One of the most valiant stories of World War II—the heroic Finnish stance against the Red Army

When Russia invaded Finland in November 1939, the international community reacted with a combination of shock and outrage. But while the rest of the world dithered, Finland was left alone to face the full might of the Red Army.

The results of the conflict seemed a foregone conclusion. The Soviet Army was reputed to be the best in the world, and the Finns were outnumbered almost four to one. To everyone's surprise, however, they pushed back against the Russians and became an international cause célèbre. For 105 days, it looked as if they just might achieve the impossible and keep the huge Soviet Army at bay.

In his new interpretation of this little understood war, Robert Edwards describes one of the most doomed but valiant defenses since Thermopylae. Indeed, the geopolitical consequences were far-reaching, as Nazi Germany observed the Soviet embarrassment from the sidelines and immediately began their plans for Operation Barbarossa.