I have enjoyed reading this thread thank you both.
It has stimulated me to look up further information on the subject matter.
Good stuff keep it up.
Here is my trip to Finland
Moderator: Miller Tyme
A bit of interest to this thread……
There is a large project going on right now compiling interviews of Finnish vets in English. This will be published next year in book form and I am working with the project manager on the effort. Most of the Finnish veterans groups in North America are working along with us on the program as well as veterans groups in Finland. It is a rather exciting and interesting thing to be a part of. This summer I am going to a large gathering in Canada where about 200-300 veterans will meet and do some interviews. What is of interest to this thread is that the subject of the Estonian volunteers came up with these Finnish vets. We were told that almost 50 Estonian vets will along be attending this event and the Finnish (meaning Finnish born) veterans stated that the story of the Estonians should be added to these interviews. So these Finnish veterans present yet another side to all of this as these veterans pretty much demanded the Estonians get coverage in this work. In fact this sort of grew into another separate project in that I am going to also compile Estonian interviews that served in the Finnish and German armies as well as those that served in the Estonian legion of the SS. This book will also be published some time next year in English. The interviews being done in North America and in Estonia.
Added
I might not have been clear here. There are two books being done. One of interviews with Finnish vets - this will include some Estonian and Swedish volunteers. The next book is one that I will do with intereviews of Estonians that took part in the various forces mentioned above. So there are two works and two research projects. One I am a part of and the other I am the project leader of.
There is a large project going on right now compiling interviews of Finnish vets in English. This will be published next year in book form and I am working with the project manager on the effort. Most of the Finnish veterans groups in North America are working along with us on the program as well as veterans groups in Finland. It is a rather exciting and interesting thing to be a part of. This summer I am going to a large gathering in Canada where about 200-300 veterans will meet and do some interviews. What is of interest to this thread is that the subject of the Estonian volunteers came up with these Finnish vets. We were told that almost 50 Estonian vets will along be attending this event and the Finnish (meaning Finnish born) veterans stated that the story of the Estonians should be added to these interviews. So these Finnish veterans present yet another side to all of this as these veterans pretty much demanded the Estonians get coverage in this work. In fact this sort of grew into another separate project in that I am going to also compile Estonian interviews that served in the Finnish and German armies as well as those that served in the Estonian legion of the SS. This book will also be published some time next year in English. The interviews being done in North America and in Estonia.
Added
I might not have been clear here. There are two books being done. One of interviews with Finnish vets - this will include some Estonian and Swedish volunteers. The next book is one that I will do with intereviews of Estonians that took part in the various forces mentioned above. So there are two works and two research projects. One I am a part of and the other I am the project leader of.
Last edited by tuco on Fri Apr 20, 2007 7:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Estonia
I wonder what would have happened if the Estonians would not have sold their own country down the river and put up a fight. I'm glad a little country like Finland had the balls to put up fight against such great odds and not give up like a bunch of cowards. Maybe the Estonians should have watched the movie "300".
Hail Finland!
PS: You also mention earlier that Estonia is a dumping ground for fakes. This is also where they make them. This speaks loads about the country itself IMHO.
Also Brent may I suggest you read "For Freedom Only" by Evald Uustalu. It is a book about the Estonians in WWII. He paints a different picture about them than you do.
Hail Finland!
PS: You also mention earlier that Estonia is a dumping ground for fakes. This is also where they make them. This speaks loads about the country itself IMHO.
Also Brent may I suggest you read "For Freedom Only" by Evald Uustalu. It is a book about the Estonians in WWII. He paints a different picture about them than you do.
I have read it and many other books about Estonia. One book does not make a history as using a number of resources is the better way to understand a nation or its history.
As for fakes - There are tons of fake items made in all nations. Just for one example - Look at all the fake Nazi items made right here in the USA. Does that say loads about our nation or just segments of it? There are far more fakes made in the US than in Estonia. Bad elements are in all nations or races and one should not judge the whole on the actions or morals of just a segment of the total.
I will just drop this as it is pointless but I should note that you when say the picture I paint - What is stated in the posting I made earlier today were not my thoughts nor my ideas. What was painted above was done by the vets that were spoken to in regards to the project and the addition of Estonian volunteer stories.
I do think people should research this on their own as that is always the correct way to go about things. Look at all the viewpoints and decide on their own how to view an issue. One bad part of this is the limited information in English on Estonia. That is one reason why the veterans interviews are being done to add more information to the pool.
Hail Finland!
I do agree with you there so will leave it at that. I will ask the vets about the movie 300 but I do not think it was out in 1940
As for fakes - There are tons of fake items made in all nations. Just for one example - Look at all the fake Nazi items made right here in the USA. Does that say loads about our nation or just segments of it? There are far more fakes made in the US than in Estonia. Bad elements are in all nations or races and one should not judge the whole on the actions or morals of just a segment of the total.
I will just drop this as it is pointless but I should note that you when say the picture I paint - What is stated in the posting I made earlier today were not my thoughts nor my ideas. What was painted above was done by the vets that were spoken to in regards to the project and the addition of Estonian volunteer stories.
I do think people should research this on their own as that is always the correct way to go about things. Look at all the viewpoints and decide on their own how to view an issue. One bad part of this is the limited information in English on Estonia. That is one reason why the veterans interviews are being done to add more information to the pool.
Hail Finland!
I do agree with you there so will leave it at that. I will ask the vets about the movie 300 but I do not think it was out in 1940
Last edited by tuco on Fri Apr 20, 2007 6:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
my point
My point with saying they should have watched the movie, was to say that they should have fought the Russians like the Finns did. The Finns had the Spartan spirit.
I guess I agree with you that their Govt. (Estonian) sold them out. Hey we agree again, I guess I agree with you on that because you said something smart! (just a joke Brent and please take it as such).
As far as judging their country you must look at the whole picture again. The fake stuff is a little bit of the whole picture. My Finnish Police friends have their hands full with loads of crooks coming from Estonia as well as several other European Law enforcement agencies. Seeing what I have seen visiting there, other facts about the country, also leads me to the "it speaks loads for the country." Not to say the country can not get a grip on its bad behavior, but anyone that goes there should be cautious.
The Estonians just hired a very good retired U.S. Army General to command their Armed Forces. He is tactically and technically proficient in a command position and should serve that country well as he did ours. See I said something nice about them.
I guess I agree with you that their Govt. (Estonian) sold them out. Hey we agree again, I guess I agree with you on that because you said something smart! (just a joke Brent and please take it as such).
As far as judging their country you must look at the whole picture again. The fake stuff is a little bit of the whole picture. My Finnish Police friends have their hands full with loads of crooks coming from Estonia as well as several other European Law enforcement agencies. Seeing what I have seen visiting there, other facts about the country, also leads me to the "it speaks loads for the country." Not to say the country can not get a grip on its bad behavior, but anyone that goes there should be cautious.
The Estonians just hired a very good retired U.S. Army General to command their Armed Forces. He is tactically and technically proficient in a command position and should serve that country well as he did ours. See I said something nice about them.
To add to the General you mention - a good part of their military and home guard leadership are being trained at Fort Bragg. This was done even before they became a NATO member but is being stepped up at the moment. There are Estonians in Iraq and in Afghanistan fighting the War On Terror. I think this speaks loads for their nation as well.
A great number of the bad guys in Estonia are not even Estonian but are Russian in origin. Not all of course but the Russian mob is a big force in Estonia. Estonia is still suffering from being under the Soviet thumb for decades as the nation was pretty much raped. Many of their best leaders ended up dead or sent to the gulag. It is going to take many years to erase this part of their history and turn the nation around.
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A great number of the bad guys in Estonia are not even Estonian but are Russian in origin. Not all of course but the Russian mob is a big force in Estonia. Estonia is still suffering from being under the Soviet thumb for decades as the nation was pretty much raped. Many of their best leaders ended up dead or sent to the gulag. It is going to take many years to erase this part of their history and turn the nation around.
MG-3
I fired those when I trained with the West German Fallschirmjager. I have also fired a real MG34 and MG42. All three are interesting guns and high quality made machine guns.