Therefore, I decided to publish several dozen Soviet military photographs, many of which have not been published anywhere before.
Crossing by parts of the Red Army of the Finnish border near the village of Hautavaara. The village of Hautavaara was located in the Suojärvi region and was occupied by units of the Red Army on the first day of the Soviet-Finnish war. Due to the proximity to the border, the Finns did not have time to evacuate all the inhabitants of the village in advance (at the time of the arrival of the Soviet units, there were more than 220 inhabitants in the village). In the background of the photo is a column of light artillery tractors T-20 "Komsomolets"
The original caption of the picture: "The first prisoner." This Finnish soldier may not have been the very first, but he really was among the “firsts” - the picture dates from the very first day of hostilities in the Soviet-Finnish war.
Karelian Isthmus, zone of operations of the 7th Army, the specific area is unknown. The former bandages on the necks of our fighters are drawstring hoods from the winter camouflage suit set. The fighters took off their white calico dressing gowns (hoodies), and the hoods remained on the neck. Immediately behind the captured Finn is a Soviet officer - this is indicated by an officer's whistle attached to the harness harness in a case.
The original caption of the photo: "One of the killed White Finns in the Summa-Yoki region, December 1939."
It is most likely that the photo shows one of the soldiers who died during the Finnish counteroffensive on December 23, 1939. After the first unsuccessful attempts by units of the 7th Soviet army break through the Mannerheim line, the Finnish command planned a retaliatory counterattack in order to encircle the units of the 50th Rifle Corps of the 7th Army.
The main forces of the 1st and 4th Infantry Divisions of the 2nd Army Corps of the Finnish Army, as well as the 6th Infantry Division attached to them from the reserve, participated in the counteroffensive. The command of the Finnish units was carried out by Lieutenant General Harald Ekvist, commander of the 2nd Corps.
The Finnish counter-offensive began early in the morning of 23 December and ended the same day in complete failure. The main reason for the failure was the mistakes of the Finnish command in planning and conducting the counteroffensive, in terms of overestimating the capabilities of their own troops, a clear underestimation of the combat capability and strength of the Soviet units, the introduction of units of the 2nd corps into battle in different time and small units (mainly forces from a company to a battalion), the lack of artillery support (to "ensure surprise"), air supremacy of Soviet aviation. Finnish units, introduced into battle in parts, having only heavy machine guns as heavy weapons and means of support, ran into dense battle formations of units of the 50th Rifle Corps and suffered serious losses from Soviet artillery fire. In the same place, where the Finns still managed to penetrate shallowly into our defenses, they were counterattacked by tankers of the 40th tank brigade and the tank battalion of the 90th rifle division.
This offensive cost the parts of the 2nd Army Corps dearly - on this day, Finnish losses amounted to 1328 soldiers and officers, of which 361 were killed, 777 were wounded and 190 were missing. In Finnish military history, this counteroffensive was called holmo tolvays, which can be translated as "pointless banging your head against the wall."
Judging by the crater on the right side of the picture, a Finnish soldier was killed by a hand grenade or mortar explosion.
The Finnish reconnaissance Fokker C.X. shot down by Soviet fighters.
According to confirmed data, in December 1939, the Finns lost two Fokker C.X. The first was shot down on December 19 by pilots of the 2nd squadron of the 25th IAP, the second - by pilots of the 1st squadron of the same fighter regiment December 23rd. However, in the first case, a Finnish plane crashed 20 km south of Vyborg (i.e., on Finnish territory) and Soviet photographers simply could not shoot it in December 1939. But the second Fokker (tail number FK-96) from the 2nd link of the 12th squadron (2 / LLv12) of the 1st regiment of the Finnish Air Force fell into the forest near Uusikirkko (now Polyany) on Soviet territory. Therefore, it is most likely that this particular aircraft is in this photo. Both Finnish pilots (flight commander Lieutenant Salo and gunner-radio operator Sergeant Saloranta) were killed. The plane was shot down by an I-16 flight (the leader was the squadron commander of the 1st IAE of the 25th IAP captain Kostenko, the followers were the squadron military commissar senior political instructor Zakharov and flag-navigator Lieutenant Avdievich).
The original caption of the picture: "The Captured White Finn". This is not the only photograph of this prisoner of war. There are two more pictures in which this Finn raises one hand, as if saying hello, and such pictures were often taken by photographers of the propaganda department of the LVO in the Gryazovets camp of the NKVD, where Finnish prisoners of war were kept. Based on this, it can be assumed that the picture was taken not in the front line, but in the Gryazovets prisoner of war camp.
An example of Soviet propaganda from the time of the SPV is a campaign letter from a group of Finnish prisoners of war. "Without fear, you can surrender to the Red Army" - the inscription in the header of the letter, which was signed by 28 Finnish prisoners of war.
In the propaganda department of the headquarters of the LVO (Leningrad Military District), the letter was copied and dropped in the form of leaflets from Soviet aircraft over the Finnish positions. True, in general, Soviet propaganda on the decomposition of enemy troops special success did not have, although there were cases of voluntary Finns going over to the side of our troops (even to those Soviet units that were surrounded)
The Soviet political instructor is talking with a group of captured Finnish soldiers. The picture shows a group of Finnish prisoners of war, filmed in the Gryazovets camp of the NKVD. Most likely the picture was taken in February-March 1940.
During the Winter War in
The Gryazovets camp contained the vast majority of Finnish prisoners of war (according to various sources, from 883 to 1100 people).
These two photographs are the corpses of Finnish soldiers who died defending the fortified area of Summa-Khotinen. The battles in the Summa-Khotinen region were distinguished by great bitterness and high losses on both sides. During the retreat, the Finns failed to evacuate the bodies of all their soldiers who died in the February battles from the battlefield. Returning here in 1941, the Finns conducted a search and buried the remains of 204 Finnish soldiers and officers in a mass grave. Karelian Isthmus, zone of operations of the 100th and 138th rifle divisions of the 7th Army of the North-Western Front. In the foreground of the second picture is a German or Austrian-made M16 steel helmet. These helmets were used in significant quantities by the Finns during the Winter War.
The original caption of the picture: "Shot down Finnish cuckoo sniper." It means that the Finnish sniper was "knocked down" from the tree. The zone of action of the 7th Army of the North-Western Front.
The theme of "Finnish cuckoos" is often found in the memoirs of Soviet participants in the Winter War, however, modern Finnish and domestic historians do not confirm the use of tree shooting tactics by Finnish snipers. Indeed, from this picture it is difficult to say that the Finn fell from the tree. The pillar behind him is most likely from a wire fence. Yes, and the corpse, judging by the stiff legs, may have been moved. Although, there have been cases of Finns shooting from trees. From the memoirs of V.A. Lisin, deputy political officer of the 14th outpost of the 73rd PO - “... without shots they crossed the border, occupied the Finnish cordon. We were given the task of reconnaissance and sabotage work behind enemy lines. We were looking for uncovered "windows", once they fired at us - we lay down, hid. Suddenly a shot, another and another, the Finn lost his nerve. We examined a pine tree with a shooter and planted the entire disk of the “tar” into it. It was seen how branches and snow were flying, and something heavy fell off and hung, not reaching the ground. "Fast forward everyone!" Came up - long red hair, an embroidered cap-woman turned out to be. It hung on a thin silk cord, in a bag - rye biscuits and a flask of milk ... ".
It is indisputable that the Finns climbed trees - I have two pictures taken on the Karelian Isthmus, where a Finnish observer is sitting on a tree, but this is not a sniper. Most likely, the Finns could still use the method of conducting sniper fire from trees, but relatively rarely. Also, for snipers, Soviet soldiers could take Finnish reconnaissance observers and artillery fire spotters, who quite often used trees to monitor the area and adjust artillery fire on Soviet troops.
A Finnish 37 mm Bofors anti-tank gun destroyed by a direct hit on the Mannerheim Line. This 37 mm anti-tank gun was developed by the Swedish company Bofors in 1932. Actively exported before the start of World War II. In the Finnish army, it received the designation 37 PstK / 36 and, after purchasing a license, was produced in Finland.
Judging by the picture, the Finnish crew received a direct hit by a 45-mm Soviet tank or anti-tank gun.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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In Russian historiography, the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940, or, as it is called in the West, winter war, for many years was actually consigned to oblivion. This was facilitated by its not too successful results, and a kind of “political correctness” practiced in our country. The semi-official Soviet propaganda was more than afraid of offending any of the "friends", and Finland, after the Great Patriotic War was considered an ally of the USSR.
Over the past 15 years, the situation has changed radically. Contrary to the well-known words of A. T. Tvardovsky about the “unknown war”, today this war is very “famous”. One after another, books dedicated to her are published, not to mention the many articles in various magazines and collections. Here are just a "celebrity" this is very peculiar. The authors, who have made it their profession to denounce the Soviet "evil empire", cite in their publications an absolutely fantastic ratio of our and Finnish losses. Any reasonable reasons for the actions of the USSR are completely denied ...
By the end of the 1930s near the northwestern borders Soviet Union there was a state that was clearly unfriendly to us. It is very significant that even before the start of the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940. identification mark of the Finnish Air Force and tank troops there was a blue swastika. Those who say that it was Stalin who, by his actions, pushed Finland into the Nazi camp, prefer not to remember this. As well as why peace-loving Suomi needed a network of military airfields built by the beginning of 1939 with the help of German specialists, capable of receiving 10 times more aircraft than there were in Finnish air force. However, in Helsinki they were ready to fight against us both in alliance with Germany and Japan, and in alliance with England and France.
Seeing the approach of a new world conflict, the leadership of the USSR sought to secure the border near the second largest and most important city in the country. Back in March 1939, Soviet diplomacy probed the issue of transferring or leasing a number of islands in the Gulf of Finland, but in Helsinki they answered with a categorical refusal.
The accusers of the “crimes of the Stalinist regime” like to rant about the fact that Finland is a sovereign country that controls its own territory, and therefore, they say, it was not at all obliged to agree to an exchange. In this regard, we can recall the events that took place two decades later. When Soviet missiles began to be deployed in Cuba in 1962, the Americans had no legal basis to impose a naval blockade of the Island of Freedom, much less to launch a military strike on it. Both Cuba and the USSR are sovereign countries, the placement of the Soviet nuclear weapons concerned only them and fully complied with the norms of international law. Nevertheless, the US was ready to start World War 3 if the missiles were not removed. There is such a thing as a "sphere of vital interests." For our country in 1939, such a sphere included the Gulf of Finland and the Karelian Isthmus. Not even sympathetic Soviet power former leader Party of Cadets, P. N. Milyukov, in a letter to I. P. Demidov, expressed the following attitude towards the outbreak of war with Finland: “I feel sorry for the Finns, but I am for the Vyborg province.”
On November 26, a well-known incident occurred near the village of Mainila. According to the official Soviet version, at 15:45 Finnish artillery shelled our territory, as a result of which 4 Soviet servicemen were killed and 9 wounded. Today is considered good tone interpret this event as the work of the NKVD. The statements of the Finnish side that their artillery was deployed at such a distance that its fire could not reach the border are taken as indisputable. Meanwhile, according to Soviet documentary sources, one of the Finnish batteries was located in the Jaappinen area (5 km from Mainila). However, whoever organized the provocation at Mainila, it was used by the Soviet side as a pretext for war. On November 28, the government of the USSR denounced the Soviet-Finnish non-aggression pact and recalled its diplomatic representatives from Finland. November 30 began fighting.
I will not describe in detail the course of the war, since there are already enough publications on this topic. Its first stage, which lasted until the end of December 1939, was generally unsuccessful for the Red Army. On the Karelian Isthmus, Soviet troops, having overcome the forefield of the Mannerheim Line, reached its main defensive zone on December 4-10. However, attempts to break it were unsuccessful. After bloody battles, the parties switched to positional struggle.
What are the reasons for the failures of the initial period of the war? First of all, in underestimating the enemy. Finland mobilized in advance, increasing the size of its Armed Forces from 37 to 337 thousand (459). Finnish troops were deployed in the border zone, the main forces occupied defensive lines on the Karelian Isthmus and even managed to carry out full-scale maneuvers at the end of October 1939.
Soviet intelligence was also not up to par, which could not reveal complete and reliable information about the Finnish fortifications.
Finally, the Soviet leadership harbored unfounded hopes for the "class solidarity of the Finnish working people." The belief was widespread that the population of the countries that had entered the war against the USSR would almost immediately "revolt and go over to the side of the Red Army", that the workers and peasants would come out to greet the Soviet soldiers with flowers.
As a result, the proper number of troops was not allocated for combat operations and, accordingly, the necessary superiority in forces was not ensured. So, on the Karelian Isthmus, which was the most important sector of the front, the Finnish side had in December 1939 6 infantry divisions, 4 infantry brigades, 1 cavalry brigade and 10 separate battalions - a total of 80 settlement battalions. On the Soviet side, they were opposed by 9 rifle divisions, 1 rifle and machine gun brigade and 6 tank brigades - a total of 84 calculated rifle battalions. If we compare the number of personnel, then the Finnish troops on the Karelian Isthmus numbered 130 thousand, the Soviet - 169 thousand people. In general, 425 thousand soldiers of the Red Army acted along the entire front against 265 thousand Finnish troops.
Defeat or victory?
So let's sum up Soviet-Finnish conflict. As a rule, such a war is considered won, as a result of which the winner is in a better position than he was before the war. What do we see from this point of view?
As we have already seen, by the end of the 1930s, Finland was a country that was clearly unfriendly to the USSR and ready to enter into an alliance with any of our enemies. So in this regard, the situation has not worsened at all. On the other hand, it is known that an unbelted hooligan understands only the language of brute force and begins to respect the one who managed to beat him. Finland was no exception. On May 22, 1940, the Society for Peace and Friendship with the USSR was established there. Despite the persecution of the Finnish authorities, by the time it was banned in December of that year, it had 40,000 members. Such a mass character indicates that not only supporters of the communists joined the Society, but also simply sane people who believed that it was better to maintain normal relations with a great neighbor.
According to the Moscow Treaty, the USSR received new territories, as well as a naval base on the Hanko Peninsula. This is a clear plus. After the start of World War II, Finnish troops were able to reach the line of the old state border until September 1941.
It should be noted that if during the negotiations in October-November 1939 the Soviet Union asked for less than 3 thousand square meters. km, and even in exchange for twice the territory, then as a result of the war he acquired about 40 thousand square meters. km without giving anything in return.
It should also be taken into account that in the pre-war negotiations, the USSR, in addition to territorial compensation, offered to reimburse the value of the property left by the Finns. According to the calculations of the Finnish side, even in the case of the transfer of a small piece of land, which she agreed to cede to us, it was about 800 million marks. If it came to the cession of the entire Karelian Isthmus, the bill would have gone to many billions.
But now, when on March 10, 1940, on the eve of the signing of the Moscow Peace Treaty, Paasikivi started talking about compensation for the transferred territory, remembering that Peter I paid Sweden 2 million thalers in the Nystadt peace, Molotov could calmly answer: “Write a letter to Peter the Great. If he orders, we will pay compensation.”.
Moreover, the USSR demanded an amount of 95 million rubles. as compensation for equipment removed from the occupied territory and damage to property. Finland also had to transfer to the USSR 350 sea and river Vehicle, 76 locomotives, 2 thousand wagons, a significant number of cars.
Of course, during the hostilities, the Soviet Armed forces suffered significantly greater losses than the enemy. According to the name lists, in the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940. 126,875 soldiers of the Red Army were killed, died or went missing. The losses of the Finnish troops amounted, according to official figures, to 21,396 killed and 1,434 missing. However, in domestic literature quite often there is another figure of Finnish losses - 48,243 killed, 43 thousand wounded.
As it were, Soviet losses several times higher than the Finnish ones. This ratio is not surprising. Take, for example, the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. If we consider the fighting in Manchuria, the losses of both sides are approximately the same. Moreover, often the Russians lost more than the Japanese. However, during the assault on the fortress of Port Arthur, the losses of the Japanese far exceeded the Russian losses. It would seem that the same Russian and Japanese soldiers fought here and there, why is there such a difference? The answer is obvious: if in Manchuria the parties fought in an open field, then in Port Arthur our troops defended a fortress, even if it was unfinished. It is quite natural that the attackers suffered much higher losses. The same situation developed during the Soviet-Finnish war, when our troops had to storm the Mannerheim Line, and even in winter conditions.
As a result, the Soviet troops gained invaluable combat experience, and the command of the Red Army got a reason to think about shortcomings in the training of troops and about urgent measures to increase the combat capability of the army and navy.
Speaking in parliament on March 19, 1940, Daladier declared that for France “The Moscow Peace Treaty is a tragic and shameful event. For Russia it a great victory» . However, do not go to extremes, as some authors do. Not very big. But still a victory.
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1. Parts of the Red Army cross the bridge to the territory of Finland. 1939
2. Soviet fighter guarding a minefield in the area of the former Finnish border outpost. 1939
3. Artillery crew at their guns in a firing position. 1939
4. Major Volin V.S. and boatswain Kapustin I.V., who landed with a landing force on the island of Seiskaari, to inspect the coast of the island. Baltic Fleet. 1939
5. The soldiers of the rifle unit are attacking from the forest. Karelian isthmus. 1939
6. Outfit of border guards on patrol. Karelian isthmus. 1939
7. Border guard Zolotukhin at the post at the outpost of the Finns Beloostrov. 1939
8. Sappers on the construction of a bridge near the Finnish border outpost Japinen. 1939
9. Fighters deliver ammunition to the front line. Karelian isthmus. 1939
10. Soldiers of the 7th Army are firing at the enemy with rifles. Karelian isthmus. 1939
11. The reconnaissance group of skiers receives the task of the commander before leaving for reconnaissance. 1939
12. Horse artillery on the march. Vyborgsky district. 1939
13. Fighters-skiers on a hike. 1940
14. Red Army soldiers in combat positions in the combat area with the Finns. Vyborgsky district. 1940
15. Fighters for cooking in the woods at the stake in between fights. 1939
16. Cooking lunch in the field at a temperature of 40 degrees below zero. 1940
17. Anti-aircraft guns in position. 1940
18. Signalers for the restoration of the telegraph line, destroyed by the Finns during the retreat. Karelian isthmus. 1939
19. Fighters - signalmen restore telegraph line, destroyed by the Finns in Terioki. 1939
20. View of the railway bridge blown up by the Finns at Terioki station. 1939
21. Soldiers and commanders talk with the inhabitants of Terioki. 1939
22. Signalers on the negotiating front line in the area of Kemyar station. 1940
23. Rest of the Red Army after the battle in the Kemerya area. 1940
24. A group of commanders and soldiers of the Red Army is listening to a radio broadcast at a radio horn on one of the streets of Terioki. 1939
25. View of the Suoyarva station, taken by the Red Army. 1939
26. Soldiers of the Red Army are guarding a gas station in the town of Raivola. Karelian isthmus. 1939
27. General view of the destroyed Mannerheim Fortification Line. 1939
28. General view of the destroyed Mannerheim Fortification Line. 1939
29. Rally in one of military units after the breakthrough of the "Mannerheim Line" during the Soviet-Finnish conflict. February 1940
30. General view of the destroyed Mannerheim Fortification Line. 1939
31. Sappers for the repair of the bridge in the Boboshino area. 1939
32. A Red Army soldier lowers a letter into a field mail box. 1939
33. A group of Soviet commanders and fighters inspects the banner of Shutskor recaptured from the Finns. 1939
34. Howitzer B-4 on the front line. 1939
35. General view of the Finnish fortifications at a height of 65.5. 1940
36. View of one of the streets of Koivisto, taken by the Red Army. 1939
37. View of the destroyed bridge near the town of Koivisto, taken by the Red Army. 1939
38. A group of captured Finnish soldiers. 1940
39. Red Army soldiers at the captured guns left after the battles with the Finns. Vyborgsky district. 1940
40. Trophy ammunition depot. 1940
41.Remote-controlled tank TT-26 (217th separate tank battalion of the 30th chemical tank brigade), February 1940.
42. Soviet soldiers on a pillbox taken on the Karelian Isthmus. 1940
43. Parts of the Red Army enter the liberated city of Vyborg. 1940
44. Soldiers of the Red Army on the fortifications in the city of Vyborg. 1940
45. The ruins of the city of Vyborg after the fighting. 1940
46. Soldiers of the Red Army clear the streets of the liberated city of Vyborg from snow. 1940
47. Icebreaking ship "Dezhnev" during the transfer of troops from Arkhangelsk to Kandalaksha. 1940
48. Soviet skiers move to the forefront. Winter 1939-1940.
49. Soviet attack aircraft I-15bis taxis to take off before a sortie during the Soviet-Finnish war.
50. Finnish Foreign Minister Weine Tanner speaks on the radio with a message about the end of the Soviet-Finnish war. 03/13/1940
51. The crossing of the Finnish border by Soviet units near the village of Hautavaara. November 30, 1939
52. Finnish prisoners are talking with a Soviet political worker. The picture was taken in the Gryazovets camp of the NKVD. 1939-1940
53. Soviet soldiers are talking with one of the first Finnish prisoners of war. November 30, 1939
54. Finnish aircraft Fokker C.X. shot down by Soviet fighters on the Karelian Isthmus. December 1939
55. Hero of the Soviet Union, platoon commander of the 7th pontoon-bridge battalion of the 7th Army, Junior Lieutenant Pavel Vasilyevich Usov (right) unloads a mine.
56. The calculation of the Soviet 203-mm howitzer B-4 fires at the Finnish fortifications. December 2, 1939
57. The commanders of the Red Army are considering the captured Finnish tank Vickers Mk.E. March 1940
58. Hero of the Soviet Union Senior Lieutenant Vladimir Mikhailovich Kurochkin (1913-1941) at the I-16 fighter. 1940
59. View of the ruined street in Vyborg. 1940
Parade of Finnish troops in Vyborg on August 31, 1941
Vyborg became part of the USSR in 1940 as a result of the Soviet-Finnish war. Under the terms of the Moscow Peace Treaty, most of the Vyborg province of Finland, including Vyborg and the entire Karelian Isthmus, as well as a number of other territories, were ceded to the USSR. The Finnish units left the city on March 14, 1940. The Finnish population of the city was evacuated to Finland. On March 31, 1940, the Law of the USSR was adopted on the transfer of most of the territories received from Finland to the Karelian-Finnish SSR. As part of this republic, on July 9, 1940, Vyborg was determined to be the center of the Vyborg (Viipur) district.
On August 29, 1941, under the onslaught of the advancing 4th Army Corps of Finland, units of the Red Army left the city of Vyborg, retreating to Leningrad, having mined a large number of buildings with BEMI radio explosives. Fortunately for urban architecture, only a few of them managed to explode, while most of them were cleared of mines.
Three years later, the Finnish army retreated from the Karelian Isthmus, Finnish citizens were again evacuated to the hinterland of Finland, on June 20, 1944, units of the Soviet 21st Army of the Leningrad Front entered Vyborg.
3.
Parade in Vyborg in front of the monument to Thorgils Knutsson, he is considered the founder of the city. In the middle is Lieutenant General Lennart Karl Ash. Helmeted on the left is Colonel Aladar Paasonen.
At the end of August 1941, the IV Corps of the Finnish Defense Forces under the command of Lieutenant General Lennart Esch surrounded parts of three Soviet rifle divisions (43rd, 115th and 123rd) south of Vyborg. Part of the troops managed to get out of the ring, leaving heavy equipment, and the rest began to surrender on September 1, 1941. The Finns took 9,325 prisoners. About 7,500 Soviet soldiers died on the battlefields then, the Finns lost about 3,000 people during this operation.
In 1927 construction began on the first hydroelectric power station in the Svir cascade, the Nizhnesvirskaya. In 1936, the Nizhnesvirskaya HPP was put into commercial operation with a capacity of 96 MW. During the Great Patriotic War, the dam of the Nizhnesvirskaya hydroelectric power station was blown up by the retreating Soviet troops. On September 13, 1941, Finnish troops reached the HPP. They did not have time to evacuate the equipment of the hydroelectric power station, then it was restored. For more than 2 years, the Nizhnesvirskaya HPP was on the front line between the Soviet and Finnish troops and was badly damaged. In 1944, the restoration of the station began, ending in 1948.
After the completion of the construction of the Nizhnesvirskaya hydroelectric power station, in 1938, the construction of the Verkhnesvirskaya hydroelectric power station began - the last hydroelectric power station provided for by the GOELRO plan. The construction was carried out by the forces of prisoners under the control of the NKVD. By 1941, a foundation pit was dug for the building of the hydroelectric power station, and concrete work began. During the war, the territory of the HPP was occupied and the foundation pit was flooded. In 1948, the construction of the Verkhnesvirskaya hydroelectric power station was resumed. In 1952 the station was put into commercial operation.
In the Photo Fund section, Bird In Flight talks about interesting photo archives on the Web. Today's issue contains military photographs of Finland from 1939-1945.
Last year, on the eve of Veterans Day, the Finnish military published over 160,000 photographs from the Winter War of 1939-1940, the Soviet-Finnish War of 1941-1944 and the Lapland War (between Finland and Germany, September 1944 - April 1945).
The photographs show soldier life, destruction after the bombing, the military industry, as well as life on the home front - in particular, harvesting, family portraits, boxing matches and football matches, wedding celebrations.
In 1941, the Finnish General Staff founded nine information agencies, which were subordinate to about 150 photographers working at the front. Many of their pictures appeared in the press, but most were never published. It took the photography department of the Finnish military department three and a half years to digitize the films. In 2014, the archive was updated - about 800 additional photos and videos appeared, including news stories from 1940-1944.
Site visitors can edit descriptions for photos and leave comments (now there are more than 10,000 of them). Some, for example, try to identify places, equipment and people in the pictures. In August, the site became part of the Finna.fi national service, a project of the National electronic library created at the initiative of the Ministry of Education and Culture of Finland.
The archive is searched only in Finnish, so for convenience it is better to use sorting by dates or categories (Winter War, Continuation War, Lapland War). The oldest photographs in the archive are dated January 1939, the latest - November 1945.
("img": "/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/fin_03.jpg", "alt": "The SA Photo Archive 03", "text": "Anti-aircraft fire, 1943.")
("img": "/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/fin_02.jpg", "alt": "The SA Photo Archive 02", "text": "Crossing the Simo River, 1944. Photo: Kim Borg .")
("img": "/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/fin_04.jpg", "alt": "The SA Photo Archive 04", "text": "Aerial surveillance of the Lotta River, 1942. Photo: Karl Rosenquist. ")
("img": "/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/fin_05.jpg", "alt": "The SA Photo Archive 05", "text": "Nurmoila Airport, 1943. Photo: Niilo Helander." )
("img": "/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/fin_06.jpg", "alt": "The SA Photo Archive 06", "text": "Parade in Vyborg, 1941. Photo: Erki Biver. ")
("img": "/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/fin_07.jpg", "alt": "The SA Photo Archive 07", "text": "Skiing, 1942.")
("img": "/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/fin_08.jpg", "alt": "The SA Photo Archive 08", "text": "Raysala, 1939.")
("img": "/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/fin_09.jpg", "alt": "The SA Photo Archive 09", "text": "Sum, 1939.")
("img": "/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/fin_10.jpg", "alt": "The SA Photo Archive 10", "text": "The Isthmus, 1939.")
("img": "/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/fin_11.jpg", "alt": "The SA Photo Archive 11", "text": "Watchman Sum, 1939.")
("img": "/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/fin_12.jpg", "alt": "The SA Photo Archive 12", "text": "Seven Island, 1940.")
("img": "/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/fin_13.jpg", "alt": "The SA Photo Archive 13", "text": "Vyborg, 1939.")
("img": "/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/fin_14.jpg", "alt": "The SA Photo Archive 14", "text": "Helsinki, 1939.")
("img": "/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/fin_15.jpg", "alt": "The SA Photo Archive 15", "text": "Kuolemajärvi (now Pionerskoye village, Leningrad region), 1939."}
("img": "/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/fin_16.jpg", "alt": "The SA Photo Archive 16", "text": "February 1940.")
("img": "/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/fin_17.jpg", "alt": "The SA Photo Archive 17", "text": "Hein-yoki (now Veshchevo village, Leningrad region) ), 1939.")
("img": "/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/fin_18.jpg", "alt": "The SA Photo Archive 18", "text": "Cannus, 1939.")
("img": "/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/fin_19.jpg", "alt": "The SA Photo Archive 19", "text": "Tour of the Isthmus. Kannus, 1939.")
("img": "/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/fin_20.jpg", "alt": "The SA Photo Archive 20", "text": "October 1939.")
("img": "/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/fin_21.jpg", "alt": "The SA Photo Archive 21", "text": "Evacuees in Kotka and Heinol, 1939.")
("img": "/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/fin_22.jpg", "alt": "The SA Photo Archive 22", "text": "Vyborg, 1939.")
The Soviet-Finnish war is one of the most closed topics Soviet history. Since the announcement
Finland independence in December 1917, territorial claims constantly arose between it and the USSR. But they often became the subject of negotiations. The situation changed in the late 30s, when it became clear that the second World War. The USSR demanded from Finland non-participation in the war against the USSR, permission to build Soviet military bases on Finnish territory. Finland hesitated and played for time.
The situation escalated with the signing of the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact, according to which Finland belonged to the sphere of interests of the USSR. The Soviet Union began to insist on its terms, although it offered certain territorial concessions in Karelia. But the Finnish government rejected all proposals. Then, on November 30, 1939, the invasion of Soviet troops into the territory of Finland began. The offensive was not successful at first.
The coming winter, wooded and swampy terrain and the desperate resistance of the Finns interfered. In addition, on the line of the main attack - the Karelian Isthmus, there was a line of field fortifications, which was called the "Mannerheim Line". Soviet troops were not ready for battles with powerful fortifications and first retreated. And only in March 1940 they managed to break through this line and capture the city of Vyborg.
The Finnish government, seeing that there were no hopes left, went to negotiations and on March 12 a peace treaty was concluded. According to the results of the war, 26,000 servicemen died on the Finnish side, and 126,000 on the Soviet side. The USSR received new territories and moved the border away from Leningrad. Finland later sided with Germany. The USSR was excluded from the League of Nations.
Finns with a captured Soviet banner.
On the second day of the war with Finland, the USSR recognizes the government of the Finnish Democratic Republic, headed by the Finnish communist Kuusinen. However, in the future, the USSR sat down at the negotiating table with the Finnish government and this project was curtailed.
Vyacheslav Molotov signs an agreement on mutual assistance and friendship with the government of Kuusinen.
Behind him are (from left to right): A.A. Zhdanov, K.E. Voroshilov, I.V. Stalin, O.V. Kuusinen (head of the puppet government "Democratic Republic of Finland").
Hero of the Soviet Union Lieutenant M.I. Sipovich and Captain Korovin on the captured Finnish bunker.
Soviet soldiers inspect the observation cap of a captured Finnish bunker.
A Soviet officer examines Finnish handcuffs found in the Vyborg Castle.
Soviet soldiers are preparing a Maxim machine gun for anti-aircraft fire.
Burning after the bombing of the house in the Finnish city of Turku.
A Soviet sentry next to a Soviet quad anti-aircraft machine gun mount based on the Maxim machine gun.
Soviet soldiers dig a Finnish border post near the Mainil frontier post.
Soviet military dog breeders of a separate communications battalion with liaison dogs.
Soviet border guards inspect captured Finnish weapons.
A Finnish soldier next to a downed Soviet I-15 bis fighter.
The formation of soldiers and commanders of the 123rd Infantry Division on the march after the fighting on the Karelian Isthmus.
Finnish soldiers in the trenches near Suomussalmi during the Winter War.
Captured Red Army soldiers captured by the Finns in the winter of 1940.
Finnish soldiers in the forest are trying to disperse, noticing the approach of Soviet aircraft.
A frozen Red Army soldier of the 44th Infantry Division.
Frozen in the trenches, the Red Army soldiers of the 44th Infantry Division.
A Soviet wounded man lies on a plaster cast table made from improvised means.
Finnish fire brigade during training in Helsinki.
Three Corners Park in Helsinki with open slits dug out to shelter the population in the event of an air raid.
Blood transfusion before surgery in a Soviet military hospital.
Finnish women sew winter camouflage at the factory
A Finnish soldier walks past a broken Soviet tank column/
A Finnish soldier fires from a Lahti-Saloranta M-26 light machine gun /
Residents of Leningrad greet tankers of the 20th tank brigade on T-28 tanks returning from the Karelian Isthmus /
Finnish soldier with machine gun Lahti-Saloranta M-26/
Finnish soldiers with a machine gun "Maxim" M / 32-33 in the forest.
Finnish calculation of anti-aircraft machine gun "Maxim".
Finnish Vickers tanks, shot down near Pero station.
Finnish soldiers at the 152 mm Kane gun.
Finnish civilians who fled their homes during the Winter War.
Broken column of the Soviet 44th division.
Soviet SB-2 bombers over Helsinki.
Three Finnish skiers on the march.
Two Soviet soldier with a machine gun "Maxim" in the forest on the Mannerheim Line.
A burning house in the Finnish city of Vaasa (Vaasa) after a Soviet air raid.
View of the streets of Helsinki after the Soviet air raid.
A house in the center of Helsinki, damaged after a Soviet air raid.
Finnish soldiers raise the frozen body of a Soviet officer.
A Finnish soldier looks at the changing clothes of captured Red Army soldiers.
A Soviet prisoner captured by the Finns sits on a box.
Captured Red Army soldiers enter the house under the escort of Finnish soldiers.
Finnish soldiers are carrying a wounded comrade in a dog sled.
Finnish orderlies carry a stretcher with a wounded man near the tent of a field hospital.
Finnish doctors load a stretcher with a wounded man into an ambulance bus manufactured by AUTOKORI OY.
Finnish skiers with reindeer and drags at a halt during the retreat.
Finnish soldiers disassemble the captured Soviet military equipment.
Sandbags covering the windows of a house on Sofiankatu Street in Helsinki.
T-28 tanks of the 20th heavy tank brigade before going on a combat operation.
Soviet tank T-28, shot down on the Karelian Isthmus at a height of 65.5.
A Finnish tanker next to a captured Soviet T-28 tank.
Residents of Leningrad welcome the tankers of the 20th Heavy Tank Brigade.
Soviet officers in front of the Vyborg Castle.
A Finnish air defense soldier looks at the sky through a rangefinder.
Finnish ski battalion with deer and drags.
Swedish volunteer in position during the Soviet-Finnish war.
Calculation of the Soviet 122-mm howitzer in position during the Winter War.
The orderly on a motorcycle transmits a message to the crew of the Soviet BA-10 armored car.
Pilots Heroes of the Soviet Union - Ivan Pyatykhin, Alexander Flying and Alexander Kostylev.
