History YMMV / TheUnknownSoldier

* TearJerker: With the AnyoneCanDie nature of the story, TearJerker moments are plentiful - they take an early start in the first act, are peppered across the second act, and completely wash the third act with sweet, salty reader tears. [[WordOfGod This was the intention of the author]], who wanted to first make the reader grow emotionally attached to the characters, so that he could then kill them off with the maximal emotional effect. He wanted to make the reader ask ''"Why weren't these men allowed to live?"''
** The biggest of all the tear jerkers is probably the death sequence of [[spoiler:Hietanen. To start with, [[BruiserWithASoftCenter Hietanen]] is TheHeart of the story, always feeling empathy for other people and helping them, always cheering others up. At the beginning of the sequence, some NewMeat arrives to join the platoon. Very soon they're hit by Soviet artillery fire. One of the NewMeat panics and climbs out of his foxhole, screaming in terror. Hietanen tries to shout at him to go to safety, but the boy is too panicked to understand anything, so Hietanen climbs after him and starts dragging him to the nearest foxhole. Then a shrapnel comes and tears open both of his eyes. Hietanen is blinded and in terrible pains. The others gather around him to say their goodbyes. They're all upset by Hietanen's fate, not knowing what to say. Hietanen senses their uneasiness and once more tries to cheer others by returning one more time to his old upbeat, bantering personality, claiming he doesn't care one bit about such things. However, his pains are so great that he can't help but to cry out in agony. Finally he's helped into an ambulance. Koskela, who's fond of him, says his last farewells and promises to come to see Hietanen after the war, if he only makes it out of it alive. While the ambulance is driving away from the front, it's attacked by the Soviets, crashes and catches fire. Hietanen, despite his blindness, manages to find his way out of the ambulance and tries to help others out of the burning vehicle as well, despite enemy fire still targeting them. He promises to a terrified man about to catch fire that he won't leave him... but he's shot and falls down dead. Those left in the ambulance burn. To make it even worse, later on the others find the ambulance and Hietanen's body. Koskela in particular is so shocked by this that later on he hallucinates about the eyeless Hietanen being next to him and speaking to him, and wonders if he too will die soon. Only moments later Koskela goes on a hopeless SuicideMission and dies. Rokka later speculates that Koskela got himself killed intentionally.]]

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: Sufficient to say there are ''many''.
** Sergeant Hietanen destroying a Soviet tank by crawling next to it and throwing a mine under it - at the eleventh hour when the Finns, deep within enemy lines, were just about to give into panic, lose formation and be almost certainly destroyed. It's considered a CMoA by the other characters as well.
** Corporal Rokka saving the Finns by first, out of his own initiative, going to check the vulnerable flank, and then all on his own destroying the 50 man strong Soviet ski company that was trying to flank the Finns. He only has Lampinen to [[MoreDakka supply him ammo]]. Bonus points that he's hit in the head by a bullet and momentarily loses consciousness, only to come back around and finish the job.
** Both of the above scenes were based on actual events that happened. The destruction of the tank Linna saw with his own eyes.
** During the first real battle, the Finns are in vain trying to cut through the fortificated Soviet defense lines. The Finnish charges up the hillside only lead to ever increasing losses. Kariluoto is getting desperate, but Koskela comes up with an alternative plan: while the others give support fire, he crawls up the hill, from hide to hide, and manages to get close to the enemy bunker. There he throws a satchel charge weighting 8 kgs and destroys the bunker, dismaying the Soviets. Kariluoto leads the men into new charge and they manage to take the line and force the Soviets into flight.
* CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming:
** [[TheFool Salo]] has suffered for the whole war, because he has wanted to be [[IJustWantToBeBadass brave and manly and heroic]], but has never had the courage. Instead the others have mocked him for being naive and boastful and believing the war propaganda. During the retreat he tries to shoot down an Il-2 Shturmovik with his rifle. He loses his leg for it. But this act of HeroicResolve makes such an impression on the others, that they forget entirely their previous opinions of him. It's said that they never saw him again, but when they ever remembered him, they remembered him as a brave man.
** The men usually keep their [[MenAreTough boisterous,]] [[ARealManIsAKiller masculine mask]] and avoid showing any [[AllMenArePerverts deeper emotion,]] [[RealMenHateAffection tenderness or seriousness of affection.]] But in the occupied Petrozavodsk, [[TheHeart Hietanen]] falls for a local civilian woman, Vera. When the others tease him about it, he tries to pretend it's nothing to him and claims noisily he's a just your regular carefree lad that doesn't care about women beyond the superficial and the carnal. But later on [[BruiserWithASoftCenter he sings to himself a romantic song]], and a year later he takes out the memento she gave him, recalling back to her. [[spoiler: When he dies, trying to save the others during his own last minutes, the narrator references back to this, describing him with the same terms he described himself when he tried to pretend he's just as tough and uncaring as the next guy.]]
** Likewise, in Petrozavodsk, Hietanen [[FriendToAllChildren brings food to the local orphaned children]] who are [[OrphansOrdeal suffering of hunger]]. When they decide to go to where the children live, Hietanen asks for his next day's rations, because he doesn't want to go empty handed and let the children down. Especially touching as we're told that the children were orphaned when [[EvenMooksHaveLovedOnes their father, a Russian soldier]], died fighting the Finnish assault earlier in the year.
** [[BigFun Vanhala]] is wounded and has to spend some time in hospital. During his absence the others come to realize just how much that [[PluckyComicRelief silent giggling boy means to them]]. When they see from the window that he's coming back, everyone runs out to meet him with cries of welcome.
** [[HeterosexualLifePartners Rokka and Susi]] are covering for the others as they retreat hastily across a river, after the Soviets blew up the bridge they were supposed to use for their escape. Rokka tells Susi it's time for them to go too, but Susi is shot and falls down. Despite the enemy fire, and despite Susi trying to tell Rokka to [[IWillOnlySlowYouDown leave him]], Rokka lifts Susi on his shoulders and laboriously carries him across the flowing river. As they are already about to get to the other side, Rokka is shot at and wounded too. Still, they make it.

** Both of the above scenes were based on actual events that happened. The destuction of the tank Linna saw with his own eyes.

** During the first real battle, the Finns are in vain trying to cut through the Soviet defense lines of bunkers and trenches. The Finnish charges up the hillside only lead to ever increasing losses. Kariluoto is getting desperate, but Koskela comes up with an alternative plan: while the others give support fire, he crawls up the hill, from hide to hide, and manages to get close to the enemy bunker. There he throws a satchel charge weighting 8 kgs and destroys the enemy bunker. Kariluoto leads the men into new charge and they manage to take the line and force the Societs into escape.

** Both of the above scenes were based on actual events that happened. The destroying of the tank Linna saw with his own eyes.

* TheWoobie: Private Riitaoja, who is terrified, incompetent and relentlessly bullied by Corporal Lehto. He's also kind and good willing like a child. His [[spoiler:last]] words are characteristically "Please... please don't... I didn't mean anything bad."

* TheWoobie: Private Riitaoja, who is both incompetent and relentlessly bullied by Corporal Lehto.

** [[HeterosexualLifePartners Rokka and Susi]] are covering for the others as they retreat hastily across a river, after the Soviets blew up the bridge they were supposed to use for their escape. Rokka tells Susi it's time for them to go too, but Susi is shot and falls down. Despite the enemy fire, and despite Susi trying to tell Rokka to [[IWillOnlySlowYouDown leave him]], Rokka lifts Susi on his shoulders and laboriously carries him across the flowing river. As they are already about to get to the other side, Rokka is shot at too.

** [[HeteroxualLifePartners Rokka and Susi]] are covering for the others as they retreat hastily across a river, after the Soviets blew up the bridge they were supposed to use for their escape. Rokka tells Susi it's time for them to go too, but Susi is shot and falls down. Despite the enemy fire, and despite Susi trying to tell Rokka to [[LeaveMe leave him]], Rokka lifts Susi on his shoulders and laboriously carries him across the flowing river. As they are already about to get to the other side, Rokka is shot at too.

* JerkassWoobie: Corporal Lehto, a SociopathicSoldier with LackOfEmpathy, is given a CryForTheDevil reveal [[spoiler:just before his death]] when the narrator suddenly tells [[StartOfDarkness why]] [[StreetUrchin exactly he's]] [[NeverBeHurtAgain so cold]] [[HopeIsScary and heartless.]] WordOfGod makes it worse by telling that Lehto's [[AbusiveParents father]] was [[TheAlcoholic a violent alcoholic]] and that Lehto [[TheRunaway run away from home]] at young age, never having anyone to look after him or to care about him. The reason he can't stand Riitaoja is because Riitaoja's weakness and fear reminds him of the scared little child he himself used to be, and never wants to be again.

** The men usually keep their [[MenAreTough boisterous,]] [[ARealManIsAKiller masculine mask]] and avoid showing any [[AllMenArePerverts deeper emotion,]] [[RealMenHateAffection tenderness or seriousness of affection.]] But in the occupied Petrozavodsk, Hietanen falls for a local civilian woman, Vera. When the others tease him about it, he tries to pretend it's nothing to him and claims noisily he's a just your regular carefree lad that doesn't care about women beyond the superficial and the carnal. But later on [[TheHeart he sings to himself a romantic song]], and a year later [[BruiserWithASoftCenter he takes out the memento she gave him]], recalling back to her. [[spoiler: When he dies, trying to save the others during his own last minutes, the narrator references back to this, describing him with the same terms he described himself when he tried to pretend he's just as tough and uncaring as the next guy.]]

** Vanhala is wounded and has to spend some time in hospital. During his absence the others come to realize just how much that [[BigFun silent giggling boy]] [[PluckyComicRelief means to them]]. When they see from the window that he's coming back, everyone runs out to meet him with cries of welcome.

** Vanhala is wounded and has to spend some time in hospital. During his absence the others come to realize just how much that [[BigFun silent giggling boy]] [[PluckyComicRelief means to them]]. When they see from the window that he's coming back, everyone runs out to meet him and cries of welcome.

** Likewise, in Petrozavodsk, Hietanen brings food to the local orphaned children who are suffering of hunger. When they decide to go to where the children live, Hietanen asks for his next day's rations, because he doesn't want to go empty handed and let the children down. Especially touching as we're told that the children were orphaned when their father, a Russian soldier, died fighting the Finnish assault earlier in the year.

** The men usually keep their [[MenAreTough boisterous,]] [[ARealManIsAKiller masculine mask]] and avoid showing any [[AllMenArePerverts deeper emotion,]] [[RealMenHateAffection tenderness or seriousness of affection.]] But in the occupied Petrozavodsk, Hietanen falls for a local civilian woman, Vera. When the others tease him about it, he tries to pretend it's nothing to him and claims noisily he's a just your regular carefree lad that doesn't care about women beyond the superficial and the carnal. But later on he sings to himself a romantic song, and a year later he takes out the memento she gave him, recalling back to her. [[spoiler: When he dies, trying to save the others during his own last minutes, the narrator references back to this, describing him with the same terms he described himself when he tried to pretend he's just as tough and uncaring as the next guy.]]

** The men usually keep their [[MenAreTough boisterous,]] [[RealManIsAKiller masculine mask]] and avoid showing any [[AllMenArePerverts deeper emotion,]] [[RealMenHateAffection tenderness or seriousness of affection.]] But in the occupied Petrozavodsk, Hietanen falls for a local civilian woman, Vera. When the others tease him about it, he tries to pretend it's nothing to him and claims noisily he's a just your regular carefree lad that doesn't care about women beyond the superficial and the carnal. But later on he sings to himself a romantic song, and a year later he takes out the memento she gave him, recalling back to her. [[spoiler: When he dies, trying to save the others during his own last minutes, the narrator references back to this, describing him with the same terms he described himself when he tried to pretend he's just as tough and uncaring as the next guy.]]

** The men usually keep their boisterous, masculine mask and avoid showing any deeper emotion, tenderness or seriousness of affection. But in the occupied Petrozavodsk, Hietanen falls for a local civilian woman, Vera. When the others tease him about it, he tries to pretend it's nothing to him and claims noisily he's a just your regular carefree lad that doesn't care about women beyond the superficial and the carnal. But later on he sings to himself a romantic song, and a year later he takes out the memento she gave him, recalling back to her. [[spoiler: When he dies, trying to save the others during his own last minutes, the narrator references back to this, describing him with the same terms he described himself when he tried to pretend he's just as tough and uncaring as the next guy.]]

* JerkassWoobie: Corporal Lehto, a SociopathicSoldier with LackOfEmpathy, is given a CryForTheDevil reveal [[spoiler:just before his death]] when the narrator suddenly tells [[StartOfDarkness why]] [[StreetUrchin exactly he's]] [[NeverBeHurtAgain so cold]] [[HopeIsScary and heartless.]] WordOfGod makes it worse by telling that Lehto's [[AbusiveParents father]] was [[TheAlcholic a violent alcoholic]] and that Lehto [[TheRunaway run away from home]] at young age, never having anyone to look after him or to care about him.

* JerkassWoobie: Corporal Lehto, a SociopathicSoldier with LackOfEmpathy, is given a CryForTheDevil reveal [[spoiler:just before his death]] when the narrator suddenly tells [[StartOfDarkness why]] [[AbusiveParents exactly]] [[TheRunaway he's]] [[StreetUrchin so]] [[NeverBeHurtAgain cold]] [[HopeIsScary and heartless.]]

** [[TheFool Salo]] has suffered for the whole war, because he has wanted to be [IJustWantToBeBadass brave and manly and heroic]], but has never had the courage. Instead the others have mocked him for being naive and boastful and believing the war propaganda. During the retreat he tries to shoot down an Il-2 Shturmovik with his rifle. He loses his leg for it. But this act of HeroicResolve makes such an impression on the others, that they forget entirely their previous opinions of him. It's said that they never saw him again, but when they ever remembered him, they remembered him as a brave man.

* JerkassWoobie: Corporal Lehto, a SociopathicSoldier with LackOfEmpathy, is given a CryForTheDevil reveal [[spoiler:just before his death]] when the narrator suddenly tells [[StartOfDarkness why] [[AbusiveParents exactly]] [[TheRunaway he's [[StreetUrchin so]] [[NeverBeHurtAgain cold]] [[HopeIsScary and heartless.]]

** The men usually keep their boisterous, masculine mask and avoid showing any deeper emotion, tenderness or seriousness of affection. But in the occupied Petrozavodsk, Hietanen falls for a local civilian woman, Vera. When the others tease him about it, he tries to pretend it's nothing to him and claims noisily he's a just your regular carefree lad that doesn't care about women beyond the superficial and the carnal. But later on he sings to himself a romantic song, and a year later he takes out the memento she gave him, recalling back to her.
** Likewise, in Petrozavodsk, Hietanen brings food to the local orphaned children who are suffering of hunger. When they decide to go to where the children live, Hietanen asks for his next day's rations, because he doesn't want to go empty handed and let the children down.

** CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming:

** Corporal Rokka saving the Finns by first, out of his own initiative, going to check the vulnerable flank, and then all on his own destroying the 50 man strong Soviet ski company that was trying to flank the Finns. He only has Lampinen to [[MorDakka supply him ammo]]. Bonus points that he's hit in the head by a bullet and momentarily loses consciousness, only to come back around and finish the job.

** Salo has suffered for the whole war, because he has wanted to be brave and manly and heroic, but has never had the courage. Instead the others have mocked him for being naive and boastful and believing the war propaganda. During the retreat, during an aerial assault he tries to shoot down an Il-2 Shturmovik with his rifle. He loses his leg for it. But this act of HeroicResolve makes such an impression on the others, that they forget entirely their previous opinions of him. It's said that they never saw him again, but when they ever remembered him, they remembered him as a brave man.