Political work of Soviet special propaganda against the Finnish army in the Winter War
Before examining the activities of the Soviet Union's special propaganda apparatus during the Great Patriotic War, it's necessary to touch upon the information warfare between the USSR and Finland during the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939-1940 (known in Finnish historiography as the "Winter War"). It's also worth noting that in the Soviet Union, this conflict wasn't considered a war. It was referred to as the "Red Army's Finnish campaign."
To understand the propaganda points of the parties to the conflict, it is necessary to give historical a certificate that will explain the political situation of that time.
In the final Russo-Swedish War of 1808–1809, the Russian army defeated the Swedes, and as a result of the peace treaty, the entire territory of Finland, previously part of Sweden, was annexed to the Russian Empire. The new lands became known as the "Grand Duchy of Finland." This territory was an autonomous entity under the Romanov Union.
After the abdication of Nicholas II, Finland lost control.
On March 7, 1917, the Russian Provisional Government issued a decree renewing the Swedish Law of 1772 in Finnish territory. This was a decision to demonstrate loyalty to Finland.
From July 3 to 5, 1917, the Bolshevik uprising in Petrograd (the "July Days") took place. As a result of these events, the Provisional Government lost control of Finland.
Demonstration of soldiers and workers in Petrograd, July 4, 1917
Taking advantage of this, the Finnish Sejm (Finnish Parliament) on July 5 of that year proposed a bill concentrating all power in Finland in its own hands. However, the head of the Provisional Government, A.F. Kerensky, rejected it, after which the Finnish Parliament was dissolved and occupied by Russian troops. New parliamentary elections were called.
On September 1, 1917, the Russian Republic was officially proclaimed. Negotiations were initiated between the Governor of Finland (the highest official in Finland, the President of the Senate) and the Provisional Government. However, when the Finnish delegation headed to Petrograd, they learned at the Russian-Finnish border that the Provisional Government had been overthrown by the outbreak of the October Revolution.
In connection with these events, on November 28, 1917, the Finnish Diet proclaimed itself the supreme authority of independent Finland and formed a new Senate (government) headed by P.E. Svinhufvud (Svinhufvud Senate).
Senate of P.E. Svinhufvud
As a result of negotiations with the Bolsheviks, who by that time had already become the real power, on December 18, 1917, the Council of People's Commissars approved the full independence of Finland in accordance with the proclaimed right of national self-determination.
Document on the recognition of Finland's independence by the Bolshevik government in 1917
Finnish society began to split into "Reds" and "Whites." To maintain order and counter pogroms in the country, self-defense units known as the "Schutzkor" were created as early as the summer of 1917.
The fact is that there remained in Finland old Russian troops that were not withdrawn with the proclamation of the country's independence, as well as Red Guard soldiers who were planning to seize power.
The Finnish Senate commissioned Finnish military commander Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, who had previously served in the Russian Imperial Army, to restore order in the country. With the help of the Schutzkorps and the support of the Senate, Mannerheim began to assemble an army.
Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
But the Red Guard managed to stage a coup d'état in Finland, seizing all the main government buildings in Helsinki. In March, Mannerheim assembled an army of 70 men to retake power. They were also joined by the arriving German corps of von der Goltz. Thus began the Finnish Civil War. Following heavy fighting, the Red Guard was routed, and the revolutionary government fled the capital. May 15, 1918, marked the end of the Civil War. Immediately afterward, purges began in Finland. Numerous people suspected of aiding the communists were executed.
Even during the Civil War, Mannerheim approved the "Wallenius Plan," which envisioned the seizure of Russian territory from the White Sea to Lake Ladoga. Pursuing the retreating Red Guard, on March 15, 1918, Finnish troops crossed the Soviet border and entered Karelia, taking advantage of the fact that the Civil War was raging in Soviet Russia.
Mannerheim took this oath, in which he declared: “I will not sheathe my sword... until the last warrior and hooligan of Lenin has been driven out of both Finland and Eastern Karelia.”
In July 1920, the Red Army succeeded in pushing the Finns back to the Soviet-Finnish border. Following the fighting, the Treaty of Tartu was signed, ceding some Soviet territories to Finland. Thus ended the First Soviet-Finnish War (1918-1920). Afterward, relations between Finland and the Soviet Union remained extremely tense.
After such a long historical background, it is necessary to move directly to the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939-1940.
Before the start of World War II, under the threat of German aggression, Finland was seen as a potential springboard for military action against the USSR.
Therefore, in 1938, the Soviet leadership proposed a treaty to the Finnish government, under which Finland would cede its border territories in exchange for some lands in Karelia and elsewhere. This was intended to push the border north, creating a "buffer zone" for the security of the USSR and, in particular, the city of Leningrad.
The territories that the Soviet Union offered to cede to Finland during the negotiations (a total of 5,529 square kilometers) are marked in green. The territories the USSR wanted in exchange are marked in red.
The Finnish leadership rejected this proposal. The immediate precipitating event of the war was an incident that occurred on November 26, 1939, in the village of Mainila. There, according to the USSR, Finnish troops fired on Soviet border guards, leading to the severance of diplomatic relations and the declaration of war.
The 7th, 8th, 9th, 13th, 14th, and 15th Armies of the Red Army fought against the Finnish Army. But the main striking force, intended to defeat the Finns, was the 7th Army, operating directly on the Karelian Isthmus. The 13th Army, formed by the transfer of units from the 7th Army, also operated in that area.
Map of military operations during the Soviet-Finnish War with explanations
The main government body directing the activities of Soviet special propaganda during the Winter War was the Department of Agitation and Propaganda of the Political Directorate of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (PURKKA).
On July 1, 1939, two units were created within the Political Directorate of the Leningrad Military District to conduct propaganda against the Finns. The first consisted of employees of the Soviet editorial office of a Finnish-language newspaper. They were tasked with collecting information on the enemy, but weak management and insufficient processes affected the work of this unit as well.
The fact is that at that time, reading Finnish newspapers and listening to their broadcasts was prohibited throughout the army. Even the specially created propaganda units were not given special permission to do so, even though it was their primary job. Finnish newspapers were also not delivered due to cost savings. Furthermore, the editorial staff included some with limited Finnish language skills.
The second unit was specifically tasked with working among enemy troops and the general population. Not all of its personnel spoke Finnish or were translators for other languages. A personnel shortage took its toll. This unit, like the first, naturally lacked information on the actual situation in Finland and its troops. Yet, it was primarily on this data that the fundamental concepts of information campaigns, as well as the themes of propaganda messages, should have been developed.
Propaganda agencies were also created at the army level. These were also departments for work among enemy troops and the general population, but they were located within the army political directorates. They were the first to appear in the political directorates of the 7th and 14th Army armies. Later, by 1940, such departments would be established in all army political directorates. These departments reported to the PURKKA Propaganda and Agitation Department. The Leningrad Military District also had a special expedition that delivered leaflets and newspapers printed in Leningrad to Red Army divisions.
It is important to note that the department for work among the enemy troops and population in the political department of the 14th Army was headed by M. I. Burtsev, who would later be appointed to the position of head of all special propaganda of the USSR during the Great Patriotic War, which would be handled by the 7th department of the Main Directorate of Political Affairs.
Soviet propaganda placed a significant emphasis on popularizing the Finnish Communist Party (FCP) among Finnish troops and the general population. Thus, the Central Committee of the FCP issued an appeal, "To the Working People of Finland!" The appeal was also published in Soviet newspapers, with the claim that it was a radio intercept from the Finnish side and translated into Russian.
Appeal "To the working people of Finland!", published in the newspaper Pravda No. 332 (8017) on December 1, 1939 (excerpt)
In fact, it was written on Stalin's orders first in Russian and later translated into Finnish for distribution.
Finnish-language newspapers, particularly "Kansan Valta" ("People's Power"), were used for propaganda among Finnish troops and the general population. The newspaper presented information covering the military conflict from the Soviet side, and all its content was adapted for Finnish readers. This newspaper also published the appeal "To the Working People of Finland!" It was slightly modified, but the message remained the same.
Appeal "To the Working People of Finland!" in the newspaper "Kansan Valta." Issue No. 12. 1939
Soviet propaganda for soldiers and the Finnish population in another issue of the newspaper "Kansan Valta"
The leaflets themselves for soldiers and the Finnish population were printed primarily in Leningrad's permanent printing houses, which boasted high-quality equipment and experienced specialists. Professional artists from the city were commissioned to create the leaflets' illustrations. In particular, specialists from the Leningrad Academy of Arts worked on commissions from the Leningrad Front. Some leaflets were printed at PURKKA itself and delivered directly from Moscow.
In early 1940, PURKKA was given permission to independently publish leaflets in army political directorates. This significantly increased the efficiency of propaganda, as the production of leaflets in Leningrad required time spent on logistics, during which time the situation at the front could change, rendering the information in the leaflets outdated.
Compiling a leaflet at the army's political department. 1940
The propaganda leaflets most often focused on historical facts about the emergence of Finnish independence as a result of the October Revolution, leading to the conclusion that the USSR could not encroach on Finland's independence. They also constantly presented information about the Red Army's military successes and the favorable conditions enjoyed by Finns in Soviet captivity, as well as persistent attacks on the personalities of Finnish government leaders and the commanders and officers of the Finnish army. The leaflets also frequently attempted to incite Finnish soldiers against members of the Schutzkor people's militia, which had been formed during the Finnish Civil War and was now fighting against Soviet troops.
As for distribution, the main means for this was aviationLong-range bombers were used to deliver leaflets and newspapers deep into Finland's rear. Leaflet delivery was carried out alongside bombing raids, as propaganda work was merely a supplement to air power. Propaganda bombs were rarely used, so bomber crews dropped bundles of leaflets from the cockpit. Soviet SB bombers primarily handled this task. Air power distributed over 17 million leaflets.
In this photo, the military commissar of the 2nd squadron of the 25th fighter aviation regiment, senior political instructor A.A. Ivashkin, takes printed material into the cockpit of his I-16 before flying out on a combat mission for distribution over Finnish territory. 1939
But most often, the dropping of propaganda literature was carried out from Soviet SB bombers.
Soviet SB bombers. They were the most common aircraft to drop leaflets during bombing missions.
Additionally, propaganda shells filled with leaflets were used to distribute printed propaganda. Around 5 million leaflets were distributed this way, a relatively new method at the time.
During the Soviet-Finnish War, in addition to printed materials, Soviet special propaganda also used sound.
First and foremost, it was radio. Specialists who had emigrated from Finland were brought in to broadcast. The main propaganda radio station was the "Radio Station of the Communist International." A radio editorial staff of five people was established in Leningrad, three of whom were Finns.
Another radio station operated in Kuokkala (a village in Repino, near St. Petersburg). This station broadcast on behalf of the "People's Government of Finland." This was a puppet government operating in the territory of Finland occupied by Soviet troops. Its chairman was Otto Kuusinen (who had been directly involved in preparing the revolution in Finland and, after the defeat of the Reds, fled to the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic).
Radio broadcasts frequently focused on the activities of the People's Government of Finland and exposed the "criminal Finnish government clique." The broadcasts also covered the victories of the Red Army and various international issues. Many topics and texts were taken from Soviet newspapers, as well as from the newspaper "Kansan Valta."
Soviet soldiers attack enemy positions near Vyborg. March 1940.
There were also special broadcasts, custom-made radio documentaries. These often featured conversations with captured Finns and stories about their experiences in Soviet captivity.
The radio broadcasts were interspersed with music and literary readings. These included Finnish folk songs, as well as music broadcast on Leningrad Radio. The readings included works on the Finnish Revolution, written by Finnish Reds who fled to the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic after their defeat in the Civil War.
Sound propaganda also included the use of experimental sound stations from Moscow State University (a powerful loudspeaker system). Seven sound stations, each a single unit, were sent to the front to test their functionality. They were distributed among the armies.
Their main task was to disorient the enemy army by playing recorded sounds, as in the Battle of Khalkhin Gol (sounds of armored vehicles moving, defensive works, and others). In addition, propaganda messages and leaflets for Finnish soldiers were read through Moscow State University. However, due to a shortage of Finnish-speaking people, the messages were often transmitted with errors and a Russian accent, greatly reducing their effectiveness. Furthermore, the experimental sound stations frequently malfunctioned.
The MGU-39 model proved to be the most effective. It was adopted into service in January 1941. The MGU-39 was actively used by Soviet special propagandists during the Great Patriotic War.
MGU-39 sound station. Image from the book "Political Work Among Enemy Troops and Populations During the Great Patriotic War," 1971
The true results of propaganda could be learned from captured Finns. Thus, its major drawback was the frequent exaggeration of the Red Army's successes, which undermined the credibility of Soviet propaganda. Also included was the outright demonization of the Finnish army, such as claims that Finnish soldiers killed their wounded comrades. Furthermore, statements proclaiming friendship between the peoples of the USSR and Finland during the war between these countries were completely unnecessary.
Machine gun crew changes position. 1940.
The abundance of communist slogans was also a misguided decision, as the Soviet Union had long been perceived as Finland's enemy among the Finnish population. The current Finnish government enjoyed strong support among the Finns and rallied the nation around itself, yet Soviet propaganda constantly sought to humiliate Finnish leaders, calling them derogatory names and painting them in caricatures. This greatly irritated the Finnish soldiers.
There was also a basic lack of differentiation between the different categories of military personnel in the propaganda campaign. The Finnish army had a large number of conscripts, who were not as psychologically resilient as regular soldiers. However, there was not a single leaflet specifically aimed at conscripts or addressing their pressing problems. Furthermore, propaganda was completely absent from the foreign volunteer armies fighting on Finland's side (Swedes, Norwegians, Danes). These were the most vulnerable categories to "propaganda."
The "from our own to our own" propaganda method proved effective. Finnish prisoners of war were recruited for propaganda purposes. Facsimile images of letters from Finnish prisoners of war were included in leaflets as proof of the propaganda's veracity. Conversations with prisoners of war were also recorded for subsequent broadcast by radio or sound system.
Naturally, the Red Army's successes gave its propaganda greater weight. For example, according to Finnish prisoners of war, after breaking through the Mannerheim Line (a powerful complex of defensive fortifications), they became increasingly interested in Red Army propaganda. However, due to initial mistakes in this area, the Finns had already formed their view of Soviet propaganda as, in fact, "propaganda" in the strictest sense of the word—information that was beneficial only to the USSR and had nothing to do with reality.
However, by 1940, most of the errors in the creation and presentation of propaganda information had been corrected, based on the testimony of captured Finns and intelligence data.
Below are presented Soviet leaflets aimed at the moral and psychological decomposition of the Finnish army.
Some leaflets will be followed by a photo with a translation. In other cases, the leaflet's translation will be provided below in the photo's description. Some translations may contain grammatical inaccuracies, but this will not interfere with the full understanding of the text.
"Mannerheim is the executioner of the Finnish people!"
"Bloody mercenary of the Russian Tsar Nicholas II. Clerk of English bankers. Hangman of peasants. Murderer of Finnish workers. Executioner Mannerheim."
"SOLDIERS AND CORPORALS OF THE SALLA BATTALION! I, Corporal Eino Oinas of the 2nd Company, was captured by the Red Army. I am being treated well here. I was able to learn the truth about what the officers had previously hidden from us, so now I call on you: throw weapon"Surrender to the Red Army! Kill the officers or bring them here! You are guaranteed life and a happy future for Finland." (Signature of a prisoner of war)
"TO THE SOLDIERS AND SERGEANTS OF MY UNIT! I, Fenrik Turunen Tauno, have been captured. Nothing was done to me here, and now I am finally convinced that the war against the mighty USSR is unjust and hopeless. The Red Army is fighting for the security of our country and the true independence of Finland. All who resist the Red Army are doomed to death, but those who lay down their weapons and surrender are guaranteed life. Sergeants of the Finnish Army, all soldiers, surrender! Go over to the Red Army! Save your lives!"
"SCHÜTZKOR BELIEFS. Swedish and Norwegian newspapers write about the terrible fate of workers in the rear of the White Finnish army. In the towns and villages of White Finland, Mannerheim's bandits are killing workers, burning houses, and forcibly driving civilians from their homes. SCHÜTZKOR: "We are not forcing anyone to leave with us. Those who do not want to leave can remain where they are."
"Do you know the truth about your families' situation? Letters sent to the front are checked by officers and the secret police, and if they contain information about the terror of Mannerheim's collaborators and violence against soldiers' families, they are destroyed. The Finnish military authorities fear that the soldiers will be exposed to the truth about the people's misfortunes and the real situation at the front, the truth about the criminal war that the capitalists are waging against the USSR for their own gain. Read what the Swedish newspapers are writing about the situation in Finland. The newspaper "Ny Dag" reports that the situation in White Finland is increasingly reminiscent of 1918. Thousands of workers have been arrested, hundreds have been shot, and arrests continue uninterrupted. The White Finnish authorities are unlawfully imprisoning and executing the population without trial for the mere suspicion of sympathy for the People's Government headed by Kuusinen. The workers of Vyborg and Kotka have openly risen up in struggle against the White Finnish tyranny. Some time ago, serious conflicts erupted in these cities. The residents of White Finland were subjected to unprecedented levels of abuse and looting. Mannerheim's gangs forcibly carried residents away from their homes. The Schutzkorps bandits, according to the newspaper "Ny Dag," took felt boots, sheepskin coats, outerwear and underwear, saws, axes, shovels, and other essential items from the peasants. "FINNISH SOLDIERS! How long will you tolerate this situation? Overthrow the officers! Return home! Flee from the violence of Mannerheim's bandit gang!"
"Surrender before you are destroyed! Finnish Army pilot, infantryman, artilleryman! The same will happen to you if you continue to resist. Save your life! Go over to the Red Army!"
"Who are you following, Finnish soldier!"
"Resistance is futile. Surrender!"
"SOLDIERS OF THE FINNISH ARMY! Soldiers of the Finnish Army! Assess your situation and, first of all, draw a conclusion. Do not interfere in Mannerheim's hopeless military adventure. No one will gain anything from it—you will only perish. You can see that the resistance of the Finnish dwarf generals is coming to a short end."
"FINNISH SOLDIER! You are tired. Your life is in mortal danger. Your family is starving. Officers and Schutzkorps men hiding in the rear are abusing your wives. The mercenaries of British imperialism—the Mannerheims, Ryti, and Tanners—have already invested their capital in foreign banks and are now plundering the state treasury. They have purchased villas and houses in England and Sweden, and keep special planes in constant readiness so they can escape abroad in time, avoiding the people's court. Flee from the ranks of the White Finnish army! End this criminal war against your brothers—the Russian workers and peasants! Keep this leaflet! Go over to the Red Army, arms in hand!"
"THE TRUE FACE OF YOUR ENEMY, SOLDIERS! The Mannerheims, Tanners, and Ryti, hiding behind the mask of Finnish independence, are drowning you in blood and leading you to your death. Only the Finnish People's Government, with the help of the Red Army, will give the Finnish people true freedom and independence. If you value your own life and the lives of your loved ones, then cease this futile resistance and go over to the Red Army!"
"Destroy the Mannerheimites—the executioners of the Finnish people! In 1918, Nicholas II's bloodthirsty monsters, the Mannerheimites, executed your fathers and mothers. In 1939, they threw you into a criminal war against the Soviet Union and turned Finland into a land of gallows and shackles. Why are you fighting against the Red Army, which is bringing freedom to Finland? Join the Red Army!"
"The Lakhtars are committing outrage. Soldiers! The Schutzkorps gangs are burning your homes, plundering your property, and forcibly taking your families into exile. Your patience has run out. Turn your weapons against your enemies—the pack of Schutzkorps soldiers and officers—and go over to the Red Army!"
"White-Finnish puppet." Soldiers! Your distressed leadership: Mannerheim, Rüdi (misspelled – editor's note), Tanner, driven by foreign capital, are dragging the Finnish people into war against the Red Army. You are dying for the interests of these idlers, the bloodsuckers of Finnish workers. Come to your senses, those of you with a clear head, and throw these overfed wasters off your shoulders. Join the Finnish People's Government and the Red Army! The Finnish working people are boldly embarking on the path to a new, free life, which is being blazed by your People's Government with the help of the Red Army.
It's important to note that the Finns also conducted propaganda for the Red Army. In Finland, this work was carried out by the Ministry of Defense Information Directorate (Finnish: Puolustusministeriön Tiedostustoimisto).
Russian émigré figures helped advise and draft the most effective leaflets and appeals for the Finnish army. In particular, Pyotr Petrovich Sokolov, who worked in the aforementioned department and hated Soviet power, assisted. Finnish leaflets were distinguished by their quality. They were often produced using coated paper, which is why many of them have survived in archives to this day.
Unlike Soviet propaganda, Finnish propaganda emphasized different approaches to different categories of Red Army soldiers and civilians. For example, separate propaganda was directed at representatives of Turkic nationalities in the Red Army. Leaflets were used to incite anti-Russian sentiments among them. They were told of the oppression of their great peoples, first by the Russian tsars and then by the leadership of the Soviet Union.
At the same time, the leaflets contained almost no attacks on Stalin. This was due to the fact that the leader of the Soviet Union enjoyed enormous authority among the Red Army soldiers. Therefore, other Soviet political leaders (such as Molotov), as well as commissars and commanders of the Leningrad Military District, who allegedly pursued their own interests and started the war in defiance of Stalin's views, became scapegoats.
Furthermore, the "theme of death" is clearly visible in Finnish propagandist printed materials. Their leaflets frequently feature images of frozen corpses (including close-ups), wrecked equipment, and the general chaos of the battlefield. This appealed to the fundamental human fear—the fear of death. Being killed and left lying buried in the snow was a common visual image in Finnish propaganda. These leaflets were contrasted with leaflets showing captured Soviet soldiers holding plates of food and staying warm in a POW camp. These two types of images were often placed on the same leaflet to enhance the comparison.
The following photos show some Finnish leaflets aimed at undermining the morale of Red Army soldiers, taken from the Helsinki University Library.
An example of the aforementioned contrast between death in the icy snow and life with food and warmth in a Finnish prisoner of war camp
The "death theme" is present in many Finnish leaflets. Some of the published images included unflattering images capable of inducing fear.
Reference to supposedly captured documents as proof of the veracity of enemy propaganda. The enemy is quite capable of creating such "evidence" documents themselves.
Photographs and references to food in leaflets during winter and severe cold could have a depressing effect on Soviet soldiers.
Another similar leaflet shows a photo of a perfectly decent, and most importantly, dark, room. It states that thousands of Soviet soldiers have already defected to the Finns and are living in such conditions.
An unusual idea for a leaflet: a promise of a reward for weapons and equipment from your army
A Finnish leaflet disguised as the Red Army newspaper "Boevoy Listok" (Combat Leaflet)
Another leaflet, also disguised as a copy of the Red Army newspaper
Finnish leaflets avoided attacks on Stalin personally. Instead, various members of the Soviet military leadership and command staff were used as scapegoats.
Due to the extremely high loyalty of the Red Army soldiers and the entire USSR to Stalin, Finnish propaganda resorted to a trick and instead blamed the Military Council of the Leningrad Military District
The same situation as in the previous leaflet
With such leaflets, the Finns sought to encourage Soviet soldiers to unite among themselves to discuss and spread rumors from the leaflets. Furthermore, leaflets of this type seem to appeal directly to the soldier.
Another call to action option
Another interesting trick is that it says there are Finnish agents in the Soviet army.
Appealing to the opinion of international associations as proof of one's rightness
Another attempt to increase the credibility of its propaganda by referring to compliance with international rules for the treatment of prisoners of war
The use of maps increases the visibility of campaigning
In some leaflets, the Finns tried to speak to Soviet soldiers "in their own language." They used the theme of the revolution to give the Red Army soldiers a sense of familiarity in the enemy's statements.
An attempt to show the contradictions between the actions of the USSR leadership and Lenin's teachings
Leaflets addressed to soldiers of specific military units were more effective because their propaganda was targeted. They could cover topics specific to the unit addressed. At the bottom, specific locations were indicated where people could go and surrender to Finnish soldiers. This was far more significant than simple calls to surrender "somehow."
A similar leaflet with an appeal
Finnish leaflet with a pass to captivity
It is worth mentioning that all these propaganda concepts would be used in the future by Nazi Germany to morally and psychologically corrupt Soviet soldiers, and the Red Army would give a worthy response to the Wehrmacht propagandists in the field of information warfare.
In the next article, I will begin a story about the work of Soviet special propaganda agencies during the Great Patriotic War.
Information