HS, Friday 1.12.1939

The morning edition of Helsingin Sanomat for Friday December 1st 1939 contained grim news: the Soviet Union, described in the newspaper's headline as "The Russians", had launched military action against Finland in the early hours of the previous day.
      The border had been violated, and several locations had been bombed, including Helsinki and the Karelian city of Vyborg (Viipuri).
      News of casualties was still sketchy, though the bombing in Helsinki was described pointedly as "directed entirely against the civilian population".
     
On the first day of hostilities, the Finnish President Kyösti Kallio relinquished his authority as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to Marshal C.G.E.Mannerheim and at 13:30 proclaimed that the country was in a state of war. Marshal Mannerheim accepted the responsibilities of Commander-in-Chief and issued his first Order of the Day, in which he declared among other things that "We shall fight to protect our homes, our religion, and our country".
      The accompanying picture shows the Helsingin Sanomat front page as it was on 1.12.1939.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Seventy years ago, bombs were falling on Helsinki - anniversary of outbreak of Winter War (30.11.2009)

Links:
  Timeline of the Winter War (Wikipedia)
  Telegrams from each day of the Winter War (November 30,1939-March 13,1940)