The Soviets made several demands, including that Finland cede substantial border territories in exchange for land elsewhere, claiming security reasons-primarily the protection of Leningrad, 32 km (20 mi) from the Finnish border. The League of Nations deemed the attack illegal and expelled the Soviet Union from the organisation. Despite superior military strength, especially in tanks and aircraft, the Soviet Union suffered severe losses and initially made little headway. It began with a Soviet invasion of Finland on 30 November 1939, three months after the outbreak of World War II, and ended three and a half months later with the Moscow Peace Treaty on 13 March 1940. The Winter War also known as First Soviet-Finnish War was a war between the Soviet Union (USSR) and Finland. Finnish Democratic Republic ( puppet government)įinnish Ladoga Naval Detachment ceded to the Soviet Unionġ26,875–167,976 dead or missing ġ88,671–207,538 wounded or sick (including at least 61,506 sick or frostbitten ).

Cession of the Gulf of Finland islands, Karelian Isthmus, Ladoga Karelia, Salla, Rybachy Peninsula and lease of Hanko to the Soviet Union

Finnish winter war uniform