Using a bolt action rifle with iron sights this hardy little outdoorsman killed over five hundred Soviet invaders single handedly during the Winter War of 1939-1940.
Simo Häyhä (190? - 2002) of Finland is regarded by many as the most effective sniper in the history of warfare. He was nicknamed "Belaya Smert" (White Death) by the Soviet troops he stalked in the forests of Finland during the four month long Winter War between those two countries in 1939-1940. Using a relatively primitive Russian made Mosin-Nagant Model 28 rifle with no scope, Häyhä sniped no less than 542 Soviet Union soldiers.
He was born in the small town of Rautjärvi in 1905 or 1906 (records conflict). In 1925 he joined the Finnish army for one year of mandatory service and left as a corporal with a bicycle unit. He joined the Civil Guard (much like the US National Guard) and drilled with his reserve unit until war broke out. On November 30, 1939 the Soviet Union, with a population of 171 million invaded tiny Finland whose population was only three million over territorial issues. This war brought Häyhä, now approaching middle age, to active service for the first time as a sniper assigned to Jaeger Regiment 34 along the Kolla River. Along some parts of this battlefront the Soviet Army outnumbered the defenders in ratios as high as 100:1.
Working in temperatures that almost never came above zero degrees and dressed completely in a white camouflage suit, the five foot tall Häyhä declined the use of a scoped Swedish Mauser rifle for the smaller Mosin carbine with iron sights. The Soviet leadership placed a price on his head and tried several ways to specifically get rid of him. Teams of Soviet snipers aided by artillery were deployed with the sole purpose of eliminating the tiny Finnish 'cuckoo'. Finnish snipers were called cuckoos by Russians, because they thought that all Finnish snipers were located in trees (and all trees contained snipers!). He was promoted to lieutenant personally by the Finnish commander Baron Field Marshal Mannerhiem. His 'confirmed kills' were listed at 542 with another two hundred unconfirmed. Most of his shots were taken while acting alone, shooting from a sitting position at ranges at or over 400 meters. Like most snipers he preferred to shoot officers and weapons crews.
On March 6, 1940, Häyhä was shot in the jaw while on the frontline and went into a coma. When he came out of his coma in the hospital nine days later Finland had lost the war. The town he was born in, Rautjärvi was lost to the Soviets in the peace settlement and remains part of that country (now Russia) to this day.
When interviewed by a group of American Mosin-Nagant collectors just before his death of old age in 2002 he was asked what his secret was to being such a good sniper he answered, "Practice."
Controversy
Two World War Two snipers on the Eastern Front, Mikhail Ilyich Surkov, a sergeant-major with the Soviet 4th Division, and SS Major (Sturmbannfuhrer) Erwin Konig of the Nazi Army were credited sometimes with having more confirmed kills than Hayha. Surlov was even mentioned in some sources as having over 700. Post war analysis has shown that these figures were inflated for propaganda purposes. It is doubtful that Konig even existed at all and Surkov is a shadowy figure at best. The top scoring Soviet ace that is accepted is Ivan Mihailovich Sidorenko of the 1122nd rifle regiment with 500 confirmed 'kills'.
The copyright of the article Simo Häyhä the Greatest Sniper in Modern War is owned by Christopher Eger. Permission to republish Simo Häyhä the Greatest Sniper in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
how about vasily zaytzev achievment in sniping is it not true???
Oct 11, 2008 7:09 AM
Guest
:
true
Nov 4, 2008 2:52 AM
Guest
:
Surkov was noted for his great accuracy during the fighting at Red Liman
and Captain Kamkina gave Surkov a snipers rifle.At the end of the war
Surkov was credited with 702 confirmed kills.Surkov was awarded the Order
of Lenin and Hero of the Soviet union and numerous other medals.After the
war Surkov graduated at Achinsky Mechanics technology industry and later
went to work in Komsomolsk as a electrician.
Major Koning was
identified by documents that Vassili Zaitsev and his partner Nikolay
Kulikov took off Konings body,Konings scope can be seen today at the Moscow
Armed Forces museum.
Nov 12, 2008 7:10 PM
Guest
:
Zaitsev's achievement in sniping is true. He gained his fame fighting the
Germans in Stalingrad. However, Zaitsev never fought the supposed German
super-sniper Konings during the battle of Stalingrad. That was pure Russian
propaganda. However, Zaitsev did duel against several skilled German
snipers during the battle, from which the great sniper duel myth was taken
from.
Dec 2, 2008 4:31 PM
Guest
:
simo had 742+ kills total rifle:542 + submachine gun:
200+ = 742+ kills
Dec 6, 2008 11:45 AM
Guest
:
At 70's I was a next door neighbour of Simo Häyhä at Ruokolahti Finland.
Together with Simo we looked the photographs from in-hospital stay after an
injury by Russian bullet. Simo told me that the Russian sniper regognized
him, targed and got him. And he was injured. Simo told that he was moving a
little bit and the Russians got him. Simo was quiet and modest man in a
little village making no noise. Vesa Aholaakko
Dec 6, 2008 11:46 AM
Guest
:
At 70's I was a next door neighbour of Simo Häyhä at Ruokolahti Finland.
Together with Simo we looked the photographs from in-hospital stay after an
injury by Russian bullet. Simo told me that the Russian sniper regognized
him, targed and got him. And he was injured. Simo told that he was moving a
little bit and the Russians got him. Simo was quiet and modest man in a
little village making no noise.
Vesa Aholaakko
Dec 11, 2008 1:58 AM
Guest
:
Let this be a lesson to any would-be agressor who would set foot on Finnish
soil. Long may the spirit and presence of Simo Hayha watch over Finland.
Jan 31, 2009 1:01 PM
Guest
:
What a Finn! I want to hug this man. He represents the best from this
wonderful nation whose stance against the Soviets is second to none in
military history. I have as little pleasure in seeing dead Russians as I
have in seeing dead Germans, but God bless you Haya!
Feb 5, 2009 7:22 AM
Guest
:
Now Finland is being conquered without a shot being fired. You have
let so many Muslims immigrate to Finland that you soon will be a minority
in your own country. After the Muslims are the majority they will
impose their laws upon you. The proud people of Finland, yet another
victim of liberalism. RIP
Feb 18, 2009 12:10 PM
Guest
:
Vasily Zaitsev was fighting in the bloodiest battle in human history, while
Hayha was in a Russian shooting gallery, where almost any given Finnish
soldier could probably kill 100+ Russians easy. This battle was sych a
failiure for Russia that Stalin redesigned the entire army, just in time
for WW2. Also, before the Winter War, Russia lost over half of it's
officers in a massive purge. Almost no experienced commanders commanded the
Soviets during the attack.
Mar 3, 2009 12:28 PM
Guest
:
Simo Hayha did a brilliant job defending his homeland from overwhelming
enemy forces. His achievements were never exploited as a propaganda tool
but neverthless, they shouldn't be underrated. Glory for the brave fighter
and RIP.
Mar 3, 2009 4:42 PM
Guest
:
look guys sure stalingrad was bad but really come on stalingrad was sniper
heaven. so many buildings etc. greater risk of dieing sure. but the
russians outnumbered them greater and he had a semi auto gun against them
not fully so quit trying to say vasily is better. Kurning and Surlov
as said are very shadowy so really they most likely knowing russia and
germany at the time were propaganda attemps especially the surlov. They
would need stuff like that to raise spirit and morale. So really Simo
is the greatest sniper in history that you can prove and have good
evidence. There isnt much to prove the others. that scope could have been
any german sniper and the documents of kurning i will look up some time.
Mar 5, 2009 6:02 PM
Guest
:
Simo was the greatest sniper of all times, he didn't even used a scope, and
his range of difficulty at targeting and shooting someone else is much
higher than Vasily or any other sniper, and that's something you guys must
recognized. Greetings from Ecuador !!!
Mar 30, 2009 6:14 AM
Guest
:
I honestly doubt Hayhas kill count,Hayha mmore than likely was used as
propaganda. Surkovs kill count however is credible and makes more sense as
he made his kills in 5 years not only 90 days like Hayha
"supposibly" did.
Regarding the duel between Zaitsev
and Koenig--Imm probably the formost expert on this and my research shows
the duel did happen and Koenig was real.
Apr 11, 2009 12:06 PM
Guest
:
anyone who doupts simo can go to hell HE IS THE BEST EVER PERIOD!
May 17, 2009 7:43 PM
Guest
:
Yes, Simo was and still is the greatest sniper. Finn's are known for their
honesty and integrity...not blowing things out of proportion. If his kills
where confirmed by the Finnish Defense Forces you can bet your life on it
to be true. The USSR put out nothing but lies and propaganda. Please
understand I am talking about the government (Stalin's dictatorship) and
not specifically the people of Russia. Anybody that believes anything that
was put out by the USSR is an idiot. Thank GOD for men like Simo
Hayha!
Jun 29, 2009 10:43 PM
Guest
:
simo best ever? hardley you guys clearly havent herd of the great
australian sniper billy sing the greatest sniper of all time