DBWI My Travel to Finland

So, I just came back from a travel to Finland two weeks ago. It was mostly an academic experience to learn about the history of the country and its geopolitical situation. They took us to Viipuri and Käkisalmi near the Russian border where the guide briefly mentioned that Stalin had planned to attacked Finland but he ultimately didn't.

I was wondering why would Stalin even think to attack a peaceful and neutral nation like Finland. I mean, even Hitler respected Finnish neutrality like he did with Sweden.

So, what would've been the consequences of a Soviet invasion of Finland?

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BTW here's a Photocopy in color of a postcard I bought.
 
The Soviets probably would have conquered Finland as they did Rumania. They would attack in the middle of summer, obviously, because attacking Finland in the winter would just be ridiculous.
 
The Soviets probably would have conquered Finland as they did Rumania. They would attack in the middle of summer, obviously, because attacking Finland in the winter would just be ridiculous.
LOL, what kind of psycopath would attack Finland in winter? x'Dx'Dx'D
 
True. Only total idiot would try invasion to Finland in cold Winter time. If Stalin would do that in Summer it could be succesful operation. Altough Stalin effectively purged some of his best generals Finnish army was too quiet weak and partially outdated. Finland would be annexed to the Soviet Union.
 
I'm not so sure of the results, but the why would probably be ideological rather than strategic. The Bolsheviks never really got over Mannerheim being seen as the arch-reactionary who stole Finnland out from under them: somehow butterfly away his retirement and Stalin might be paranoid enough about the security of Leningrad from a sneak attack that he'd try a preemptive war to eliminate a possible fifth front.

At the very least though such a campaign might give the new crop of officers practical field experience though. Could have some positive effects on coordination and tactical iniative during their Great Patriotic War.
 
It makes one wonder if USSR would have been more aggressive towards Finland had Sweden not come out fully and openly in support of Finland, diplomatically and militarily, after the first hints of potential Soviet demands on Finland were made public in early 1939.
 
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