Winter War Monument, Suomussalmi, Finland

Описание: As part of the pilgrimage I made with my daughter to Finland, the homeland of many of her ancestors, we visited Suomussalmi, from whence one of her great-grandfathers emigrated to America. It was the site of bitter and brutal fighting between Finns and invading (and soon decimated) Soviets during the 105-day Winter War in 1939-40, not to mention during the Continuation War not long after that. As my daughter learned, her last name, inherited with pride from her mother, is common in this district, and many of her clan paid with their lives during the war(s), according to a local historian. The Raatteen Portti Winter War Museum is located next to this memorial, and serves to start your journey along the memorial Raate Road, where one of the deciding battles of the Winter War was fought. Memorials to Finnish, Ukrainian and Russian troops who died along the "frozen hell" of the road can be seen as you continue toward the border, along with reconstructed trenches. Farther along, the Continuation War Museum is located where gates mark the boundary of the Finland-Russia border security zone.

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