Some of them pretended to attack while the others were digging, Sir.
Have you found that Matti Ylinen yet?
No, Sir.
Russians have taken him.
I guess that's what happened.
I promised his father to look after him.
Well, boys.
It's Stalin's birthday today.
Be extra careful tonight.
It's Stalin's birthday. They're trying hard today.
They're planning for a birthday present -
that'll crush the White bandits.
Be prepared for that.
They seem to have women there. -And they're drinking.
How do you know that?
They're singing. -And having fun with women.
It's a birthday party.
Should we ask our artillery to deliver a greeting?
Leave it be. Makes them nervous.
We'll have peace and quiet.
Regards from home.
Back already? -A weeks leave only lasts seven days.
How are things back home...?
They sent a parcel... and a letter.
Now we got a well rested sentry for tonight.
Boys are all falling asleep on their feet.
Paavo's been awake every night at home...
He slept on the train. Right, Paavo?
I can do a night's guard duty. -I haven't got men left...
Where did that cat go? Paavo should've seen it.
What cat? - We had a cat... Guess it's run away.
No animal could live in that smell. -You must have been dreaming.
Will you be okay out there? -Come and watch if you don't believe.
Nature's calling.
I'll go release Paavo.
It must be much fresher there.
Keep an eye on the Russians during the night -
so they can't dig their way into the trenches.
Laurila told us they've tried that everywhere lately.
We'll be going, too.
They've got -
cartloads of Christmas presents at the company.
I thought we'd deal them out tomorrow, as it's Christmas Eve.
So try and be nice, so you'll get presents.
But not too nice, not to our neighbor. Shoot them!
Paavo, was there anything?
Nothing unusual, except them singing, Sir.
How was home? -All's well.
How's the scar healing? -Itching a bit.
It sure burned you enough -
so that you'll want to show the Russians. -Yes, sir.
All you need to do is light this match.
Then throw it so it breaks over the tank's engine.
Came from a distillery.
How would a Molotov cocktail taste?
It's just gasoline.
Aren't there some spirits too? -And tar of course.
Just make sure your matches are dry... or it won't light.
Are these any good against tanks?
They've destroyed dozens of tanks.
Our new secret weapon, okayed by Mannerheim.
Because they can't give us anything better.
Wake up, boys...
It's your turn on guard duty. -I've just been...
Go along anyway Paavo... I got nobody else to put there.
Down... stay down!
Boys, somebody else take this guard duty.
I can take this turn...
Martti, you better go to dugout.
Alert... take positions! Pass the order.
Hello...hello...
Attention, damnit, hello.
Martti, the lines are down.
The company should know that the Russians are coming in force.
Go tell them I don't have any men and the Russians are coming.
Over and out.
They're not all coming to your sector.
They're trying at several points, it's their regulation.
I will be there shortly myself.
We'll see where the Russians are strongest.
Tell Kantola to try and hold on.
Well... I'll tell them.
Luoma, try if you can cover their sector.
If you can't handle it alone, I'll bring more men. Tell that.
He told he'll come over soon.
Did he promise more men? -Yes... No. If we need them.
Didn't you tell him we need more men?
He's coming himself.
Can you take your place now? -Why not.
Our lines are getting so thin the Russians can walk through.
Why isn't our artillery firing?
The Swedes sold us a bit too big shells.
There's fifty Russkies per man.
Take Paavo's gun.
That was bad.
Where are you taking me?
Who are you, boys? -It's Jussi.
Who else?
I can't see. -You'll be taken care of.
Don't fire till I tell you to.
Aim for the stomach, boys.
Fire!
That was not our artillery.
Now the Russkies gave me a Christmas present.
That was too many Russkies for us alone anyway.
Did the boss say he was coming? -Yes.
Where's he taken to? I just lost my second.
They took Felix away. -Was it bad?
I reckon so.
What are you doing here already?
They're taking the boys home. I thought you might see your brother off.
I promised to look after Paavo.
You've seen it for yourself...
Not much use looking after anybody here.
The only help is from the Lord above... If He feels like it.
How are you boys holding up? -It was quite a show today.
Just say the word if you can't take it -
and I'll try to get some replacements.
Or if you can't take it.
We'll handle it, right, boys?
It will be very difficult for the neighbor -
to come through here -
as they were rude enough to shoot the commander -
and many friends of us.
It would be good if you can last until Boxing day. Till the exchange.
Jussi, can you come here?
The service company put together some cigarettes and food for you.
They know how it is... It's a Christmas present.
They've sent Rajala as your company commander.
Laurila needs you here.
And I thought you could use these. They sent them from home.
My own boots are all right.
I didn't have time earlier today... About Paavo...
I don't know what to say...
It was quite a trick from them...
I'll find it ever harder to love them... from now on.
Where the hell do all the lice come from?
We're looking for ensign Lehtinen.
In the dugout.
We thought we'd like to have a sermon at Christmas.
We heard you have a priest here as an ensign.
I've come here to make war, and I left the priest home.
There won't be any.
This will be my first time in 30 years without the Lord's word at Christmas.
Glory be the Lord's in Heaven, and peace on Earth -
among men.
As the angels had gone to heaven, the shepherds said to one another:
Let us now go unto Bethlehem and see this thing -
which came to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
They went in haste and found Mary and Joseph -
and the babe lying in a manger.
Let the Russians hear us singing the Christmas psalm.
They'll come straight across, running behind the tanks.
Don't get nervous, just wait.
Aim at the belly and shoot.
The tanks stop at the obstacles, they don't come further.
We've burned them with Molotov cocktails and anti-tank guns.
I was here early December, afraid for my life.
I thought you'd just arrived.
We just rested for ten days.
One more thing...
We've decided not to let go very easily.
We've lost so many friends here.
We lost them, too.
Thought I'd tell you that.
Did I lose my eye?
Someone had counted 378 airplanes during one surveillance duty.
Ours or the enemy's?
The regiment ought to declare a competition -
where the first one to spot a Finnish plane wins the first prize.
I don't know about that.
But someone ought to do something about the lice.
Boy, it's cold. -I'm getting hungry.
Attention!
Listen, everybody!
Let's go to the dugout. -Is it something special?
Yes.
How could one put an end to that plinking for a while?
With a grenade.
All sorts of foolishness!
Come Aatos, you'll be in a book. -What book?
Somebody'll make one out of this. Heroes of the Finnish War.
You'll be one of them. -I won't come! Unshaven and all...
Come on. Help me, guys!
Makes you feel so foolish...
That took care of the strumming for a while, guys.
That shrapnel had your number on it.
And Marjatta said she's got two letters from you -
here's her answer.
A parcel for Aatos Laitila.
Why won't anybody write to me?
You're such a bad person.
They don't know it there. -Maybe the word's got out.
You better sleep too, Mauri. -What if the Russians come?
They'll wake you up.
He's not coming now. Just trying to scare us.
It's a mean noise. -Take my gloves, I don't need them.
Finnish soldiers!
The capitalist exploiters are turning into gold the blood of soldiers -
and the tears of your mothers and wives.
Wipe the capitalists and their officers out of Finland.
Come with your weapons to the Russian side.
I'll go have a little wipe.
Soldiers' blood... mothers' tears.
What are you guys doing?
We had to leave the bunker. -Why is that?
Water started pouring in from somewhere.
We couldn't stay there...
Cold like this and water getting in our boots...
Did you all come back? -Of course.
You should've at least left a guard. -Who'd be going there at night?
Send a couple of men to guard it... -Yes, Sir.
Carry on...
Did you take the men out of the bunker last night?
Yes Captain, Sir. -Who gave you permission?
Water started pouring in, so men couldn't stay there.
Boys don't have decent boots here, Captain, Sir.
Do you realize that the Russians took the bunker last night?
Did you post a guard there? -Yeah, the boys went there.
Sir, we have sentries there.
Your sentries started running as soon as they heard the Russians coming...
They ran all the way to Regiment. We got a call from there.
Potila, order 5th Company to take the bunker back from the Russkies.
Yes, Sir.
They have men who won't run to HQ -
every time they hear a few Russian felt boots swishing in the snow.
It's our own artillery. The Russkies will soon run.
That's just tickling. -We still have to go in.
Give supporting fire!
Now Finns are dying out there because of you.
Fuck you, you gave that away!
No sense in trying to go there in the daylight!
Don't let anyone come through. -How?
Try shooting them.
He's in a mean mood. -Dressed down by the commander.
Are you sure there's someone there? -Yes there is.
Why aren't they shooting? -Go ask them!
They've blocked all openings.
Hands up, Russian soldiers!
We've been shouting it at them. If someone could speak Russian.
Send someone to take an order to the casemate.
Martti, you go. -What's so important?
That I must go in there? -What's it to you?
It is, if I take the message.
When I order you to go, you go -
even if I only want to say hello to their commander.
Martti, go now.
What do I tell them? -Damn it, tell them this:
Say: "Hello!"
Nobody can go there!
Keep down, Martti!
Where are you going in this foul weather?
Where's your company commander? -There.
What are you doing?
Learning to lie in grave.
Lieutenant, Sir. -Yes?
Our new company commander told me to come and say Hello.
Fire... don't let them get away.
Strange, that Russian getting away with a company firing at him.
Perhaps he earned his life.
I dunno! Shit! -Stay still!
The casemate boys said -
the Russians are coming in force.
I haven't seen anything. -They're the ones seeing things.
Go and relieve the 5th company.
They're so tired they keep seeing Russians.
I'd like to know one thing. -Yes?
But I won't.
Who will go? -1st and 2nd squad.
Our boys are all tired. -Martti, you know the way.
Shall I say hello again?
Looks very bad here. -Is that a fact?
We're to take your positions. Where are your officers?
Dead, every last one.
You must have someone in charge. -They haven't told me.
Where's your platoon leader? -Over there.
Five minutes, then we blow the bunker.
Soldiers of the Soviet Union!
Surrender and come out of the bunker -
hands up and without your weapons.
We will blow up the bunker in five minutes.
Will they really blow it up? -Looks like it.
I just wanted to know what's so important about that bunker?
Arvi, go tell Battalion the next people in the bunker will be archaeologists.
I wonder if anybody's still in there?
Are we going to look at that heap of gravel forever?
I haven't eaten a thing in two days. -Better wait for orders to leave...
Jussi, don't go!
It's all over for Arvi...
No, hell... can't be...
Martti, can you take Arvi's stuff and send it to his home?
Why not... - We're going to rest in a place called Yläjärvi.
There's postal services there.
Martti, wake up.
Wake up!
Martti! Wake up?
Is it alarm? -Quiet, let's not wake up the others.
We could heat up the sauna. Can you do it?
Can't you find a kitchen man to do it?
Go now, they're all busy.
And you've slept a while. -Why me?
You were right by the door. -You're hounding me.
I only asked you to heat the sauna.
I can do it.
The word is, if anybody's got a good reason to visit home -
you can get leave. -Home? Where's that?
I'd say where you left it.
How far is it to the Taipale River? -I heard it's about forty kilometers.
Make way for women and children coming!
Here pal, have a drink!
I don't touch the stuff.
What kind of man are you?
No man at all.
Take it, when the heroes of Taipale River are offering it.
The heroes of Taipale are all dead.
I tried to get leave for the funeral... but all leave was cancelled.
I just want to know how he went...
Did Paavo have to suffer?
I don't think so... it was real quick.
A riffle bullet clean through the heart.
He was in the trench in front of me when they got him...
I was there right away... He was quiet, died instantly.
They wouldn't let us open the coffin. -That's the custom, isn't it?
One of the pallbearers said that...
When they came down the church steps with Paavo's coffin -
there were like pieces rolling around.
Jussi, you were a pallbearer too? -Of course I was.
Did you hear anything? -I don't know... I had the front part.
How's little Paavo?
A bit shy, it's been a long time.
Your mother said she'd take little Paavo into her bed for the night.
She said we can "talk" in peace, with the boy not listening.
Come and "talk", then...
Paavo said when he left that none of you would come back alive.
Don't think about that now.
I won't let you go... won't let you...
When did you last see him?
I didn't see him that night. We weren't in the same squad.
How can a man disappear without a trace?
They were in hand-to-hand combat that night.
It's such a chaos in the dark. -But they told us first -
that our Matti had killed 30 Russians with his knife.
And now they don't know where he is. -Perhaps he was taken prisoner.
That's what grieves mother.
When he was reported missing...
Not knowing whether he's dead or prisoner somewhere.
She keeps dreaming about him.
Matti is lying in blood, wounded, moaning and calling for his mother.
And then he's alive, not fighting.
Maybe a prisoner.
I can't tell you more. -It was easier for you, with Paavo.
At least it's clear. -I don't know about that.
Lucky it's so cold. It helps the Finns.
Yes, King Winter is on our side.
It's cold for the Finns too, wet clothes and -40 degrees.
But not as cold as the Russians.
Greetings to just about everybody.
Well, you came back soon. -Missed you too much.
Did you bring any food?
The Army is taking good care of its boys, bus rides and all.
They're in a hurry to take us into a tight spot.
A free ride and you're suspicious. -I hope the fare is not our lives.
That's a cheap fare.
They say we'll go to the Mannerheim Line -
to shoot at the Russians from war casemates and chairs.
No need to go outside.
Martti, do you have a smoke for me? -You're too young to smoke.
Take this. -We're going to die as heroes, freezing in a bus.
There's a story to tell your grandchildren.
4th Company prepare to cross to Äyräpää ridge.
Combat gear, leave your rucksacks here.
Of course the food stays back here.
How do you get food there?
Our task is to ambush the Russkies if they try to cross the river.
A lot of them coming? -A lot.
We might get overrun.
Laurila wants to surprise them on that slope.
It the Russkies cross the river, the entire Taipale front can be cut off.
We might be cut off ourselves.
They're coming over the river. Fire!
Rajala promised us damn food, not thanks.
Put a fire up his ass, Pentti!
Well I'll be... they got my gun.
I have to take a new one from the Russkies.
Come away, boys!
Martti? Go there. Is anyone left there?
Nobody who speaks Finnish. -They won't come through here.
They're covering for their own attack to the river.
I thought you bought it. -So did I.
One of the hit me with his gun.
Was it bad? -He hit me.
He should have shot.
I killed him.
Martti, don't go to sleep...
You'll freeze to death. -Cut it off.
Try to stay awake... they might come. -Who's they?
Well, same ones who've been coming at us lately.
Oh, yeah.
We can't let them get to the river...
That would be the end of the whole Regiment...
Let's try and take back those positions, boys.
I know you're tired, but we have to try.
The Russians won't believe us without enough guns in the air.
They're coming at us again!
Somppi, get down!
Somppi! You'll get yourself killed!
Who is it? -Hakala.
Paavo or Martti? -Martti.
Paavo was blown into pieces at Taipale.
That's right.
Go to the Battalion HQ and tell them that the Russians are in positions -
and we can't flush them out, at least not until the morning.
Tell Sihvo that...
That he could send a few men to help us.
Sure, I can go.
I've sent three runners, none of them came back.
Try and stay alive at least until there.
The password is Äyräpään Ärjy. -I remember.
Halt! Who's coming?
Äyräpään ärjy.
I need to go to the Battalion HQ.
It's right there near the river.
We'll put them there.
I have a message to the Battalion commander.
I'll take it. -From the commander of 4th company.
We have the Russians in our positions. We'll drive them out -
but we need more men. -Thank you.
We have to keep these lines.
Rajala needs more men. The Russians are in their trenches.
Yes, but I don't have any men.
Even the service troops are there.
Take this and chew on it.
What is it? -Coffee beans.
I don't have anything else to give.
Don't shoot at one man!
Nobody else here!
Who is it? -Erkkilä.
Is it bad? -It's real bad.
Son of God... Son of God.
Just keep calm... Nothing wrong with you.
Who is it? -Martti.
Who are you guys?
Keep calm now... We'll leave soon. You'll get well.
That's it, then...
Jussi... are you hit bad?
Not too bad, I guess. No pain...
I don't know... Your guts are showing.
Must be shock then. I feel sort of numb.
Someone hit here?
That other one's lifeless... This one has some life in him.
Let's lift him in... There might be horses at Battalion.
2nd Battalion has to hold this side.
If they get across the Vuoksi, it'll be the end of the Regiment.
The front will be cut off.
I'm asking you now: Can you hold your positions?
I have asked every company the same question.
There are not many of you.
I guess we can, if it doesn't get any worse.
As long as anyone's left to fight.
They told me to bring word...
Nurmo boys will attack in the morning and take the church hill...
We have to hold the ones here so they can't go and help.
Help the Nurmo boys? -No, the Russkies.
I see... yeah...
Why don't the Nurmo boys attack? -I don't understand.
Don't go now!
The attack is badly delayed!
Cover them! Fire!
They'll kill them all!
Now they intend to come through here.
They keep coming no matter how we shoot.
They're full of vodka. -I wouldn't mind some.
I guess we'll fall back. Just a little bit.
Martti, go along with Rajala.
Where to?
Russians have crossed over to the Vuosalmi side.
What are we supposed to do? -Go with the boys from 1st Battalion...
And Mauri and Korpela, too. They'll explain. Hurry along.
I don't have a single piece of bread.
Take a coffee bean and chew on it.
The whole bean?
Must be hundreds of bodies. -Keep quiet.
Will they ever run out of men?
They're getting fewer, though.
Some prisoners said they've brought in two fresh divisions.
That's 40 000 men! -More or less.
No wonder their attack looked inexperienced.
Stay down, Mauri.
Martti, let's try once more.
Looks like we've scraped the bottom of the barrel.
Was it the Sergeant-Major?
Always without his helmet. Asking for it.
Forward... Mustn't stay here...
Let's kick them all the way to Leningrad!
Forward! Don't stay here!
Shut the hell up, how're we supposed to help, too...
You didn't have to...
Like shooting a ram between the horns...
Where are the boys? -Russkies shot them.
Is this the day they break through? -Might well be.
Then it's the last day of this life.
Might be that, too.
Peace has come at 11.00 o'clock.