In the 1940 Winter War Finland Punched Way Above Its Weight nationalinterest.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nationalinterest.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Sad Stalin: How Finland Defied the Red Army During the Winter War
From 1939 to 1940, Moscow decided to try and subdue Finland but the small country fought back and actually survived.
Key point: If you live next door to a great power, it is best to both stay neutral and build a mighty military. This way if you must fight to defend yourself, you can actually succeed.
Befuddled Soviet riflemen floundering through deep snow and sub-zero temperatures while they froze to death. Russian tanks and their hapless crews set ablaze by Molotov cocktails. Soviet paratroopers jumping from airplanes without parachutes, hoping that a snowbank will cushion their fall.