Finland WW2: Red Snow in Karelia: Winter War

RED SNOW IN KARELIA

Soviet Union Attacks Finland on all fronts November 30, 1939.

Winter War and Continuation War

his is the story of The Finnish Army and the memoirs of a Finnish soldier, Antti Olavi Joronen. On November 30, 1939, when the Soviet Union invaded Finland, Antti was in one of nine divisions of Finns against an army of 600,000 men divided into four main army groups over a 1000 km front. By the end of December, 400,000 Russians were dead, wounded, captured or trapped.

When the Russians invaded, Antti was in Käkisalmi. Around Christmas time there was a relative lull in the fighting and Antti was preparing his equipment, getting ready to go on a ski patrol behind enemy lines. A messenger had arrived in the night. The lieutenant was obliged to take Antti and his friend Lauri Parsiainen out of the patrol and put in two others, a fateful move.

The Finns were very mobile and swift on their skis, a skill they used to great advantage in the defence of their country.

The patrol Antti missed never returned. They ran into a Soviet ambush and all but one were killed. Antti does not know from where the orders came removing him from the patrol. Antti often thinks back and asks why? Why was that switch made at the last minute? Why did he live and the others die?

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