An experiment: Reposting the "If the Soviets attempted to take all of Finland back

Author Topic: The Soviets decide to take all of Finland back
Vanguard


Member # 1038

posted 01 January, 2004 08:12 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I think the topic name says it all. Let's say the Soviets have decided they don't just want the lands they annexed after the Winter War, they have decided they must bring Communism to the holdout in the north, could Finland keep them out (With summer coming, and dwindling supplies), would Sweden get more involved?


- Your freindly neighborhood cynic

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posts: 27 | From: Boston, Massachusetts | Registered: Dec 2003 | IP: Logged |

TheRedBaron


Member # 350

posted 02 January, 2004 07:23 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
taking finland would certainly involve heavy losses for the soviets, plus the posssibility of further international help.


"If you wanna find out if a man will fight... See if he will jump out of a plane." General 'Slim' Jim Gavin, U.S. Airborne.

"It never snows in September... They must be parachutists!" Leutant Joseph Enthammer on the 17th September 1944 at Arnhem.

"After you have rammed the enemy, THEN you can say you have a mechanical fault!" Luftwaffe Squadron leader to another pilot who had just reported a engine problem, in the skies over Arnhem 1944.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posts: 498 | From: An underground bunker... | Registered: Jul 2002 | IP: Logged |

The_Historian


Member # 926

posted 02 January, 2004 07:29 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
But apparently the "Soviet Supermen" were invincible.

Regards,
Gordon


Remembering 1736 Pvt. R. Wilkie, 7th Royal Scots, killed at Quintinshill 22/5/1915
In grateful thanks:
S/20525 Pvt. AWB Wilkie, 11th & 1/8th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, 1916-19.
2576186 Signalman GIL Wilkie, 32 Heavy Wireless Section, R. Signals 1942-46.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posts: 260 | From: Scotland | Registered: Oct 2003 | IP: Logged |

Kai-Petri
Kenraali


Member # 369

posted 04 January, 2004 05:38 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I think this must be dealt in different time sectors as the situation changed all the while:

In 1940 by the autumn the Germans came into picture and stopped the Russians from attacking. This of course had a lot to do with their Barbarossa plan but for Finland it saved the country.

After Barbarossa the Red Army could not try to occupy Finland until 1944 and we managed to stop them. I think it would have taken the Russians several months to prepare new forces for an attack so it was time to concentrate forces on the Germans front. At the same time I think the Russians made a clever move with several axis allied countries and proposed peace. This took place in Sept 1944 with Finland and Russia could move more troops to the German front and the Finns would have to battle the Germans in Lapland.

All in all the Russians could have taken Finland if they wished but this would have led to a huge country with partisan war and I don´t think the Russians were really keen on that, look at the countries where this happened.

Anyway, with more spesific date or year I can answer more on the Finnish question, if interested.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posts: 5282 | From: Kotka, Finland | Registered: Jul 2002 | IP: Logged |

General der Infanterie Friedrich H


Member # 244

posted 12 January, 2004 06:41 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Despite of the huge cost, the USSR could have annexed Finland.

As Kai says, maybe not in summer 1940 when the Red Army was still not the greatest war machine of the century and the Germans were already present there, but in 1944 they could have if they wanted.


"Only the dead will know the end of the war" Plato
"Tempus edax rerum" (Time devours all) Ovidious
"Vivire militare est" (To live is to fight) Seneca
"Tout est perdu forst l'honneur!" (Everything is lost, but the honour!) François I of France.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posts: 4961 | From: Born in Germany, French citizen and living in Mexico... | Registered: Jan 2002 | IP: Logged |