Chapter 332 Soviet-Finnish War (1)

In October, the Soviet and Finnish delegations held talks in the Kremlin. The Soviet side issued an ultimatum. Finland made conditional and limited concessions, but the Soviet Union refused to make any concessions.

Negotiations broke down.

In early November, Molotov announced that the Soviet Union was protesting Finland's three provocative shellings on the border and demanded that Finnish troops immediately withdraw 20-25 kilometers from the border. The Finnish government did not refuse, but in exchange, it also required the Soviet troops to withdraw the same distance from the other side of the border. However, this condition was simply unacceptable to the Soviet Union. A few hours later, the Soviet Union abrogated the Soviet-Finnish Non-Aggression Pact. .

Sir Cripps, the British ambassador to the Soviet Union, hurried to the Kremlin, but he did not see Stalin. He was greeted by Molotov. "Mr. Molotov, what do you mean? Didn't you agree to declare war on Germany?!" Could it be that these furry bears got confused after drinking vodka? After all, they had already ceded a small piece of land from their Indian colonies to the Soviet Union. Is it possible that these guys are going to go back on their word? !

Molotov explained calmly. "Sir Sir Cripps, be patient. It is precisely because we want to declare war on Germany that we have to deal with Finland first. You also know that the southern part of Karelia on the Soviet-Finnish border is only more than 30 kilometers away from our Leningrad. Once If the enemy attempts to attack the northern part of our country, then passing through the Gulf of Finland or passing through Finnish territory is the best way. This is equivalent to inserting a knife into the heart of our country, which is very fatal.”

Sir Cripps said anxiously. "Then when can war be declared on Germany?"

Molotov said confidently. "Sir Cripps, please don't worry, nothing will be delayed. It could be three days at the earliest, or a week at the earliest; when the time comes, we will declare war on Germany immediately." Finland has a population of only 3.7 million people, and the total number of the National Defense Forces is only more than 30,000. The equipment of the Finnish Army only remains at the level of World War I. Therefore, some optimists at the top of the Soviet Union believed that Finland could be conquered in three days, and Molotov was also one of these optimists.

Although he felt vaguely uneasy, Sir Cripps also felt that the huge Soviet Union versus the weak Finland was a war without any suspense, so he went back to London to reply.

Although Churchill was equally anxious, he had no choice but to pray that the Soviet Union would quickly solve Finland and then declare war on Germany.

At this time in the Berlin Palace, Anne reported something to Yannick. "Your Highness, the dean of the sniper training academy called and said that instructor Simon requested to return to China."

"Oh? It seems that he has heard the news about the Soviet invasion? Okay, let's go to the academy, and I want to send this instructor off in person." Of course he will agree to Simon's request, which can kill 500 people by himself. What a fierce warrior in the Soviet Army! Not only did he let him go back, he also prepared a big gift for Finland to let them entertain the invading Soviets.

Simon walked back and forth anxiously. Although his life in Germany has been very comfortable these years, now his homeland is about to be invaded by the hateful Soviets, and he must return home to fight the invaders.

Seeing Dean Schwartz put down the phone, Simon asked hurriedly. "How about it? Does His Highness Yannick agree to my return to the country?"

Dean Schwartz nodded. "Don't worry, His Highness will not only let you return home, but he will also come to see you off in person." After saying that, he ignored Simon's surprised expression and picked up the phone again to order. "Let everyone gather at the playground, His Highness is coming to inspect!"

"Woo-woo" a few seconds later a harsh emergency assembly signal sounded over the college. In an instant, the panicked shouts of the new recruits, the masterful chatter and laughter of the veterans, the scolding of the officers, and the sound of equipment hitting each other... made the entire academy feel like a large pot of boiling water.

In less than five minutes, countless neat square formations had been formed on the spacious playground.

When Yannick got out of the car, he was a little surprised to see so many people. At that time, he only ordered the establishment of a sniper training academy, and later sent Simon in. After that, he rarely paid attention to this aspect. I didn’t expect that the academy would train so many students in a few years?

"Hi Deutsch!"

"Hi Deutsch!"

The sight of tens of thousands of soldiers raising their right arms in unison and shouting this greeting in unison is truly spectacular and makes people's blood boil.

Dean Schwartz, who stepped forward to greet him, saluted and reported excitedly. "Your Highness, there are 18,120 people in the Sniper Academy, including 598 expatriates. All teachers and students are present. Please give instructions."

Yannick returned the salute and asked after signaling the end of the ceremony. "Why are there so many people in the academy?"

"Your Highness, we received the latest walkie-talkies a few days ago and recalled most of the colleges back to school to learn how to use these walkie-talkies."

Yannick nodded suddenly. This was still the rule he issued at that time. All students entering the academy must be proficient in shooting, lurking, camouflage, target interpretation, wild survival, communication and other skills.

Yannick also copied the later German sniper team model and established a four-person team. They are: team leader, sniper, observer, and correspondent. The four people have a clear division of labor and can carry out sniper and reconnaissance missions deep behind enemy lines. And they can be flexibly divided into two two-person teams or single snipers at any time, and their combat effectiveness is very powerful. "How many sniper teams among them can go to the battlefield immediately?"

Torvald puffed up his chest and said very proudly. "Reporting to Your Highness, there are 3,425 four-person teams that can go to the battlefield immediately. If they are divided into two-person teams, it can be doubled."

"Good." Yannick nodded with satisfaction. "All instructors, including you, will be promoted one level. Do a good job, I promise that you will have a share of the Marshal's Scepter in the future."

Marshal's Scepter? The dean was so excited that he almost fell to his knees. "I will work hard to serve your Highness until death!"

Yannick knew the importance of snipers in war.

Snipers can not only affect the development of a certain war, but sometimes they can also change the course of history. As early as the American War of Independence, the snipers initiated and developed by Colonel Patrick Ferguson in the British Army were called the most dangerous troops in the British Colonial Army by the Continental Army.

Ferguson himself was also a famous sniper, but what made him famous was his famous "unfired shot": near Germantown, Pennsylvania, Ferguson aimed at a US military officer at a distance of 125 yards. Because the officer turned away, Ferguson may have not shot him in the back because of his gentlemanly manners.

He could have changed the whole history, because the person he was aiming at was George Washington, who led the independence of the United States!

Ironically, Ferguson himself was killed by a Kentucky rifleman of the Continental Army at a distance of 450 yards in October 1780. After his troops surrendered, British General Cornwallis was forced to abandon his attack on North Carolina.

In contrast, on October 7, 1777, Murphy, a sniper in the Kentucky Rifle Corps of the Continental Army, killed British General Simon Fraser, who was leading a reconnaissance team, in the Battle of Saratoga. Fraser's death directly affected the war situation, causing the British General John Burgin's breakout plan to fail, and the Battle of Saratoga became a turning point in the North American War of Independence. In a sense, sniper Murphy fired perhaps the most important bullet in human history.