The Winter War (1939-1940): An Analysis of Soviet Adaptation

In November 1939, the USSR invaded Finland in a quest for territorial expansion. The resulting Winter War was a brutal conflict, fought in arctic conditions. This often-overlooked war offers multiple learning points for any military professional. Though history has often focused on the impressive, asymmetric fight put up by the Finnish Army, much can also be learned from a Red Army, often viewed and inflexible and unadaptable. In Finland, the Soviet Army undertook a remarkable effort to change. The Soviet ability to learn and adapt, while actively engaged in combat, was not only impressive but played a critical role in forcing the Finns to concede through force that which they refused to part with through diplomacy. Soviet adaptation occurred at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels, and by analyzing the Red Army's performance across the wars two unofficial phases, the link between adaptation and the achievement of strategic ends becomes clear. Those professionals able and willing to learn from a historical foe, will find that this 105-day war provides an impressive example of organizational change.