Into The White (2012)

[Red October1984]

Originally Posted by Crécy

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...

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Red October1984

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...

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]

Originally Posted by Dowly

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?

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.

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Red October1984

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

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.

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

[Red October1984]

Originally Posted by Dowly

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...

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.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

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".

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

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]

Originally Posted by Red October1984

I think I have it now...



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]

Originally Posted by Dread Knot

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...a/gpw-sea.html