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Winter War

British  

noun

  1. the war of the winter of 1939–40 between Finland and the USSR after which the Finns surrendered the Karelian Isthmus to the USSR

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

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Most of Finnish Karelia was grabbed by Joseph Stalin's forces in 1940 after the bloody Winter War, when Finland put up stiff resistance to the Soviets despite overwhelming odds.

From Barron's Feb. 25, 2026

The neighbors have fought numerous wars through the centuries, and Finns have strong memories of the 1939 Winter War and World War II, when their country fought the Soviet Union and lost territory.

From New York Times Jan. 28, 2024

Having detected flaws in the Soviet Union’s invasion of Poland and its struggle against Finland in the Winter War, Hitler was confident he could defeat Stalin.

From Textbooks Dec. 14, 2022

Finnish Winter War veterans were recruited for the U.S.

From Seattle Times Aug. 20, 2022

The Winter War dragged on for months before negotiations finally began and an agreement was reached.

From BBC Mar. 5, 2022

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