Finlands Continuation War 1941-1944
 

On 22nd June 1941 Finland attacked the Soviet Union. This - the Continuation War - lasted to 1944 and can be divided in three disticnt phases.

1. Advancing period June - Dec 1941.

2. Defensive period 1942 - 1944 (partly trench warfare).

3. Retreat from Karelia 1944. Soviet offensive.

All Finns were united as to retake what lost in 1940. When the Finnish troops advanced beyond the 1939 border Finnish opinion was divided.

The Germans pressed Finland to a) capture Leningrad and b) cut off the Murmansk-railroad but the Finns refused.

The Finns could easily have made both these things, but FM Mannerheim wanted to be sure that the Germans were going to win the war before comitting the Finnish Forces into this.

Picture:

Green = 1939 border
Blue = 1940 border
Red = Max Finnish advance and front line 1942-44

GERMANY IS LOOSING THE WAR
 

This is a dramatic picture.

Col Aldar Paasonen (C Int Ops in Fin GHQ) standing left is on 3rd February 1943 telling the Finnish Government that Germany has lost the war.

First row from left: 1) General R. Walden, Min of Def. 2) Prime Min J. Ragnell 3) President R. Ryti 4) Marshal C.G.E. Mannerheim.

From now on Finland was trying to find a way out of the war.

I repeat: In February 1943 the Finns understood that Germany had lost the war

Colonel Aladàr Antero Zoltàn Béla Guyla Arpàd Paasonen was born in 1898 and belonged to the first Finnish Officers Course 1919-20 joining 1st Arty Regt.

THE SOVIET OFFENSIVE IN 1944
 

On 9th June 1944 (three days after D-day) the Red Army launched a massive offensive in Karelia with four Armies. From north counted 32nd, 7th, 23rd and 21st Army.

Viborg/Viipuri - Finlands second largest city - was captured 20th June 1944.

Green = Front line in June 1944 (since Dec 1941).
Red = Front line July 1944.

FINLANDS WAY OUT OF THE WAR
 

When the Soviet offensive began Finland asked Germany for help. The Germans sent a o some assault guns (Sturmgeschutz) and Stukas, 9.000 Panzerfausts e t c. The condition was that Finland signed a declaration not to seek peace with the Soviet Union. President Risto Ryti signed.

The nazis knew nothing of democracy. On 1st August 1944 President Ryti and his Government resigned. On 4th August 1944 Marshal Mannerheim was elected President.

The new Finnish Government declared that President Ryti had signed the declaration with the Germans on his own (He was post WW 2 sentenced to 10 years in jail). President Ryti was aware of this - he had sacrified himself for his country.

On 2nd September 1944 the Parliament accepted the Soviet peace terms with 108 votes for and 45 against.

The war ended on 5th September 1944 followed by a peace treaty on 19th September 1944. One condition was that German troops should leave Finland within 14 days.

Photo:
Newly elected President Mannerheim leaving Helsinki Cathedral 4th August 1944. In the middle General Heinrichs and ADC. Right Prime Minister Edwin Linkomies (8th August replaced by Antti Hacksell - ex Foreign Min and ex- Ambassador to USSR).

THE SOVIET STEAM-ROLLER
 

The June 1944 Soviet offensive.

Green = Frontline 10th June
Yellow = Frontline 12th June
Blue = Frontline 16th June
Red = Frontline 20th June

THE LAPLAND WAR 1944 - 1945
 

The peace treaty with the Soviet Union called for German forces to leave Finland within 14 days. The Finns hoped that the Germans should leave peacefully.

In the night beween 14th to 15th September 1944 German forces tryed to occupy the island of Hogland/Suursaari - Operation "Tanne Ost". The Finns were surprised but trew the Germans back within 24 hours.

Now when the Germans had started real hostilities the Finns moved north. Learning that the Germans had burnt the city of Rovaniemi - capital in Lappland - it came to a bitter war.

The German forces in Northern Finland were 9 Divisions with some 200.000 men.

The Finns deployed some 60.000 men which was increased in October to 75.000 men and later decreased in December to 12.000 men.

The Finns attacked with 3rd Army Corps (LtGen Siilasvuo). The Army Corps consisted of four Divs and two Bdes and advanced in three coulums:

WEST (MjGen Pajari)
3rd Inf Div (MjGen Pajari)
11th Inf Div (MjGen Heiskanen)
15th Inf Bde (Col Kuistio)

MIDDLE (MjGen Lagus)
Armoured Div (MjGen Lagus) - on map marked PS
6th Inf Div (Col Puroma)

EAST (Col Inkala)
Border Bde (Col Inkala) - on map marked Rj

After the initial phase only the Rifle Bde (JPr, Col Nordgren) of Armoured Div continued north - and fought a distance 0f 540 km.

The West column made a landing in Tornio harbour.

At the same time the Finnish Army was demobilized and on 5th December 1944 the 3rd Army Corps was reorganized as 1st Division (LtGen Siilasvuo) consisting of 1st, 2nd and 8th Inf Regts plus 2nd, 3rd and 4th Rifle Bns.

The Lappland war lasted 1st October 1944 to 25th April 1945.

THE COSTS
 

During WW 2 Finland lost:

83.405 men (of wich 4.913 officers)
2.150 civilians
201.000 injured (of which 57.000 invalids)

Photo:
A young sergeant in 1944.

COSTS (Ctd)
 

The city of Rovaniemi after the Germans left. They burned 87% of all buildings.

The German GOC, Colonel-General Lothar Rendulic was in 1948 sentenced to 20 years in prison as a war-criminal (not for burning Rovaniemi but on other acts).

World Record?
 

Simo Häyhä (1905-2002) was a farmer. He made his compulsory service in 1925 and joined the Territorial Army (or National Guard). On mobilization in 1939 he was a Corporal with 6th Coy 34th Inf Regt at Kollaa.

He was WiA on 6th March 1940 and thus served for 98 days. During that time he was as a sniper credited with 505 confirmed kills (other source 542) using a standard M 28 Pystikorva rifle with open sights (i e no telescope) and sometimes a M 31 Suomi sub-machinegun.

He was promoted directly from Corporal to Lieutenant. Another Finnish sniper - Suko Kolkka - is credited with 400 kills.

Photo:
Col Antero Svensson (Mannerheim Cross nr 5 16th Aug 1941) is giving Simo Häyhä a new Swedish Mauser rifle with telescope. Häyhä however preferred using his old Pystikorva with serial number 60974.

Soviet offensive 1944
 

The successful Soviet offensive on the Karelian Isthmus was planned and executed by General Leonid Govorov (picture). He was promoted Marshal of the Soviet Union.