Picture of the day
- Thread starter jwhc
- Start date
I blew the heck out of the photos, paying most attention to the face in the middle one.
As to the middle pic, it looks as if it were scanned from a very fine halftone with the halftone dot pattern aligning properly with the scan.
Not normally seen, but it can be done. Usually you end up with Moire patterns.
As to the middle pic, it looks as if it were scanned from a very fine halftone with the halftone dot pattern aligning properly with the scan.
Not normally seen, but it can be done. Usually you end up with Moire patterns.
I see there is a book out on him written by a former US diplomat who speaks Finnish. Anyone know why he volunteered for the Waffen SS after the Finno-Soviet peace treaty of 1944?
Doesn't look like a Hollywood tough guy does he? Looks more like the kind of fresh-faced kid we sent to two world wars.
Doesn't look like a Hollywood tough guy does he? Looks more like the kind of fresh-faced kid we sent to two world wars.
- Location
- Leduc County, Alberta
I'm assuming he had a deep hatred of the Soviets, and wanted to keep fighting them? Perhaps he thought that Finland would inevitably be completely overrun by the Soviets sooner or later? Maybe he saw it as his way of escaping to the west? Perhaps he was a wanted man by the Soviets, and staying in Finland meant death?
Perhaps he just liked the snappy uniforms???
So many questions... One thing is for sure, he definitely lived up to saying, "May you live in interesting times".
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gewehr76
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
In order to understand Lauri's actions, one has to understand the position Finland was in during World War 2. There were two conflicts, the Winter War (November 30, 1939-March 13, 1940) and the Continuation War (June 25, 1941 - . The Finnish Civil War (Whites vs Reds) was still pretty fresh in the collective memory of Finland, and most of the population was pretty anti-communist.
During the Winter War, Finland was attacked by the Soviet Union. A country of 4 million people vs a country of 120 million people. Finland was alone in its defense. The Allies were contemplating helping Finland, but did not do so due to politics. Everyone thought that Finland would be over-run by the Soviets. However, Finland managed to defend itself and the Moscow Peace Treaty was signed with Finland only losing about 11% of its prewar territory. At that time Finland was pretty much at its last bullet, since it did not have any outside assistance.
As Germany started its offensive against the Soviet Union, the Soviets launched an air offensive on Finland on June 25, 1941. Finland then started war operations to get back the prewar territory and worked together with Germany. When hostilities ceased on September 5, 1944, and the Moscow Armistice was signed, Finland under the conditions of the Armistice was supposed to demobilize its army and expel all German troops from its territory.
After the Armistice, many Finnish soldiers believed that there was a good possibility that the Soviets would attack again in the future. Therefore, many secretly collected armaments and stored them within their own domiciles, just in case war started again, at risk of being arrested. My grandfather was one of those. [The artillery shells were removed by the bomb squad years ago from the storage area of my grandmother’s apartment. My father had already removed the powder sacks from them, as a boy, to make his own explosives for fun.]
Lauri was one of those too. He was dissatisfied and decided to join the Germans, as a chance to fight the Russians. He received more training from the Germans (espionage and sabotage) and also brought his skill set to the table.
At first he learned that he was supposed to carry out missions against Finland and declined. The commander didn’t like this and sent him to the Berlin front. Lauri saw it as an opportunity to fight the Russians. He was promoted to the rank of Captain and issued a military passport and command of 200-300 men.
He and his men were surrounded by Russians near Hagenow when they learned of Hitler’s suicide. They fought their way through the Soviet lines and surrendered themselves to American Paratroopers later that day.
So in summary, Lauri was a good soldier, an anti-communist, and did not trust the Soviets (for good reason). He joined the Germans, because they were still in the fight at the time.
Bullseye!
I should also add that the Soviet Army had put a bounty on his head of 3 million Finnish Marks. He was the only Finnish Officer to have a bounty on his head. With that, he may have felt more comfortable continuing the fight against the Soviets, even though he had to change uniforms.
Wow for a response. Well lets try another one.
Finnish soldiers during the Continuation War (1941-1944)
The other one is armed with German Luger P08 pistol and other one with captured Soviet SVT-40 semi-automatic rifle.
Finns captured 4000 SVT-40's during the Winter War and around 15 000 during the Continuation War.
Finnish soldiers during the Continuation War (1941-1944)
The other one is armed with German Luger P08 pistol and other one with captured Soviet SVT-40 semi-automatic rifle.
Finns captured 4000 SVT-40's during the Winter War and around 15 000 during the Continuation War.
maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
What is your source on the numbers above?
Dark Alley Dan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Darkest Edmonton
Wow for a response. Well lets try another one.
Finnish soldiers during the Continuation War (1941-1944)
The other one is armed with German Luger P08 pistol and other one with captured Soviet SVT-40 semi-automatic rifle.
Finns captured 4000 SVT-40's during the Winter War and around 15 000 during the Continuation War.
I am reminded of the song composed by an anonymous (but poetic) Sioux after the Custer battle. Third verse:
Nice of the Soviets to be so generous with the Finns.
For the record, I figure there are few people in the world with such an overabundance of seriously tough mofos in the population than the Finns. They are a hard people, comfortable with hardship, and NOT to be slighted.
Rule #1 then and now...don't fu<k with the Vikinger's, you will lose. 
Wow for a response. Well lets try another one.
Finnish soldiers during the Continuation War (1941-1944)
The other one is armed with German Luger P08 pistol and other one with captured Soviet SVT-40 semi-automatic rifle.
Finns captured 4000 SVT-40's during the Winter War and around 15 000 during the Continuation War.
Looks like they both have a P08.
The last two pictures that I have posted have come from here. http://www.ww2incolor.com/finnish_forces/Continuation+War.html
Dark Alley Dan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Darkest Edmonton
New day, new pic:
http://2.bp.########.com/-yQv1VYAFwwY/T4XyMxeeQiI/AAAAAAAAOyc/x2sfjGsLJWg/s640/kfh-SShandschar.jpg
The fez is the second-least impressive or useful headgear ever invented (after the pillbox hat), and it's hard to make it look badass. But to my eye, the Handschar lads did well enough.
http://2.bp.########.com/-yQv1VYAFwwY/T4XyMxeeQiI/AAAAAAAAOyc/x2sfjGsLJWg/s640/kfh-SShandschar.jpg
The fez is the second-least impressive or useful headgear ever invented (after the pillbox hat), and it's hard to make it look badass. But to my eye, the Handschar lads did well enough.
They consider their national characteristic to be “sisu” which means fortitude.
Wow for a response. Well lets try another one.
Finnish soldiers during the Continuation War (1941-1944)
The other one is armed with German Luger P08 pistol and other one with captured Soviet SVT-40 semi-automatic rifle.
Finns captured 4000 SVT-40's during the Winter War and around 15 000 during the Continuation War.
Not sure about numbers captured, but the SVT was a PRIZED battlefield pickup if you were a Finn or German. Not hard at all to find pics of Axis troops (lovingly) carrying SVTs.
Whaaattt's this, the line up for the 2 stroke go-carts!? Is that a clown in the far back corner!?
