Finnish Winter War 70 years

[Gambrinus]

Today 70 years ago the Russians attacked Finland.

And failed, thereby making possible the rise of the Emo Finnish Teenagers (TM).

Congrats, Finland, anyways.

[Duque de Bragança]

I'll listen to Winter War - Total war by Impaled Nazarene to remember it.

[HisMajestyBOB]

If I had my Talvisota DVD here, I'd watch it.

[derspiess]

If I had my Talvisota DVD here, I'd watch it.

I ripped my DVD of the movie & put the movie on my Zune.  I have it: whereever I go

[DGuller]

It's amazing what Finland managed to accomplish during those dark times.  They were the only country in Soviet crosshairs that managed to put up a fight strong enough for Soviets to relent.  Ironically, from a territorial perspective, they came off worse than the countries that were completely defeated.

[KRonn]

Grats on this day Finland.

[Syt]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simo_H%C3%A4yh%C3%A4

Häyhä was born in the municipality of Rautjärvi near the present-day border of Finland and Russia, and started his military service in 1925. Before entering combat, Häyhä was a farmer and a hunter. His farmhouse was reportedly full of trophies for marksmanship.[3] It was during the Winter War (1939–1940), between Finland and the Soviet Union, that he began his duty as a sniper and fought for the Finnish Army against the Red Army.

In temperatures between −20 and −40 degrees Celsius (−4 and −40 degrees Fahrenheit), dressed completely in white camouflage, Häyhä was credited with 505 confirmed kills of Soviet soldiers, and 542 if including the unconfirmed deaths. The unofficial Finnish frontline figure from the battlefield of Kollaa places the number of Häyhä's sniper kills over 800. A daily account of the kills at Kollaa was conducted for the Finnish snipers. Besides his sniper kills, Häyhä was also credited with over two hundred kills with a Suomi KP/-31 submachine gun, thus bringing his credited kills to at least 705. Remarkably, all of Häyhä's kills were accomplished in fewer than 100 days.

Häyhä used a Finnish variant, M/28, of the Soviet Mosin-Nagant rifle (known as "Pystykorva" rifle, meaning "spitz"), because it suited his small frame (5 ft 3 in/1.60 m). He preferred to use iron sights rather than telescopic sights to present a smaller target (the sniper must raise his head higher when using a telescopic sight), to prevent visibility risks (a telescopic sight's glass can fog up easily), and aid concealment (sunlight glare in telescopic sight lenses can reveal a sniper's position). Another tactic used by Häyhä was to compact the snow in front of him so that the shot wouldn't disturb the snow, thus revealing his position. He also kept snow in his mouth so that when breathing he wouldn't reveal his position.

The Soviets tried several ploys to get rid of him, including counter snipers and artillery strikes. On March 6 1940, Häyhä was shot in the jaw during combat. The bullet tumbled upon impact and left his head. He was picked up by fellow soldiers who said "half his head was missing". He regained consciousness on March 13, the day peace was declared. Shortly after the war, Häyhä was promoted straight from corporal to second lieutenant by Field Marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim. No one else has ever gained rank in such a quick fashion in Finland's military history.

[DGuller]

How do you confirm sniper kills?

[Faeelin]

It's amazing what Finland managed to accomplish during those dark times.  They were the only country in Soviet crosshairs that managed to put up a fight strong enough for Soviets to relent.  Ironically, from a territorial perspective, they came off worse than the countries that were completely defeated.

And in 1944 they kicked out the Nazis. What a fucking scary bunch.

[Syt]

How do you confirm sniper kills?

[The Brain]

My maternal grandfather and my other grandfather's kid brother (the Jägare one I have talked about on Old Languish) played their part.

[DGuller]

And how do you get 200 kills with a SMG as a sniper?  I can see getting 500 kills with a rifle without getting shot, but 200 kills with a SMG sounds like a stretch (unless he fought Russian POWs inside a camp).  It's not the kind of weapon that lets you shoot at bad guys from safe distance.

[The Brain]

And how do you get 200 kills with a SMG as a sniper?  I can see getting 500 kills with a rifle without getting shot, but 200 kills with an SMG sounds like a stretch (unless he fought Russian POWs inside a camp).  It's not the kind of weapon that lets you shoot at bad guys from safe distance.

There were many ambushes where the Finns were just mowing down hapless Russians.

[Syt]

And how do you get 200 kills with a SMG as a sniper?  I can see getting 500 kills with a rifle without getting shot, but 200 kills with an SMG sounds like a stretch (unless he fought Russian POWs inside a camp).  It's not the kind of weapon that lets you shoot at bad guys from safe distance.

There were many ambushes where the Finns were just mowing down hapless Russians.

This. Usually narrow roads with dense woods on each side where convoys could easily be trapped/cut off.

[Grey Fox]

And how do you get 200 kills with a SMG as a sniper?  I can see getting 500 kills with a rifle without getting shot, but 200 kills with a SMG sounds like a stretch (unless he fought Russian POWs inside a camp).  It's not the kind of weapon that lets you shoot at bad guys from safe distance.

He's the most badass soldier to ever lived.

Super Finn!