The true story of the battle between Finland and Russia that erupted at the dawn of World War II.Winner of the Finlandia Foundation Award for Arts and Letters On a November morning in 1939, Soviet bombers began attacking Helsinki, Finland. In the weeks that followed, the tiny Baltic republic would wage a war—the kind of war that spawns legends—against the mighty Soviet Union, which was desperate for a buffer against Nazi Germany.With "a well-balanced blend of narrative and analysis" ( Library Journal), historian William R. Trotter tells the story of guerrillas on skis; heroic, single-handed attacks on tanks; unfathomable endurance; and the charismatic leadership of one of the twentieth century's true military geniuses. This little-known but dramatic battle would be decisive in Finland's fight to maintain its independence—and A Frozen Hell brings it to fascinating life. "We will not often find a book written with such authority as this one." — New York Times Book Review "A fast-paced and even-handed introductory overview to what is at once both the most tragic and most triumphant moment in Finnish history." — The Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY) "A refreshing look into the Russo-Finnish War. . . . A balanced account that accurately describes the horrifying price both sides were forced to pay." — Marine Corps Gazette