Into The White (2012)

[GoldenRivet]

Just finished a film called Into the White

( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1876277/ )

It is based on the true story of a German plane and a British plane both of which sustain serious damage during a duel over Norway in 1940. Both air crews become engrossed in their engagement and venture further into the snowy Norwegian mountain wilderness where they eventually crash miles apart.

Each crew is unaware of the others survival until the British and Germans eventually stumble upon the same uninhabited hunting cabin. It is here that they take refuge to wait out the weather before making the hike toward the coast where they will see which side, allies or axis has become the victor in the Norway campaign and thus which of them will become POWs and which of them will return home.

the two crews overcome their mistrust of one another and develop an uneasy friendship while working together to survive their frigid ordeal.

The film is a bit slow paced, done perhaps in the same light as "Saints and Soldiers" and i think it is well done - most here would enjoy it i believe.

If you have an opportunity, and like little known stories of World War II, i recommend you check it out.

[Sailor Steve]

Never heard of it. Sounds like a good one. :sunny:

[Herr-Berbunch]

Couldn't Ron Weasley just magic them out of there? :hmmm:

Aside from that, it does look good. :yeah:

IMDB have it listed as Cross of Honour (with a 'u' and everything).

[Cybermat47]

I saw it a while ago. Great movie.

[Red October1984]

I have a book that has almost the exact storyline by the name of Operation Napolean. :hmmm:

[Madox58]

Saw it.
:yeah:
May still have it on my jump drive as I take a lot of movies on the road with me that way.

[Madox58]

Wasn't 'Dead Snow' was it?
:haha:

[Red October1984]

Saw it on late night cable on the Indie Film channel alongside a real guilty pleasure: a Norwegian subtitled SS Zombie flick and the SS zombies win in the end!

I saw a Finnish WW2 Zombie movie once. It wasn't bad toward the end...but the beginning is a trainwreck.

War of the Dead was the title I do believe... :hmmm:

Had Americans working with the Finns to find and destroy a secret German installation. Turns out, it's a medical installation...and the virus gets loose.

[Jimbuna]

Not that bad a movie considering it was based on fact but I did like the use Mein Kampf was put to :)

[Catfish]

Didn't see the film, but the best use of that book would be to light a fire with it :)

[nikimcbee]

I just watched it a few days ago.:yeah::yeah:
Anybody know how much of the story was true? Great movie though. I could totally see those guys fighting over minutea. :hmph:

[Cybermat47]

Had Americans working with the Finns to find and destroy a secret German installation. Turns out, it's a medical installation...and the virus gets loose.

Why were the Finns blowing up one of their ally's bases?

[Red October1984]

Why were the Finns blowing up one of their ally's bases?

The Finns weren't Axis all through the war IIRC (correct me if I'm wrong)...but then again, think....

WW2...

Zombies...

Americans...working...with Finns...to blow up a secret German medical installation in the year 1942 EDIT2: In a Russian forest too!

Historical Accuracy? Nope! :88)

EDIT: Here's the trailer War of the Dead (2011) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Inxwnpz2W9I)

[Catfish]

Americans fought alongside Germans and Finns against the Soviet Union before WW2, and into it. Some US and british soldiers were even in the Waffen-SS. Some explaining necessary after the war, but then you seldom hear about it nowadays.

[Crécy]

The Finns weren't Axis all through the war IIRC (correct me if I'm wrong)

In 1940 Germany asked Finland for transit access and it was given. Also negotiations for military cooperation began. When the operation Barbarossa began, Finland took the opportunity to retake territories lost in Winter War. Continuation War in other words. Thus Finland fought along side with the Germans. For example a German air unit 'Detachment Kuhlmey' played an important role in the battle of Tali-Ihantala where it helped to stop Soviet advance.

Finally in September 1944 'Moscow armistice' was Signed by Finland and Soviet Union. One of the conditions was to banish German troops from Finnish territory and that lead to Lapland War which lasted for eight months, during which retreating German troops burned large parts of Lapland.

So Finland's history with Germany is somewhat peculiar.

[Red October1984]

In 1940 Germany asked Finland for transit access and it was given. Also negotiations for military cooperation began. When the operation Barbarossa began, Finland took the opportunity to retake territories lost in Winter War. Continuation War in other words. Thus Finland fought along side with the Germans. For example a German air unit 'Detachment Kuhlmey' played an important role in the battle of Tali-Ihantala where it helped to stop Soviet advance.

Finally in September 1944 'Moscow armistice' was Signed by Finland and Soviet Union. One of the conditions was to banish German troops from Finnish territory and that lead to Lapland War which lasted for eight months, during which retreating German troops burned large parts of Lapland.

So Finland's history with Germany is somewhat peculiar.

Thanks for the correction

So I guess the American Unit working with the Finns against the Germans isn't as far-fetched as I thought... :hmmm:

[Dowly]

Thanks for the correction

There is a lot to be corrected. After all this time, a ton of foreign sources still
list Finland as either a) Axis or b) allied to Germany

Neither of which are true. Finland was neutral prior to SU attacking us (Winter War),
after that, the threat of a new war was clear to everyone in Finland,
so we looked for help, and the only one who offered it was Germany.
We got planes, ammo and guns in exchange of letting Germans be in Finland.

So I guess the American Unit working with the Finns against the Germans isn't as far-fetched as I thought... :hmmm:

Only American unit I have heard of was a volunteer ambulance unit, and that
was in an American documentary.

I know there were Finns who had double-citizenship as Americans who came
back to fight (oldest I've seen was 62yr).

[Red October1984]

There is a lot to be corrected. After all this time, a ton of foreign sources still
list Finland as either a) Axis or b) allied to Germany

Neither of which are true. Finland was neutral prior to SU attacking us (Winter War),
after that, the threat of a new war was clear to everyone in Finland,
so we looked for help, and the only one who offered it was Germany.
We got planes, ammo and guns in exchange of letting Germans be in Finland.

So if I have this in my head correct, the Finns didn't fight the Germans? :hmmm:

Only American unit I have heard of was a volunteer ambulance unit, and that
was in an American documentary.

I know there were Finns who had double-citizenship as Americans who came
back to fight (oldest I've seen was 62yr).

Now, this is where I get confused. I was taught that you can't have double citizenship unless you're a Native American.

I'll have to do some looking around. :hmmm:

[Dowly]

So if I have this in my head correct, the Finns didn't fight the Germans? :hmmm:

Like Crècy said, we fought with them and kicked them out of Finland during the "Lapland War" after the "Continuation War" ended.

Now, this is where I get confused. I was taught that you can't have double citizenship unless you're a Native American.

I'll have to do some looking around. :hmmm:

I might be wrong, but whatever the case, US/UK/AUS/ALLIED response was minimal (sadly).

[Red October1984]

Like Crècy said, we fought with them and kicked them out of Finland during the "Lapland War" after the "Continuation War" ended.

I think I have it now... :hmmm:

I might be wrong, but whatever the case, US/UK/AUS/ALLIED response was minimal (sadly).

And Finland isn't mentioned once in American History Textbook WW2 chapters in my experience. It's sad that it doesn't cover much in our textbook. We have the origins of the war, the entrance of the US, a few sentences about some major battles, and then most of the chapter is over the Holocaust.

I think the Holocaust should be a separate chapter and broaden the WW2 chapter to include more details about the war.

I've learned more on the internet than I have in History class. :timeout:

[Platapus]

Anybody know how much of the story was true?

That's a real good question. I always cringe when I see "based on a true story". :shifty:

To some film makers, based on a true story means they spelled someone's name correctly. :shifty::shifty:

I like history, and I like fiction. I often don't like when the two are mixed indiscriminately. Especially when it is not made very clear what is history and what is fiction.

[Dread Knot]

I think I have it now... :hmmm:



And Finland isn't mentioned once in American History Textbook WW2 chapters in my experience. It's sad that it doesn't cover much in our textbook. We have the origins of the war, the entrance of the US, a few sentences about some major battles, and then most of the chapter is over the Holocaust.

That hardly surprises me. My high school history book's chapter on WW2 didn't even mention the German invasion of the Soviet Union except in a graphic sidebar showing which nations Germany declared war on and when. I imagine that puzzled some kids when reading about Germany being divided up east and west a chapter later.

[Red October1984]

That hardly surprises me. My high school history book's chapter on WW2 didn't even mention the German invasion of the Soviet Union except in a graphic sidebar showing which nations Germany declared war on and when. I imagine that puzzled some kids when reading about Germany being divided up east and west a chapter later.

The World War chapters in our history books are VERY lacking. Even the Cold War chapters are terrible.

[Herr-Berbunch]

Just finished watching this film. It's quite good.

The bottles they find are Linie Aquavit - I've had a bottle, and still a little left. I wouldn't like to drink it their way but it's nice with lemonade. Once bottled it travels around the world, crossing the equator on a container ship twice before being sold - the constant movement and variations in temperature are supposed to give it a totally different flavour to the normal Norwegian Aquavits (or should that be aquas-vit?). Each bottle has a reference number where you can (now, in the 21st century) go online and see what vessel it went on, when and where too.

[GoldenRivet]

That's cool info/ trivia. Thanks for sharing and glad you enjoyed the film

[Dan D]

This brings us to an interesting aspect of naval war in the Baltic Sea,
"Weather Conditions":

As long as Finland and Nazi Germany fought the Soviet Union together the German Navy had it easy in the Baltic Sea.

In spring the ice melts from West to East in the Baltic Sea. That means while the Soviet Navy still was stuck in the harbour because of all the ice, the German Navy was already there each year to lay new minefields and anti-submarine nets and the Soviet Navy could not do much about it.

This did not change until Nazi Germany had to give up Finish Naval Bases which then could be used by the Soviet Navy to approach ice-free waters earlier in the year. The German Navy could no longer use the icing conditons to its advantage.

I give you a quote:

"The Kriegsmarine operations in the Baltic, however, were enormously successful. The Germans turned the Baltic into essentially a German lake. Soviet naval operations were limited in 1941 and 42 and in 1943 the Soviets did not succeed in getting one ship or submarine through the anti-submarine nets and mines streaching from Helsinki to Tallinn. This meant that shipments of metal ores and other products from Scandinavia could freelt flow show to support the German war effort. This situation did not change until the Finns withdrew from the War (July 1944) and the Red Army began to take Baltic ports."
http://histclo.com/essay/war/ww2/cou/sov/sea/gpw-sea.html