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Bowman Gum Company (fl. 1951) Fight the Red Menace: The Children's Crusade against Communism trading cards; 26. Finns Defend Country

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC09627.26 Author/Creator: Bowman Gum Company (fl. 1951) Place Written: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Type: Trading card Date: 1951 Pagination: 1 collecting card ; 6 x 8 cm. Order a Copy

One trading card from the Red Menace collection, "26. Finns Defend Country" depicting soldiers in a winter landscape firing into tents, one dead soldier in the snow and one soldier readying a grenade. Reverse side contains propaganda narrative detailing Finland's position against communism in 1939, the Finnish army's retaliation and Russia's counterattack. Text notes that this led to Soviet Union's revoke of membership in the League of Nations.

The Battle of Suomussalmi was fought from December 7, 1939 to January 8, 1940 during the Winter War. The battle was a win for Finnish military forces who were smaller in military size than the Soviet army. Winter War was initiated by a Soviet invasion of Finland, violating the Moscow Peace Treaty. Although the League of Nations expelled the Soviet Union for this attack (which was deemed illegal) they continued to claim territories of Finland.

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