Why is Fire and Ice: The Winter War of Finland and Russia important for American audiences?
The Winter War is off the radar screen for most Americans. It was for me when I began the project. It is a fascinating story of epic proportion. It also contains issues that should concern Americans. America’s conflict with the Soviet Union was our most important foreign relations problem for half a century. Today Russia remains a world power with vast supplies of energy. It remains an important global power and its future is not at all clear. Understanding Russia’s history is vital in understanding Russia today and its future. Finland, a bridge between Russia and the West, offers us a unique perspective and insight into the balance of forces in the Baltic region. History never repeats exactly and there are no perfect parallels but following World War II, the United States became a true world power. As a superpower, the United States has projected its military power against smaller nations. These experiences have not always gone well for us. American troops and American leaders have fa
