The Defence Forces, war veterans’ organisations, the City of Helsinki and many other bodies will participate in a remembrance service at the Mannerheim Square in the city centre. Later a wreath will be laid at the tomb of Marshall Gustav Mannerheim at the Hietaniemi Cemetery.
The Soviet Union launched attacks against Finland on November 30, 1939 after claiming Finland had shelled a border village. It was not until after the fall of the Soviet Union that Russia admitted that the shelling came from Russian territory and was used as a pretext to attack Finland.
Prior to hostilities, the then Soviet dictator Josef Stalin had demanded Finland surrender parts of Karelia in addition to some strategic locations along the Finnish south coast.
The war claimed the lives of around 23,000 Finns. After the cessation of hostilities in March 1940, some 400,000 people were evacuated from areas captured by Soviet forces. However, Finland remained an independent nation. Indeed, a survey published last week showed a majority of Finns believe the Winter War saved the nation from tyranny.