Stalin's Overconfidence at the Beginning of the Winter War

[Globalization41]

It occurred to me that the impressive Red
Army military actions against Japan in 1938
and 1939 near Manchukuo and Mongolia
encouraged Stalin's overconfidence in his
aggression against Finland at start of the
Winter War.

Globalization41

[Bair]

PLease also have a look at the units that marched into Finland on Nov 30, 1939. Quite many units had just come back from the occupation of Eastern Poland, which was also labeled by Soviet propaganda as "liberation march" and it went very smoothly, with no serious battles. So many Red Army troops expected the same in Finland...

with best regards,

Bair

[Hanski]

I remember also having read that as a preparatory measure of logistics in late 1939, the POW camps were emptied of their Polish prisoners to make room for the loads of expected Finnish POWs, like the Gryasovets POW camp (which had originally been an Orthodox monastery). Quite unexpectedly, the anticipated flood of Finns never arrived, but only a very small trickle instead...

[Globalization41]

No doubt the Finns would have eventually
joined the Poles had Stalin's plans for Finland
been realized.

Globalization41

[Harri]

I think Stalin had already given an order to arrest and liquidate all over 100.000 members of Finnish Civil Guard. Guess who was the Honorary Chief of the organization? :roll:

[Whiskey]

PLease also have a look at the units that marched into Finland on Nov 30, 1939. Quite many units had just come back from the occupation of Eastern Poland, which was also labeled by Soviet propaganda as "liberation march" and it went very smoothly, with no serious battles. So many Red Army troops expected the same in Finland...

Well, IIRC there were one or two divisions who participated in Nomonhan campaign, but they were kept in reserve in Murmansk in fear of British landings. I think Stalin had some kind of trauma from British Murmansk expedition during Russian Civil War.

[kosta]

I would be interested to know what divisions are being refered to ??
As far as I know only 3 divisional units were involved in Mongolia, 36th, 57th, and the 82nd, there also were some tank and airborne brigades involved. Neither of those 3 divisions were ever sent to finland!!

Thankyou Kosta

[Whiskey]

Like I wrote: IIRC. In this time, I didn't. I have tried to track down the origins of those three divisions in Murmansk but it seems to almost impossible with the sources I have readily available. I have still two sources in my mind I have to check through library.

Anyway, I confused Siberian troops with those participated in Nomonhan incident. I got the information from the friend of mine who is historian in University of Helsinki that two of the three divisions were Siberian, and that they were not allowed to advance far to the Finland in fear of British landing.

Sorry.