Finns In The Red Army - M36 Edited for Red Army Use?

[Aleksander P]

Thanks for the reply Krad. It seems like the Finnish Peoples Army wore loads of different uniforms, Polish mostly, Finnish and possibly m35 gymnastiroka.

[kradman]

Hi Aleksander i wasnt aware of the Finnish army wearing Polish uniforms i may be wrong , i have seen Polish ammo pouches used by the Finnish army but not uniforms ,When you look at winter war photos alot of the guys are wearing their clothes from home as there was only a limited amount of Finnish uniforms that could be issued

[Aleksander P]

Hey Krad,

They are wearing Polish uniforms, because they serve in the Red Army, not Finnish. The Finnish Peoples Army (Suomen Kansanarmeija) was meant to replace the Finnish Army, when Otto Wille Kuusinen's government would come into power. Of course this never happened. There is a good Wikipedia article named "Suomen kansanarmeija" about the volunteer army I mean.

[Aleksander P]

A photo from the book: Vihan ja Rakkauden Liekit, Otava 2010.

Officer of the Red Army, Lauri Tuomainen in Leningrad during the years 1925-1926, photographed with his brother Elias and his wife Klara.

[Aleksander P]

A recruiting poster meant for Finnish population of the Karelian regions, that the Soviet Union occupied during the Winter War. It's purpose was to encourage Finns to join the ranks of RKKA.

Text: Together with the Red Army, against the enemies of the Finnish people.

[Mehti Safarov]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anUrgD_ki8o

This one actually refers to 'Red Finns with Toyvo Antikainen in 1921, not in Winter War - yet could be interesting since issued in 1937.

[Aleksander P]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anUrgD_ki8o

This one actually refers to 'Red Finns with Toyvo Antikainen in 1921, not in Winter War - yet could be interesting since issued in 1937.

Thank you for the link Mehti. Which scene do they say so? This is very interesting.

Many Finnish Reds escaped to the Soviet Union after the end of the Civil War in Finland. There for numerous Finns could be found in the ranks of the Red Army, before the Winter War of 1939.

[Mehti Safarov]

Toivo Antikainen's unit of 170 Red Finns has raided enemy rear. That was one of 1921-1922 war actions.
East Karelian Uprising and Soviet
Nothing about this particular episode in English version and just few words in Russian.

[Aleksander P]

Interesting topic. I need to read up more on the Kinship Wars, shame that information about them is scarce when compared to other conflicts.

[Mehti Safarov]

Winter War amateur photos from the Soviet side
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