To be honest Simo Häyhä is not famous in Finland. Finish army didn’t like idea of “kills” and snipers were not popular heroes during WW II. There wasn’t even an official training for snipers before 1940. Häyhä was member of civil guard where he received some crude training for sniping and he was also local rifle champion. He also didn’t have any career at military. Before winter 39/40 he was an farmer and reserve corporal like so many other men in Finland.
Häyhä evaded nearly certain death at several occasions and there were fierce battles at Kollaa front. Russian had proper equipment and armament but they were poorly lead. There is even finish saying “Kollaa kestää” – meaning something like “we will not give up”.
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