Image: Yle

Finland’s role in the Second World War is an important part of the nation’s mythology. The conflict started with the Winter War—a surprise attack from the Soviet Union intended to realize the division of Europe according to the secret protocols of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact.

To commemorate the 75 anniversary of the conflict Yle is tweeting events as-live from the @sota1939 Twitter account, and in English from the @WinterWar1939 account.

The tweets draw on historical documents, speeches, letters from the front and contemporary news reports. Government debates were researched by Ohto Manninen and Kauko Rumpunen, who have together written a book on the Winter War.

The Yle team has also created several historical characters who will tweet from their own perspective. Otto-Ville Kuusinen, who was Prime Minister of the Terijoki government supported by the Soviets and expected to take over in Helsinki once the Soviet side won, has his own Twitter profile.

Others with Twitter voices include Kyösti Kallio, President of Finland, Arndt Pekurinen, a pacifist who refused to fight, and the Estonian ambassador Aleksander Warma.