Sisu is a concept that is deeply rooted in Finnish culture and embodies characteristics such as tenacity, strength, grit, and perseverance. It is the ability to endure against all odds, no matter how difficult the circumstances might be.

This concept of Sisu is ingrained in Finnish culture in all areas of life, including family, education, and the workplace.

Throughout Finland’s history, the Finnish people have demonstrated their ability to overcome incredible odds in spite of great difficulty. One of the greatest examples of this is the Winter War during WWII, which lasted from 1939 to 1940.

Stalin’s forces advanced on Finland in large numbers, and the Finns were outnumbered and outgunned.

Despite these challenges, the Finnish soldiers were able to hold off the Russian forces during the Winter War for a number of reasons:

• Terrain and Weather: The soldiers knew the terrain of their own country and used it to their advantage.
• Finnish Morale and Unity: They were unified and had a strong sense of national identity, believing in protecting their homeland.
• Tactics and Mobility: Finnish forces used skis, reindeer, and other equipment to their advantage, moving quickly through the snow to ambush the Russian forces.
• Preparedness and Training: Even though they were outnumbered, the Finnish soldiers were well-trained and prepared for the conflict.
• Underestimation by the Soviets: The capabilities of the Finnish forces were underestimated, leading to poor planning and execution on the part of the Soviet forces.

The conflict lasted a total of 105 days and although the Finnish forces were able to hold off the Russians it was not without causalities and loss of some territory to Russia. In the end The Moscow Peace Treaty was signed by Finland and the Soviet Union on 12 March 1940.

Few soldiers demonstrated Sisu as much as Simo Häyhä. He lived from 1905 to April 1, 2002, and earned the nickname “The White Death” because of his record of 500 kills during just one year of the conflict.