• PugJesus@piefed.socialOPMEnglish
    14·
    2 months ago

    Explanation: Pictured is a sniper posing for a photo, purportedly of (or claiming to represent) the Finnish sniper Simo Hayha, also known as ‘The White Death’. During the Soviet invasion of Finland in 1939, he racked up ~300 kills by rifle and ~200 by submachinegun in a war that didn’t even last 6 months. He didn’t use a scope so the glare of the glass wouldn’t give away his position, and would stuff his mouth with snow so his breath wouldn’t show.

    The Soviets tried countersnipers and artillery strikes to take him out, he was such a menace to the invaders. A bullet did eventually find him - shattered his jaw and knocked him out of the war until it ended a few days later, but he survived.

    The man himself was always very humble about it, and said he only did his duty. Privately, he regarded his kills as a ‘sin list’, suggesting a normal sense of guilt over his endeavors, even though he regarded it as necessary for Finland’s survival.

    • kersploosh@sh.itjust.works
      11·
      2 months ago

      A large group of Russian soldiers in the border area in 1939 are moving down a road when they hear a voice call from behind a small hill, “One Finnish soldier is better than ten Russian.”

      The Russian commander quickly orders 10 of his best men over the hill. Agun-battle breaks out and continues for a few minutes, then silence. The voice once again calls out, “One Finn is better than one hundred Russian.”

      Furious, the Russian commander sends his next best 100 troops over the hill and instantly a huge gun fight commences. After 10 minutes of battle, again silence. The calm Finnish voice calls out again, “One Finn is better than one thousand Russians!”

      The enraged Russian commander musters 1000 fighters and sends them to the other side of the hill. Rifle fire, machine guns, grenades, rockets and cannon fire ring out as a terrible battle is fought…

      Then silence.

      Eventually one badly wounded Russian fighter crawls back over the hill and with his dying words tells his commander, “Don’t send any more men… It’s a trap. There’s two of them.”