Table of Contents

Preface and Acknowledgements /Chronology /1. The Rise of Finland /2. The Road to War /3. The Karelian Isthmus, December 1939 /4. Ladoga Karelia, December 1939 /5. Group Talvela /6.North Finland Group /7. Lapland Group, 1939–40 /8. A Watching World /9. The Battle for Ladoga Karelia, 1940 /10. The Karelian Isthmus, 1940 / 11. An Interim Peace /Bibliography /Appendix

Promotional Information

This is a rigorously detailed and utterly compelling guide to Finland's vital, but almost forgotten role in the desperate struggle against Soviet Russia in the Winter War.

About the Author

After graduating college, Vesa Nenye followed his family's illustrious military tradition and served his country, Finland, as a Tank Commander and an Arms & Munitions NCO. Upon leaving the armed forces, he became a member of the Panssarikilta - the armoured core heritage society in Finland. A veteran of historical and strategy gaming in Finland, Peter Munter founded a play-by-mail business in the times before internet and worked extensively as writer and translator of roleplaying supplements in the late 80s. Peter is an ex-Marine from the Finnish Navy and currently works as a Managing Director in a games retail chain that he established with Vesa Nenye in 1997. After graduating from high school with the highest grades, Toni Wirtanen served in the Kymi Jager Battalion of the Karelian Brigade, as an infantry anti-tank specialist. He was discharged with honours as a lance corporal, and has ever since been active with the reservist corps. Toni is best known for his work as the singer and songwriter in the rock band Apulanta, founded in 1991. Peter is a true veteran of historical- and strategy-games in Finland. He founded a play by mail business in the times before internet and worked extensively as writer and translator of roleplaying supplements in the late 80s. Peter has also won a Finnish Sci-Fi writing award. During the 90's Peter scripted and organised some of the biggest historical re-enactment events in Finland, several of them at the request of the local council. The premise of these events was to make Finland's history more approachable to school children in form of "re-enactment and role-play", some of the productions were done together with the National Theatre to create a more authentic historical setting and atmosphere. Peter is an ex-Marine from the Finnish Navy and currently works as a Managing Director in a games retail chain that he established with Vesa in 1997. The chain is still going strong today. Peter lives in Lahti, Finland with his three children: Folke (16), Noora (14) and Niklas (12). Toni Wirtanen's father was an active member of the Finnish army reservist officer guild, and at a young age Toni got involved with the many activities the army has to offer to volunteer civilians and reservists in Finland. After graduating from high school with highest grades, Wirtanen served in the Kymi Jager Battalion/Karelian Brigade as an infantry anti-tank specialist. He was discharged with honors as a lance corporal, but has later attained the rank of a corporal due to his activity in the reservist core. The Finnish Defence Forces has subsequently awarded Toni Wirtanen the following decorations: * Panssariristi (Armour Cross) * Maanpuolustusmitali, pronssinen (National Defense medal in bronze) * Sininen Risti (Blue Cross) Toni Wirtanen is best known for his work as the singer/guitarist/songwriter in the rock band Apulanta, founded in 1991. The band has had 21 number 1 hit singles in Finland - a semi-official world record. Apulanta has 29 gold, platinum and/or multi-platinum selling recordings. The band has been awarded an Emma-prize (the Finnish equivalent of a Grammy) several times during it's career. All the Apulanta material has been written by Toni Wirtanen. The band's work continues to receive praise, especially for it's lyrics. Toni Wirtanen also has his own TV-series called "Toni Wirtanen undercover".

Reviews

If you're one of those who just can't get enough of the Mannerheim Line, Finnish ski patrols, and the Suomi KP/-31 submachine gun, and if Talvisota ("Winter War") is the first Finnish word you ever learned, and sisu ("guts") the second, then you won't be able to live without both volumes of Finland at War . . . Osprey deserves kudos for its first-class treatment of Nenye's indispensable work. --World War II Magazine Osprey Publishing is known for its well-illustrated editions, and this work's imagery is best described as lavish. Battle scenes, the home front, and media coverage of the war are all shown in photographs seldom seen outside Finland. This exhaustive history of the Winter War, the first in a two-volume set, gives the reader a very complete telling. - WWII History Magazine