A Picture from History: Max Manus

The Winter War was over. 

The Scandinavians had done everything they could to fight off the Soviets. Men such as Simo Hayha engaged in brutal guerilla warfare against the invaders. 

Little did the Soviets know they were going to create legendary men when they invaded. Little did they know, they would meet the likes of Max Manus. 

The Invasion of the Nazis

For the Norwegians, there was little reprieve in their homeland from the threat of war. Right on the heels of The Winter War the Nazi invasion began. 

Fortunately, the men of the country were more than capable of fighting. Unfortunately, blitzkrieg tactics seemed to work very well.

As Nazi troops and tanks filled his homeland, Max Manus did what he could to organize an underground resistance. 

He created an extensive underground, manufactured weapons, crafted illegal “propaganda” against Hitler’s cronies, and more.

It wasn’t long until he transformed himself into one of the Nazis’ most sought out enemies. And this self-transformation came with a price.

A Matter of Time

 In 1941, the Gestapo captured Manus. They raided and searched his home. Grenades and incriminating documents were found, leaving Manus certain of a torturous death. 

As the Nazis congratulated themselves, they momentarily released their grip on Manus, who promptly dove out his second-story window. But the hard ground quickly rendered him unconscious, and he was caught once more and taken to a hospital. 

There, Manus miraculously escaped thanks to a Norwegian nurse sympathetic to the cause. She helped lower Manus out of a second-story window. 

Upping the Ante

After escaping to Sweden, Manus began a long journey of training in guerilla warfare and sabotage techniques.

He even picked up the art of parachuting. Soon, he dropped with other fighters into the forests of Oslo to resume fighting once more. 

Factories, oil refineries, airplanes — they were all fair game for Max Manus and his gang of freedom fighters. After the war, reports state Manus was responsible for the destruction of 100 Nazi warplanes. 

But Manus’ particular specialty was his understanding of limpet mines — small explosives planted along the hulls of ships. 

The SS Donau and the Monte Rosa sank as a result of his efforts. 

Conclusion

Manus lived to see the end of the war. Afterward, he went on to write a series of books about his efforts (sadly, all of which are out of print). However, to learn more about this remarkable fighter, I recommend the Norwegian movie Max Manus: Man of War. 

This is a new style of article for Pew Pew Tactical, if you liked it — let us know in the comments! If you didn’t enjoy it…well phooey. To catch up on previous Pictures from History, click on over to our History Category.