The reason why the Soviet Union attacked Finland actually had a lot to do with Germany. When the two countries signed the "Soviet-German Non-Aggression Pact", the two sides had a secret agreement in private. In the secret agreement, the Soviet Union and Germany not only negotiated
They wanted to carve up Poland together, and also determined the future of Finland. In order to appease the Soviet Union, Germany betrayed Finland, a neighbor that favored Germany and hated socialism, to the Soviet Union.
After Germany and the Soviet Union carved up Poland, the Soviet Union couldn't wait to include Finland. As for why the Soviet Union was so interested in Finland, there was only one reason: Finland's border was too close to Leningrad, only more than 30 kilometers away.
, and Finland and Germany are closer. In this way, if Germany turns over
Face, the German army is likely to pass through Finland and then go straight to Leningrad. The Soviet Union will not even have a chance to react. In the view of the Soviet "government", the Soviet Union and Germany will inevitably become enemies in the future, but the Soviet Union
At present, the country has not yet stabilized, so it can only cooperate with Germany first to resist the pressure from Britain and France.
Finland did not exist before World War I. It was conquered by the Tsar in the early 19th century and became part of Russia. At that time, because Germany and Russia bordered each other and the two countries were in opposition, Germany encouraged this
The people in the region rose up against Tsarist Russia and fought for independence, and then the Prince of Hesse became the king of Finland. However, this plan failed to catch up with the change. Germany was defeated in World War I, and the Prince of Hesse could no longer be the king of Finland. But then
With the Russian October Revolution, Finland really became independent.
After independence, Finland was more inclined to Germany, and the relationship with the Soviet "government" was not very good. However, Finland's geographical location did make the Soviet Union very uncomfortable, but it did not dare to act rashly for fear of causing dissatisfaction in Germany. This time through the "Soviet-German Mutual Relations
With the signing of the Non-Aggression Treaty, the Soviet Union finally received the German government's guarantee regarding Finland, so the Soviet Union was determined to solve the problem of Finland.
From the beginning, the Soviet government had been discussing with the Finnish government whether they could use a land swap to give Finland's land near Leningrad to the Soviet Union, and the Soviet Union would compensate Finland twice as much land farther east.
.However, this proposal of the Soviet "government" was rejected by the Finnish "government". The reason is that the Finnish "government" does not trust the Soviet "government". It always feels that the Soviet "government" wants to harm Finland.[
If the text failed, the only option was to use force. So the Soviet army invaded Finland on November 30, 1939. This time, the Soviet Union dispatched a total of 23 divisions and more than 450,000 people, like a big stone, weighing down the top of the mountain.
The force pressed against the little egg of Finland, but the progress of the war surprised everyone, including Liu Fu himself. The little egg of Finland actually broke the big stone.
Finland is a country located in the northernmost part of Europe. It borders Sweden to the west and the Soviet Union to the east and south. It is a rectangle running from north to south. One-third of its land is in the Arctic Circle, and the climate is very cold. We often
It is said that the winter in the Soviet Union is very cold, but compared with that in Finland, the winter in the Soviet Union is nothing.
For a country with such a harsh climate, the Soviet Union actually dared to launch an attack in winter. This has to be said that Stalin was a little too confident, or that the Soviet Union was a little anxious, fearing that Germany would go back on its word and want to quickly hang Finland over Leningrad.
The sharp sword on his head was removed.
Finland not only has a very cold climate, but the terrain is also very complex. It is full of mountains and forests, and there are countless lakes and rivers all over Finland. In the world, Finland has a nickname, called the country of a thousand lakes. So let’s think about it. In such a geographical and climatic environment, what advantage did the Finns, as landowners, have against the Soviet Red Army, who were unfamiliar with the place.
Although Finland only has a population of 3.7 million, the Nordic people have always been known for their ferocity and toughness, and they become more and more tough as they go north. For a people like Finland who have to fight life and death with the natural environment for many years, war is not a big deal. Something that people are afraid of, especially fighting in their own homes.
When the Soviet Red Army happily rushed into Finnish territory, it did not encounter large-scale resistance at first. The Finns only used small groups of troops to carry out sneak attacks and interference. But as the Soviet Red Army deepened, the Finns' guerrilla warfare became more and more obvious. The power is coming.
Those Finns dressed in white sheets and riding skis were haunting the mountains and forests, using various methods to kill and injure the Soviet Red Army who were trapped by heavy snow and mountain roads. However, the Soviet Red Army had no idea of this tactic. Moreover, the Soviet army still had There is another more terrifying enemy to face, and that is the weather.
In the environment of dozens of degrees below zero, not only people were unbearable, but firearms also malfunctioned frequently. As a result, in March of the following year, Finland was in need of medicine and could not get assistance. In addition, the Soviet Union sent additional troops, and Finland The "government" could only sign a ceasefire agreement. Finland ceded 10% of its territory near Leningrad to the Soviet Union, and the Soviet Union withdrew its troops from Finland.
In order to ensure the strategic depth of Leningrad, an important outlet for the Soviet Union, the Soviet Red Army paid a heavy price. About 200,000 Red Army soldiers did not return from Finland, and less than 50,000 of them died in battle. In addition, Thousands of tanks and hundreds of aircraft were lost. Another loss was that the Soviet Union was expelled from the League of Nations and, like Germany, became a rogue state in Europe.
Historians have different opinions on whether it is worth paying such a high price for a strategic buffer zone. Generally speaking, it is not worth it. Because when Germany invaded the Soviet Union, the Finns helped Germany beat up the Soviet Union. , and regained the land they lost back then. Although the Finns were very peace-loving and did not occupy Soviet territory, in effect, the buffer zone that the Soviet Union spent so much effort to seize could not prevent the German army from approaching the city.
This move by the Soviet Union also greatly stimulated Mustache's nerves and made him pay attention to the small and struggling countries in Northern Europe. In fact, before the Soviet Union invaded Finland, the Germans did not have any plan. Regarding attacking the Nordic countries, the Soviet Union's actions reminded Mustache that if he wanted to have no worries in the decisive battle with Britain and France, the best way would be to quickly resolve the various uncertainties and threats behind Germany.
In addition to Finland, several small countries in Northern Europe also include Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Although Sweden is a neutral country, it has always been an old friend of Germany. Its iron ore supports German industry. But there is a problem. There is no ice-free port in Sweden. When winter enters, Swedish iron ore needs to be transported to Norway by rail, and then shipped to Germany via Navik Port. However, this sea route can easily be used by the powerful British royal family. Naval blockade, if the British go one step further and occupy Norway, Germany will not have to fight this war and will just admit defeat.
After discovering this loophole, Mustache remembered that the German Navy had proposed using the ports on the west coast of Norway as a German submarine base. In the view of the German Navy, if Germany could occupy Norway, then naval submarines could use the ports on the west coast of Norway to
Departing from a port will limit the activities of the British Navy in the North Sea and allow the German Navy to enter the North Atlantic more smoothly.
Since there are so many benefits, there is no reason for Mustache not to try to occupy the strategic location of Norway. But what excuse should we find to start a war? As an artistic leader like Mustache, he is definitely not willing to let other countries
He is said to be too vulgar. If he doesn't come up with a good excuse to invade other countries, it would be too disappointing.
So the German High Command came up with an excuse that suited both the situation and the situation. It was to use the Soviet invasion of Finland as a reason to threaten Germany's iron ore transportation lifeline and send troops to Norway. Since Denmark was on the route of sending troops, Germany also sent troops to Denmark.
An ultimatum was issued, but Denmark was more forthcoming and surrendered directly.
Because Denmark only has more than 10,000 troops, and the whole country is covered with plains, and it borders Germany. Without external help, surrender is the best way to protect the people, and Germany does not interfere too much in Denmark's domestic affairs. The Danish king and
The "government" can also manage its own country while in office. (To be continued...)
