Review by Martin Koenigsberg
Just finished my 2nd Book Review of the Year!!
Ostensibly a History of the the Winter War, but also a Cold War artifact, this 1992 Printing of the book first published in 1972 gives us the story of Evil Stalinist Soviet Russia’s unprovoked assault on plucky little Finland in 1939. While that narrative is the actual truth in the matter, some readers will tire of one-dimensional Soviet Officers /Commissars – and lovingly portrayed Finns, always outsmarting their assailants. Eloise Engle Paananen and Lauri Paananen, a Military Writer, and her Veteran husband might have been too close to the topic to ever be evenhanded, but they do a good job getting both the basics of battle and personal stories of the combants. As a child of the Cold War, I had my filter on and enjoyed the book a great deal- but I do want to warn younger readers. Some good b/w pics and maps, alongside occasional cartoons of the period, make it a very readable package. Soviet missteps in this war costing hundreds of thousands of casualties, due to combat, weather, and disease- may have been what enticed Hitler to think the Soviet System was ripe for destruction. As discussed in the book, the Finns found ways to counter Soviet superiority in Tanks, number of soldiers, aircraft, and ships. With ski troopers, an excellent submachine gun, and just-in-time artillery concentrations, the Finns were able to hold off the Soviets in the south and decimate formations along their Polar border. But without direct support from any Neighbour or World Power- the Finns would eventually have to fold. It’s hard not to see some parallels with the present Ukrainian War of Independence- and understand why this time might be different. A good read, with interesting lessons, but a bit dated perhaps for some. There are a few adult themes and a few graphic injury descriptions, so this is best for the Junior Reader over 12/13 years, with an interest in WWII History. For the Gamer/Modeler/Military Enthusiast it’s a mixed bag – even if it does come from Stackpole Books, a long-time Military History Publisher. A couple of battles get enough attention and maps that you can use them for scenarios, and the whole book could be used with other resources to develop a campaign. The Modeler does get a lot of diorama ideas but will want other resources too, some in color for build help. The Military Enthusiast gets a solid, if a bit dated, survey of the whole war, that first book to whet the appetite and prepare the way for more study. I enjoyed the read- with the caveats above – and think most readers will too.
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