I’m Swedish, and I’m very proud to be neighbour with the Finnish people. They are great people. ❤️

My grandfather served in Finland as a Swedish volunteer during the war. He never wanted to talk about it, he just said “I did what I had to do to help our brothers”! I would do the same if needed 👍🏻

It feels awesome when soldier from other nation approves our Vets who fought for our independence ♥️🇫🇮

The two fingers up is the handsymbol you use when swearing the oath to defend Finlandwhen finishing your basic training

One of those veterans (Antti Henttonen) is my neighbor. He is 97 years old and still going strong.

I'm a German and i love Finland Cool People and a Super Country my Respect to all Finish people

I'm married to a Finnish woman and her grandfather fought in the war. He was shot twice in the neck and thankfully survived. She still has the lead bullits in a little tin.

Finland is a very special country. Hyvaa Suomen Itseennaisyspaiivaa kaikille 🇫🇮❤️🙏🏻

It gets me in tears every time I watch documentary about our veterans. Thank you for making this video to honor our little country and our war veterans! Pro Patria🇫🇮

I’m a Filipina live in Finland almost 12 years now. The first time I watched the film how F-soldiers fought in WW2 i cried and thought how hard for those soldiers fought in hard winter. My heart aches so much for. I’m so much grateful for them who fought for the country because Finland stands out as what it is now because of them.

I like how these vets can be so open about their feelings and how they could feel empathy even for the enemy in the midst of all that chaos and carnage.

Never let the memory fade.

Im a finnish teenager and hearing that last speech of the veteran, it really made me emotional. Often elder people born after war, say how we don´t have to do as much as they had to do in their youth but hearing something like that from a person who you have so much respect, means so much to me.

There are estimated to be around 6500 veterans in 2020 in Finland. We're the last generation that can hear their stories ourselves. Let's never forget.

Almost 7000 of these heroes are still alive. I met one of them and he seemed to be in quite good health for a 94-year-old walking and living in his own house instead of being in a retirement home. These guys were built pretty tough

Here in finland, and living right next to russian border in north karelia, we found here old granade pices and old bullets in woods and inside trees, remainding those days. Im proud to be finn 💪 Its awesome to see US tuber react to finns independence 😱 Hyvää itsenäisyyspäivää suomi 🇫🇮

Finland is unique in Scandinavia because she is such a PROUD, FEISTY little country to this day; and don’t mess with them! Finland bites back! I got to work with the Finns (a rarity for the US) and was absolutely impressed. Friendly but not ‘chatty’. When Russia invaded Finland unprovoked, Finland sent out an international distress call- no one answered, Britain stayed silent- only Germany answered and helped. The allies ignored them. Utmost respect for the Finns! 🇺🇸🇫🇮

Happy independence day from 🇪🇪

LOVE to Finland, who live on the front line every day big respect 🇬🇧

My grandmother passed away due to longterm illness, and wanted her story to be heard, because the Finnish war was fought by everyone in the country not just the soldiers. Here's a piece of her story. She was born in 1931 in a Sauna in Eastern Finland near the Russian border. 1939 She and her sister and mother was 2 miles from home picking mushrooms, when the heard planes coming in, and suddenly the sky was filled with parachuting enemy soldiers. They ran, crawled and snuck passed the Russians back to the house where her dad waited for them and had already packed two bags of necessities. All children from town was evacuated first (leaving their parents behind), and was put on a cargo train that wasn't isolated and only had a small heater and 2 buckets (one with fresh water and the other to shit in) for each wagon. The destination was Helsinki that usually took a couple of hours but ended up taking almost 10 days. As soon as they departured they were bombed constantly and had to stop the train and let the kids out to run for cover in the forest (until they got the signal to come back). The kids took turns guarding the fire so they had heat. They had to huddle up like penguins to keep warm and didn't have anything to eat except bark bread. When they arrived to the Helsinki they were bullied for "loving the Russians". A few weeks later her parents arrived as well. They had little school 5 days a week but everyone regardless age had to help as best as they could. She was assigned to cook with a tiny kettle and scavenge what she could find and make dinner for the soldiers in the middle of the winter that would drop down to -50°C (-58 °F). Later they moved more to towards the front line of the war and she got a new job at the morgue. There she saw everything death related you can imagine. People without arm, legs, heads. She said that if the soldiers died in freezing temperatures while moving they would twitch when they got to a heated room. She survived and was kindhearted and wise. She is the definition of what we call a sisu in Finland. Olkoon matkasi turvallinen. Nähdään mummi.

In my opinion, Sisu is not just courage or determination to keep going to achieve a goal. It is willingness to keep going, against all odds, when there is no realistic chance to achieve the goal, or any other positive outcome.

As a Finnish citizen I thank you. This was a humbling and sincere notification on our independence. Thank you. 🇫🇮

As the son of a American World War 2 veteran. I salute these men and there children. Love from the American South.

So at 14 minutes, the subtitle "a people divided unified against a threat" refers to the Finnish civil war in 1918, the aftermath of which was still very much going on in the 20's and 30's.

I'm a practical nurse and I've been working with veterans, war orphans, prisoners of war, etc. I would say it is bit scary when some of them who have dementia, start to 'live the wartimes again' I've often tried to calm down war prisoners who saw their friends or familes executed in the barns they were held locked up. I've seen veterans hiding from enemy bombers under the tables of the nursing homes... With some (with no dementia or alzheimers) veterans and other who have seen those times and are I've had the honour to just speak with and hear what it was really like, tv and movies or even books do not give the full image. I served my conscription time as a medic, and often it is nice to talk about the experiences of my generation in the defence forces with those veterans who are interested. Kiitos sotiemme veteraanit. Thank you veterans of our wars.

My grandfather was a soldier and my grandmother was in Lotta Svärd. I can't imagine what they and people like them had to go through.

My granduncle was MIA on in Winter war. I was named after him. Thats how proud we Finns are veterans.

As a Finnish-American who just got out of the Finnish military, I really appreciate what you're doing!!

Thank you for doing this today. 🇫🇮🕯🕯🇫🇮

Hyvää itsenäisyyspäivää Suomi. 🇫🇮 ..and thanks for the video.

Now you know why finnish conscripts are so professional: we all have heard such stories from our grand and great grand parents. We stay ready

Thank you, you're a great man! It's our independence day today, like you said. . God bless you man! 👍👍👍🇫🇮

Every Independence Day I have a tradition to watch a film called Tuntematon Sotilas (Unknown Soldier). I am so grateful for our veterans. 🇫🇮🕯

I grew up in both Finland and the USA as a kid, travelling back and forth every couple years. I served in the US Army for 7 years. The stories from these great heroes make my eyes water.

If I had to choose any other country to live in it would be 🇫🇮 amazing people! I can’t wait to visit again.

My grandfather was war veteran.lots of respect every people who gives all to our homeland.

You did a great job against overwhelming odds, in those wars, true patriots! Greetings from the U.K.

We should have helped Finland in world War 2 even though they were allied with the Germans they were still the good guys in my eyes. Finland is one of the few countries you could really say is full of heroes because in modern history they really only fought to defend them selves. They fought against Tyrants for freedom and to protect their freedom.

Sincere thank you dude :) I would like to add that Finland had a very bloody civil war 20 years before the Winter War so that's the division they were talking about that people had before the war but the war united them.

Finnish soldiers were warriors who never gave in and never yielded to the overwhelming might of the enemy

This was a very interesting and sobering watch. As a Brit, I have only ever learnt about our troops, the Germans, US and Russians whilst growing up. Hearing these gentleman's stories was very moving so thank you so much for covering this video and drawing my attention to these heroes

Finland has a lot of good footage from WWII because summer Olympics at 1940 were scheduled to be held in Helsinki. So Finnish broadcast company Yleisradio (YLE) bought top of the line film cameras to film Olympic games, but then the war broke out.

All the people in this clip are heroes in my books.

I have probably said this before, but rewatching this during the war at Ukraine I have to say it again: I'm holding back tears, and I can't really cry anymore. Thank you, our veterans, and thank you mate for all the great job and respect you have.

Thank you, your attention because our independent Day 103 years🇫🇮❤️🙏

Every independence day I thank my grandfather, who volunteered to fight in winter was as a sixteen year old boy. He got wounded three times, but fought in all wars, served in police force after the wars and died a 91 year old man, hard as nails. True hero.

I am a Finnish/Turkish and i did my military service in Finland last year. My grandfathers big brother was a war veteran... we lost him this year..

I will watch this later but I wanted to thank you for doing this video on this day.

I won't be repeating the answer regarding your question others already answered. However, all I'm gonna say is thank you for making this video during our Independence Day. I and others are grateful towards you for bringing the stories of those great men to other people abroad too. Thank you!

I,M THE PROUD WW1 + WW2 Finnish war veterans daugter. Thank you for this video

Dude I haven't gone in war, not even close to it. But the statement, "no one gets left behind" is so finnish, that it springs tears to my eyes every time I hear it. I'm so grateful that I don't know if a Us guy can ever understand. Our veterans literally fought for freedom. For inpepence. For Brotherood. For life. It's unbelievable. I'm so thankful.

Really nice gesture from you to acknowlegde our Independence Day! Thank you brother!👍 My grandpa was a WWII vet so on this day I remember him too. It's awesome that the US and Finland have always been such good friends!🇫🇮🇺🇲 Even during WWII Finland and the US never declared war on each other.

Eternal respect to the veterans of Finland. Ei ilman teitä tuntemaamme Suomenmaata enää olisikaan! Perkele.

As our oath song, that we sing at the oath of alligence, says "Hear our holy oath dear land of Finland You must not be touched by violence We will protect you With our blood we guard you Do not worry Your sons are *awake" I thank our veterans and hope I don't have to do the same they had to, but I will do ny duty if need be...🇫🇮💙🤍 (*could be alert as well)

Greetings from Finland. Give respect, you get respect. Now you have my respect.

My great grandfather was Karelian and he literally fought for his home. He was corporal and he served from the start of Winter war -39 to the close end of the Continuation war Juny 1944 when the biggest defensive battles happened, but unfortunately he died during those battles at Ilomantsi to the granade shrapnel at the age of 30. My grandpa was only little over 1 year old when they had to leave their home first time before the Winter war and he barely survived because he was underfed. Next time they evacuated before the Continuation war and never returned back to their home again...

The dead soldiers who were carried out of the battlefield were taken to their hometown and buried there

My grandfather is my hero. Not because he fought in the war, but because how he lived. To the very end he somehow managed to keep everything together, dispite fighting in the war and loosing friends, brothers and his right arm from shoulder down at the front, serving as an smg soldier. My grandfather was born dirt poor to a huge family. His mother died when he was a baby, and like all of his siblings he too was given into other families to be raised as a worker. Originally my grandfather was raised by this very old, single woman, who took care of him when he was just a small boy. When he was still under 10 years old, he moved to a farmhouse to live and work. He was a sheep herder and I remember him telling me that when it starts to get cold and you have no shoes, standing in a warm pile will feel better than anything in the world. He was a young man when the war started, and he served for some time until he lost his right arm trying to save another soldiers life in an artillery bombardment. He was sent home, and his war was over. He never really talked about the war to us, but he was invested for the rest of his life. He became the chairman of the eastern Helsinki branch of the brotherhood of warveterans in finland. The brotherhood still exists, but back then they tried to use that same spirit they had in the war to support eachother, like build houses for veterans, help veterans with alcohol or mental problems etc. Before all that however, after the war my grandfather became a father to my mother, along with two sisters and a little brother. They lived in a small, one room appartment with my grandmother, and my grandfather tried to bring home the food. It was a trying time, but my grandfather was mentally strong. I have seen a photograph where he is wielding a hoe on a dry field by himself, using his left. He was a righthanded man until he was left with no choice. My grandfather managed to get a job as a healthinspector. It was a new job, but he was able to get it and was good at it, being a very social man. There was a problem between the markethall shopkeeps and the drunkards. Most of the drunkards, of whom there were thousands at the time, were hopeless war vets. My grandfather felt sympathy for them, since all they wanted was the still edible food in the trash cans, littering up the street to the shopkeeps dismay. He bartered a deal between the drunkards and the shopkeeps, so the drunkards wont mess up the place if the shopkeeps leave the edible stuff ontop of the containers. The deal worked perfectly, and all the downtown drunkards new my grandfather after that. I am told they often wanted to come greet him when they spotted him walking somewhere. My mother told me they considered him as "friend" Considering my grandfather started out as poor as he did, fought in a war, lost his right arm, raised a big family it sort of all feels really heavy to me. But that was not enough. His oldest child, my aunt, drowned on a swimming trip. My grandfather found her himself, and carried his childs body home. As a father, I cant imagine anything worse than that. Furthermore, in the 70s his son got mixed up with drugs, alcohol and debt collectors, and still my grandfather pressed on. He was an old man, close to 70, when he was asked to participate in the presidential ball held every independence day, as a guest of honor like many other veterans. I have read a speech he wrote as an old man. It was very serious, but also full of hope. Like he was, even after all that he had seen and felt. I am forever at awe, and I miss him. He passed away when I was just a child, but he lived with us for the last ten or so years of his life. I miss talking to him, and I can still remember his laugh. Rest easy grandfather.

Thank you for this video ja hyvää itsenäisyyspäivää muille Suomalaisille tällä kanavalla 🇫🇮🎉

Thanks for the great video once again! I don't know if someone else had yet told you this... but as it is told in the original video, the Finnish soldiers made much effort getting wounded or even dead brothers back home. That actually made Russians think that Finns were "ghosts": they very seldom found dead bodies even when they entered behind our lines.

i'm very proud to be finnish and hearing the war stories from my grandad is always amazing, hes 98 now and still in pretty good shape.

Thanks for sharing this reaction video on Finnish Independence Day! I am Finnish Karelian, born in Finland and only one generation removed from my mother as a child and my mothers family that had to leave Viipuri twice in 1940 and again in 1944 for the last time. I have lived in the USA since the age of two and am one of the most patriotic Americans one could find in the USA. One of the reasons is the fact that I am proud and patriotic of my Finnish heritage. As I have stated many times before and will continue to do so, I owe a debt to the heroes of Finland of that time, which was virtually every Finn, it is a debt I will never be able to repay and the only way I can honor this debt is to provide the true history of this epic struggle without ceasing for it was these Finnish heroes great sacrifice that provided me with the honor of being born into a free country and that has made all the difference in my life!

Great videos. Finland was among about only few that were part of axis vs soviets and didnt get overrun. Just look at countries like: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Chezch, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, former Yogoslavia that went under iron curtain. Many of them are still not recovering from that. Im so proud of my grandfather and others for what they did

It's crazy how our veterans can keep their humour while talking about their excperiences in the frontline

This made me tear up. My grandfather was in the war from 1939 to 1944 - from the start to the end - and our family had to escape eventually from Karjala. He never he talked about it, only sometime when he was drinking my father overheard story how they shot an explosive in a bigger group of enemies - like bullseye. Later they had to pick up remaining parts from trees etc. No wonder even decades later, he now and then was screaming at his sleep. He passed away 1996 at 86 years old. Kept his sanity build a new house after war was over - house where I live to this day. He's my hero.

that's how they turst always young people it's ❤️ that last words make me cry. all love for our veterans and for our independence, always and forever. i couldn't be more grateful

I always get emotional watching these. Thank you veterans, Kiitos veteraanit❣️🇫🇮

Thank you for making this special episode on the Independence day of Finland. It is appreciated.

As a Finn, thank you for promoting our history and the struggles my grandparents' generation went through to give those who followed a loving home country. God bless.

Watching this from the Finnish military, keep up the good work!

I have been speaking to young men of my city in "kutsunnat" (calling to duty) for about ten years now as chairman of city council or board. Veterans speech, city speech, church speech that was the order as long as veterans could still stand at the front. Now they show this video to young conscripts of age of 17. Finnish youth show respect to these men even that generations of today have not had same chance as i to speak and listen to them. I appreciate your output and understanding on this video.

I'm late but give this guy some love for being so humble❤ respect from Finland💪🇫🇮

Thank you for the video. Much appreciated. My father went to the Winter War as a volunteer at the age of 17. He did his military training after that and fought in the Continuation War until it ended in 1944. So he spent his best youth fighting. My mum lost two brothers in the Continuation War. They were group leaders in the Winter War. Mum herself worked hard on the home front. She looked after cattle and worked in a bullet factory. Those were very hard times. Mum always said the worst thing that can happen to a nation is a war.

Veterrans all over the globe, have their respect. They did what they have to do.

I'm so proud to be a Finn and personally think the Finnish National Anthem is one of the prettiest ❤️

I fully agree with those veterans sentiments!

My great Grandfather got injured fighting in one of those two wars. Still had some shards of a bomb stuck in his body till the very end. He passed away peacefully five years ago well past the age of ninety. Though these things seem to have happened a long time ago we remember. Watching this honestly made me emotional. I know I’m kinda late with this but I thought I’d leave my thanks. Hope everyone stays safe and has a good day

Greetings from Finland and thank you again for the video. It's so nice to see a person from another side of the globe who really understands our history and the sacrifice of our ancestors.

At @11:43 Mr. Toljamo describes how company/platoons/squads could receive assault orders with the objective of bringing back dead/wounded soldiers. There are multiple sources describing situations similar to the above. That always hits me hard, in the best kind of way Luckily both my great grandfathers survived the war. One served throughout all three wars, the other served the two latter wars

I hope the Defence Forces of Finland will some day invite you to make a special video of its work in Finland. it would be kind of cool (especially in winter time) :)

My mothers father was a machinegunner-loader in the winter-war. He never talked about the things in the front, but only few times when he was a bit drunk. He was a very humble normal man from countryside of Finland between cities of Kouvola and Lahti, Iitti. He told something about the gunner got shot and he had to take his place. I respect him so much as a grown-up man today...

Permit me to sadly report the death a week ago of Thomas Gerdt a hero of the Continuation War in 1941. A truelly brave and modest proud Finn and recipient of their equivilant to the Victoria Cross (last survivor).

Thank you for giving respect to our veterans ❤️

Thanks for this video. I am personally grateful for this. Thank you!

Thank you for doing this video on our independece day. 🇫🇮🇫🇮

its finland's independence day today!!

I will fight for my country no matter what. I can't express how much respect i have for my veterans. RIP Veteraanit. Suomen sankarit! 🇫🇮🇫🇮

Thank you for doing this video on Finnish independence day. Much respect!

5:57 You are seeing the military oath that every conscript has to take. Raising your fingers means you are taking the oath. It kind of means the same to us, as the Americans have the hand to heart thing. Here en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finnish_Defence_Forces_military_oath is some more insight and an english translation to the oath. Hyvää itsenäisyyspäivää kaikille.

Thank u combat arm for honor our veterans. We finns really appreciate that ❤️

My grandfather fought during both wars and got wounded at Leningrad. I remember when he displayed his wounds to us the grandchildren visiting from Greece. He had 7 children and died of long age.

Thank you for this one. Brought tears to my eyes to watch this. 🇫🇮

Sir, not only are you quite intelligent but you also have a lot of style. Always a pleasure to watch, keep up the good work! Thank You.

Really like watching your reactions about Finland and the finnish military. I was just wondering how you got interested in our country?

Im from Finland, and really proud about our veterans, what they did for us when the times were bad. And the gesture that the young made with their dingers in the video, vas the singn they make when they give their oath. I live in the area in Finland where was huge battles during the winter and continuing war. And I visit the local war museum atleat once a year to learn more and honour our veterans.

You are correct, the gesture with two fingers up is the Finnish Defence Forces Military Oath, aka "Sotilasvala" in finnish.

Im so proud to be Finn! Im glad that im going to army and protect this country someday.

Thank you so, so much for doing this video and honouring our vets and independence on this particular holiday. It really warms my heart! May their sacrifices be never forgotten.

My grandfather is one of the few line veterans who fought in combat and are still alive today. He is 97 now and went to war at age 16 and fought in the winter war and in the continuation war. After war he worked in the minesweepers. He said that war is the egotistical quest of mindless men for power and money. He gets profoundly sad everytime there is a war going on somewhere.

Great reportage once again.Thank you!