The Finnish Army reveals its best ally against a Russian invasion, and it's not a weapon

During the Middle Ages, heavy cavalry was a powerful weapon capable of deciding battles. Until three formidable enemies arrived.

The numbers of land, air and naval resources that Finland incorporates into NATO
“Minä puolustan tätä maata!” Finland shows its artillery systems after the Russian threats

Two of these enemies were projectile weapons: the longbow and, above all, the crossbow. Both weapons were available before gunpowder and were capable of penetrating the chainmail of medieval knights. The other great enemy had existed since antiquity and had, in fact, been used very effectively by the Greek phalanxes: the pike, a considerably long spear with which the infantry eventually crushed the medieval cavalry.

This may seem strange to you, but there is a European country whose defense is effectively based on the same concept as the ancient pikemen. That country was able to halt an invasion launched on November 30, 1939, by a powerful ally, the Soviet Union. In fact, Finland was the only small country that was able to repel an invasion by one of the great powers of World War II.

What happened in the Winter War was an astonishing achievement that was not due, in any way, to superior weaponry on the part of Finland over the USSR, but to a good strategy, high morale on the part of the Finns, the deplorable state of the Red Army (as a consequence of the Stalinist purges), and also to an old and powerful ally of the Finns: their forests.

Currently, Finland is the most forested country in Europe: 75% of its surface area is covered by forests. Although its national tree is the birch, the Scots pine is the most abundant species in the country, a tree that can reach 35 or 40 meters in height, concealing everything beneath it like a massive wall of spikes waiting for some unwary soul to crash into it. It's an ideal medium for ambushes and one that balances the scales in a war between enemies with vastly unequal resources. Today, this Scandinavian country continues to base much of its defense on its forests. It's an essential part of its defense culture, especially deeply rooted since its independence in 1918.

The Finns know this forested environment well and have a commanding military advantage over it, especially during the harsh winters that plague their country, where the Lapland region experiences six or seven months of snowfall each year. You can get an idea of ​​the importance of this defensive capability by watching this video from the Finnish Combat Camera (who do excellent visual work) published on Tuesday:

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Photos: Puolustusvoimat - Försvarsmakten.