Some facts on Winter War

[Franek Grabowski]

Before the non-aggression pact the Soviets were trying to get together an anti-Nazi block, they did not succeed with the Anglo-French. The Soviets were always pragmatic...

...and tended to a world's revolution. Otherwise is it pragmatism to join the enemy? Weird to say the least but I think discussing virtues of pre-war policy leading to Ribbentrop-Molotv Pact are both too complicated and way off-topic to be discussed here.

But now I've joined a debate that I wish to avoid on this forum.
So as moderator, if this discussion goes towards the political it will be locked.

Why, it may be just moved to off topic.

I tried to use a neutral term for Germany and SU relationship after the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact, bacause I would like to keep this thread focused on history to airwar.

Here is the text of Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact, so anyone can asses it. Have in mind that it was signed on 23 August 1939 and on 1 September the war started. I think no further discussion is necessary.
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1939pact.html

Anyone have the full text of the treaty of 28 September 1939 handy?

Did the Soviets attain their strategic goals (other than complete occupation of Finland)?

If the goal was to gain control over Finland and thus to open way to control the Swedish iron ore, then no. Actually Soviets gained nothing on the campaign but anger of the free world. Claim that they secured water ways to Leningrad harbour is only an excuse as most of the trade was through land and the Soviet fleet was quite limited anyway.

*what I know is from the Finnish and Western side.

A warning must be expressed here, that most of works showing the campaign from the Soviet point of view is based on Soviet propaganda materiels and falsed documents. The actual documents are only gradually appearing.