1. Kenny Ly, Devin Kang, Nathan Shih, Kona Bertolino, Kendrick Lu
Winter War & Phony War
Kenny Ly, Devin Kang, Nathan Shih, Kona Bertolino, Kendrick Lu

2. Thesis
The Winter War was caused by the Soviet Union looking to establish a buffer zone between the western capitalist countries and Russia. Under the illusion that Finland would be easily defeated, Russia was jolted to reality when they ended up in a humiliating stalemate. Hitler, seeing Russia held up by puny Finland, then believed he could quickly crush Stalin’s forces easily. Russia’s inability to conquer Finland led to Hitler not viewing Russia as a threat, directly expediting Hitler’s conquest of Europe.

3. Causes of the Winter War
The Winter War was a direct result of the Nazi-Soviet Non-aggression Pact of August 1939.
Between Germany and the Soviet Union (As Doran taught the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact)
The pact divided the whole of eastern Europe into German and Soviet spheres of influence.
Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland were under the Soviet sphere of influence
Finland refused this pact
November 26, Soviet’s fake shelling of Mainila
Russia wanted to exploit Finland’s land for military bases.
The Russian’s ultimate goal was to create a buffer zone around Leningrad.

4. During the War Finland expected to get crushed immediately
Finland’s outdated military vs Soviet’s new tanks and artillery.
Continuously humiliated the Soviets by putting up a fight
Cold Weather
-40 to -45 degrees Celsius
Too cold for even the Russians
Eyelids frozen off -Doran
Unorganized/Poorly Equipped Soviet Troops
Due to Stalin’s purges of the army, many amateur, ineffective officers were in power
Mannerheim Lane
Defensive fortification built by Finland

5. Carl Gustaf Mannerheim Semyon Timoshenko

10. Timeline of Winter War
December Soviet Union expelled from League of Nations
November 26,1939
Soviet bombing of Mainila
January 7, 1940 Finns win the battle of Raate Road
November 28, 1939 Soviets withdraw from non aggression pact
January Finns win the battle of Suomussalmi
November 1939 Helenski bombed, soviets cross Finnish border

11. Timeline continued
Febuary 11, 1940 Soviets break through Mannerheim Line
Febuary
Finns seek peace terms
January Battle of Killer Hill
March Moscow peace treaty signed in Moscow
Febuary 1, 1940 Soviets start all-out offensive on Karelian Isthmus

12. Battle of Suomussalmi (Dec. 7 to Jan 8)
The Soviet Union tried to cut straight through Finland to the city of Oulu
Finland resorted to their own version of the ‘scorched earth’ policy
Russia tried to cross through the frozen lakes to the west
Failed to capture Oulu
Results in a major victory for the Finns
Soviets were humiliated by the defeat.

13. Battle of Raate Road (Dec. 7)
Soviet Troops were trapped deep inside Finnish Territory after the Battle of Suomussalmi
Tried to escape north over Lake Kiantajarvi
Soviets attempted to overrun Finnish roadblocks with armor but was unsuccessful
Many Soviet Soldiers froze to death because they lacked proper clothing or supply.
Finns captured over 5,000 rifles and the Soviets lost at least 7,000-9,000 men.
Soviets were, again, humiliated by the defeat.
Greatly boosted the morale of the Finns

14. Battle of Killer Hill Soviets fighting for Kollaa
32 Finns faced an onslaught of 4000 Soviets
Both sides gained and lost ground over several days
Soviets eventually gave up and targeted somewhere else, after losing 400 men
4 Finns survived victoriously, Soviets humiliated once again

15. White Death Simo Häyhä pretty much carried the Finns through the war
500 confirmed kills, over 700 possible kills, all without a scope
Had a mouthful of snow so his breath wouldn’t show
Killed all of the Soviet countersnipers that were after him
Survived multiple targeted artillery strikes from the Soviets

16. Winter War Results Russia is expelled from the League of Nations
The war ended with the Treaty of Moscow.
Finland had to give up Kakisalmi
Finland leased the Hanko Peninsula to the Soviet union for 30 years
Finland lost land and its economy was weakened (11% and 30%)
Finland surrendered large area of southeastern Finland.
Viipuri
Peninsula of Hanko to the Soviet Union
The Soviet’s poor performance in the Winter War led Hitler to believe that Stalin's military could be quickly defeated if attacked.
Led to Operation Barbarossa

17. Phoney War - Thesis
After Germany occupied Poland, Britain officially declared war on Germany. This resulted in a “phoney” war in which neither side’s land army committed offensively. The sea conflict, on the other hand, was alive and kicking, as Hitler seeked to undermine Britain’s monopolistic aquatic dominance.The aptly-named “Sitzkrieg” allowed Germany to replenish its strength after invading Poland, prolonging the war.

18. Map

19. Phoney War Continued Not a lot happened
Prepared to fight, but only a couple minor offensives made
Germans were severely outnumbered
Theories say that the Allies didn’t want to create another world war, and were hoping for a peaceful settlement
Called the “confetti war”
The sitting ended when Germany invaded Belgium, Luxembourg, and Holland

20. Timeline of the Phoney War
Sept. 17- British ship Courageous is sunk by German submarines
May 10, Sitzkrieg ends when Germany invades Luxembourg, Belgium, and Holland
Oct. 14- British ship Royal Oak is sunk by German submarines
Sept. 3, Allies declare war on Germany
Sept.7- France begins the Saar offensive to assist Poland
Sept 12- France bails out, doesn’t tell Poland. Gains minimal land

21. Works Cited
Bell, Morgan. "The Winter War." WW2DB RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar
Bellows, Jason. "White Death." • Damn Interesting. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar
Hickman, Kennedy. "The Winter War During World War II." Military History. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar
"The End of the Winter War." The End of the Winter War. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar
"Phony War | European History." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 18 Mar
"The Phoney War". HistoryLearningSite.co.uk Web.
"The Winter War 1939". HistoryLearningSite.co.uk Web.
"WWII : Finland's Winter War with Soviet Union, the Third Aggressor of WWII." WWII : Finland's Winter War with Soviet Union, the Third Aggressor of WWII. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar