Entering service in 1931, the nine-by-nineteen-millimeter Suomi KP/-31 submachine gun saw extensive combat with Finnish troops during their fight against Soviet forces in 1939 44. It was also manufactured under license in Switzerland, Denmark, and Sweden and remained in Finnish service until the 1980s, an indication of its durability.Rugged and accurate, the Suomi was a favorite with Finnish ski troops who would strike from ambush, cut down Soviet troops, then ski away into the woods. Initially used by the Finns as a light machine gun at infantry squad level, it eventually became a dedicated submachine gun weapon, and since it had been designed to be more accurate than the typical SMG, it was often even used as a sniping weapon or to supplement longer-ranged rifles, such as the Mosin-Nagant. Featuring firsthand accounts and specially commissioned color artwork, this is the story of one of World War II's most distinctive and respected infantry weapons.".