How Finland Survived Stalin, Kimmo Rentola
How Finland Survived Stalin, Kimmo Rentola
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How Finland Survived Stalin
From Winter War to Cold War, 1939-1950

Author: Kimmo Rentola, Richard Robinson

Narrator: Daniel Henning

Unabridged: 8 hr 21 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 02/13/2024


Synopsis

A dramatic and timely account of Stalin's failed invasion of Finland in 1939, and the decade of wars and fraught relations that followed

In November 1939, Stalin directed his military leaders to launch an invasion of Finland. In what became known as the Winter War, the full might of the Soviet army was pitted against this small Nordic republic. Yet despite their vastly superior military strength, the Soviets suffered heavy losses and failed to mount Stalin's intended full-scale invasion.

How did Finland evade Stalin's crosshairs—not once, but three times more?

In this groundbreaking account, Kimmo Rentola traces the epochal shifts in Soviet-Finnish relations. From the Winter War to Finland's exit from World War II in 1944, a possible Soviet-backed coup in 1948, and Moscow's designation of Finland as an enemy state in 1950, Finland was forced to navigate Stalin's outsize political and territorial demands. Rentola presents a dramatic reconstruction of Finland's unlikely survival at a time when the nation's very existence was at stake.

About Kimmo Rentola

Kimmo Rentola is professor emeritus of political history at the University of Helsinki. His research focuses on the history of the Cold War, Soviet-Finnish relations, and Finnish and Nordic communism. How Finland Survived Stalin is his first book translated into English.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Jim on January 10, 2025

While as an US Army officer in WW2 my dad who spoke Finnish was invited to go into an undercover group who was to parachute into Finland. He declined as he didn't see Finland as a US adversary or Russia as our friends. He mainly fought in France. This is an interesting book and I am sure read by stu......more

Goodreads review by Thomas on July 21, 2024

Not a military history. Focuses on the diplomacy, spying, and background manoeuvrings that resulted in the preservation of Finland's autonomy during World War II and The Cold War. Very readable. I'd prefer footnotes to a long notes section at the end. Takeaways: 1. It seems doubtful that the Finns wou......more

Goodreads review by Michael on December 08, 2023

This is a political and not a general or military history of Finland in the 1940s. Therefore it is less interesting than it could have been, though it is a well written political history. Finland knew how to fight and did very well against their powerful Soviet neighbour. This and the quiet support o......more

Goodreads review by Pete on November 05, 2024

How Finland Survived Stalin : From Winter War to Cold War (1939-1950) (2024) by Kimmo Rentola is an interesting book that explores how Finland avoided Soviet conquest. Rentola is a professor of history. The fact that Finland wasn’t occupied by the Soviets is really curious. Given that Finland borders......more

Goodreads review by Dorota on November 09, 2024

Jakie były główne przyczyny konfliktu między Finlandią a Związkiem Sowieckim? Jakie znaczenie miała wojna zimowa dla dalszych losów Finlandii i Europy? Jaką rolę odegrała Finlandia w zimnej wojnie? Kimmo Rentola w swojej książce #finlandiakontraStalin próbuje odpowiedzieć na powyższe pytania zapraszają......more