Although the March 1940 peace treaty forced Finland to cede large parts of Karelia, the strength of the country's resistance surprised the Soviets and preserved Finland's independence. According to the Finnish news site YLE, a survey released last week found that a majority of Finns consider the Winter War to be a pivotal moment in "saving the nation from tyranny."
Memorial services were held throughout Finland to mark the anniversary.
30 November 2009
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