World War II Wiki

-

Please log in!
Logging in will provide you with an ad-free website.
It will also give you access to the Monobook skin, which is much easier to use and navigate.

READ MORE

World War II Wiki
Register
Advertisement
World War II Wiki

This article is a stub



Finland is a country in Fennoscandia, in northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the West, Norway to the North and Russia to the East. The official languages are Finnish and Swedish and the terrain is forested and usually frozen over in the winter.

Map of Finland

A map of Finland

Winter War[]

The Winter War was a war between Finland and the Soviet Union in November 30th 1939 - March 13th 1940. The Soviet Union was concerned that Germany could use Finland to launch an attack to Leningrad so it offered Repola and Porajärvi in exchange for parts of the Karelian isthmus and few islands in gulf of Finland. Finland refused the offer so in 26th of Novermber 1939 happened the Maninila Incident where Soviet Union shelled it's own village, the Village of Mainila, to get an excuse to launch an attack.

November 30th Soviet forces lanched an invasion without a declaration of war. The Finns were able to halt the attack in Karelian isthmus to the Mannerheim line and in Ladoga Karelia to the Kollaa river. In Northern Finland motti tactics were used to destroy Soviet 44th rifle division in Battle of Raate Road.

In February Soviet Union was able to get a breakthrough after some reforms in tactics and officer replacements and forced Finland to surrender.

Moscow peace treaty was signed in March 12th 1940 and came into effect in 13th. Finland had to cease part of Salla and Kuusamo, the western parts of Sredny and Rybachy, the outer islands of the Gulf of Finland and a large part of Karelia. Finland aslo had to pay war reparations and the Hanko Peninsula was leased to the Soviet Union as a naval base for 30 years.

Siege of Leningrad[]

A reluctant ally of Germany, Finland was coerced into participating in the Siege of Leningrad, but their involvement was limited to a crossing of the river Svir, leading to Finnish troops establishing positions around Lake Ladoga.[1]

References[]

  1. War Machine issue 6 - Sub-machine guns of World War II


Advertisement