Jan. 8, 1940 Time Mag Capsule

"Sisu"
The Finns have something they call sisu. It is a compound of bravado and bravery, of ferocity and tenacity, of the ability to keep fighting after most people have quit. Finns translate sisu as the "Finnish spirit" but it is much more gutful word than that. A good example of sisu was contained in a letter from a soldier to his sister, which correspondent Leland Stowe cabled to the Chicago Daily News.

Excerpts: "Yesterday, in hand-to-hand fight, I was seperated from my men and surrounded by Bolsheviks. Three of them, armed with automatic pistols, started hunting me. I killed two of them and the third ran away. Thank heaven for that! By that time my own pistol was so hot it broke into pieces. I need a big Mauser revolver caliber 9. If you are unable to get this size, and if you can find a big Colt pistol send this with at least 100 cartridges. It is now that your brother's life is depending on his knife."