Books on Winter War/Continuation War

[R-Bob The Great!]

I am interested in Finland's role in the Winter and Continuation War and was wondering if a book (in English, and preferrably economically priced) on the wars 1939-1944 from a Finnish prespective was available in Canada since I have failed to come up with anything that looks good using the searches on Amazon.ca and Chapters/Indigo. Help would be much appreciated.

[Mek]

Hello there,

There's at least one pretty good book about Winter War in English written by William R. Trotter. I personally found it very good, and readable. Here's the link to it on Amazon.ca, you can check some reviews of it there too.

http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/094557522X/qid=1092631377/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_0_4/702-2621452-5472816

About Continuation War, I can't think of a good book right now, that would be written or translated in English. But I guess some our other friends on the forum might know

Regards,
-Pete

[Mikko H.]

Trotter's book recommended by Mek is the best book on the Winter War available in English. Despite some minor errors it's very good treatment of the subject.

As for the Continuation War, the book is still unwritten... But you can try these:

- J.E.O. Screen: Mannerheim - The Finnish Years. The latter part of a two volume biography, covers the years 1918-51.
- Tomas Ries: Cold Will - The Defense of Finland. A history of the Finnish Defense Forces from 1918 until the late 1980s.

In addition there's a short book by Finnish historian Vehviläinen, called something like 'Between Germany and Russia: Finland in the Second World War'. I haven't read it and it's quite expensive.

[Steady]

This book is a bit on the light side, but it is cheap, entertaining and does tell the story of both Winter War and Continuation War in 95 pages(!) in addition to some very entertaining ace stories:

Fiinnish Aces of World War 2
ISBN: 185532783x

Search in Amazon.com with the ISBN number was fruitful.

[Mikko H.]

The third book I mentioned is Olli Vehviläinen's Finland In The Second World War: Between Germany and Russia, which can also be found in the Forum Bookstore.

[Tom Niefer]

Hello there,
There's at least one pretty good book about Winter War in English written by William R. Trotter. I personally found it very good, and readable. Here's the link to it on Amazon.ca, you can check some reviews of it there too.
Regards,
-Pete

I'm reading it right now. The book was a gift from a Finnish friend. Seems to be a good read, so far.

Cheers,
Tom

[cyberdaemon]

wasnt there a book from Antti Juutilainen and Jari Leskinen ?
but im not sure if theres an english version of it.

[Mikko H.]

You're probably referring to Talvisodan pikkujättiläinen which has been translated into Estonian, but not (AFAIK) into English.

[Topspeed]

I just went to library and borroved 6 books related to topic here:


Mannerheim / Marschal and a president / Sakari Virkkunen

Erik Heinrichs / Mannerheims and Paasikives General / Martti Turtola

Paavo Talvela / Memoirs part 1

Paavo Talvela / Juha Vahe

Dear Inkeri ( Ingermanland ) / As a finn in USSR / Lyyli Ronkonen

Finns in the archipelago of Gulags / Erkki Vettenniemi


I'll tell you how much evidence I'll find to a war crime or any criminal act from these books. According to several finns and russians ( and several moderators and australians ) posts and comments at the AHF site there should be plenty on each one.


Stay tuned,


rgds,

Juke

[Topspeed]

I just read them.

Last one has inserts from 17 stories (books) based on facts. Incredible how insane the system was.

One was striking that Otto WIlle Kuusinen's son and wife were sent to Gulags as well. (ex-) Wife tells that aeroplane designer Tupolevs wife was shot by NKDV and mr.T prisoned as well for dealing out data for Messerschmitt 109 fighter developement..could that be right ?

regards,

JT

[Uncle Joe]

Speaking of Tupolev, in his biography there is an amusing incident while the Tupolev and his colleagues worked under NKVD supervision. One designer had designed a two stroke APU (auxiliary power unit) of considerable lighter weight for large aeroplanes. As the "OKB" was under NKVD supervision, he had to take his design to the officer in charge. The officer started wondering that wasn´t it too risky to go from 4-stroke engines to 2-strokes and he told to design a 3-stroke APU first...

[leandros]

Some years back I read a book authored by a Finnish colonel, I think his name was Siilusvuo - or something like that. It must have been in English because I cannot imagine it being translated into Norwegian - and Finnish I cannot read.

This colonel was commander of a regiment fighting in the Suomissalmi area. It has some interresting stories. Winter warfare at its best!

[leandros]

The Purnell company also issued a book on the Winter War. Try a search on eBay!

[Harri]

Some years back I read a book authored by a Finnish colonel, I think his name was Siilusvuo - or something like that. It must have been in English because I cannot imagine it being translated into Norwegian - and Finnish I cannot read.
This colonel was commander of a regiment fighting in the Suomissalmi area. It has some interresting stories. Winter warfare at its best!

Yes, that book of Col. (later Lt.Gen.) Hjalmar Siilasvuo was written and published in Finland already in 1940 and became a huge success. Finnish book is titled "The Battles of Suomussalmi" (in English). It is very interesting but there is one lack: Siilasvuo "forgot" the whole Group Susi which attacked from the North led by Lt.Col. Paavo Susitaival. Susitaival later fought an own book on the battles of his group. Apparently these two Finnish Commanders were not the best friends...

There is yet one good book on the Winter and Continuation Wars. It is not very accurate but a good overview on what happened, namely Marshal C. G. E. Mannerheim's memoirs. There should be Swedish, German and English translations. In Finland there are two versions: shortened and full version (two parts), but I don't know what versions have been translated.

About Finnish Air Force Finnish researchers Kalevi Keskinen and Kari Stenman have wrote several books on Finnish aircraft and flying units at least with English shortenings and photo captions. Also Squadron Signal Publication and Osprey have published books on Finnish Aces and Flying Squadron 24 written by them too. Keskinen has also been a co-writer in a book on Finnish Navy during WW II.

[Juha Tompuri]

Some years back I read a book authored by a Finnish colonel, I think his name was Siilusvuo - or something like that. It must have been in English because I cannot imagine it being translated into Norwegian - and Finnish I cannot read.

...or in Swedish? As also found as Striderna i Suomussalmi and Kampen i Kuhmo

Winter warfare at its best!

http://home.interserv.com/~tazio/7dSuomu.htm



http://www.sodatkuvina.cjb.net/

There is yet one good book on the Winter and Continuation Wars. It is not very accurate but a good overview on what happened, namely Marshal C. G. E. Mannerheim's memoirs. There should be Swedish, German and English translations.

IIRC we have seen also some quotations from a Russian language translation at the Forum

Regards, Juha