The Borders are Burning

Along the Karelian Front, as the Soviets crossed the borders, the Finnish forces executed a planned withdrawal to the Mannerheim Line. In the north, however, the Finns were ordered to oppose the Russian advance at every opportunity. At Kuhmo, the …

1939-11-30

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Along the Karelian Front, as the Soviets crossed the borders, the Finnish forces executed a planned withdrawal to the Mannerheim Line. In the north, however, the Finns were ordered to oppose the Russian advance at every opportunity. At Kuhmo, the 54th Russian Division led by Major General Gusevski advanced along the Repola-Hukkajarvi road. The 13th Finnish Reinforced Battalion, numbering some 1200 reservists led by Lieutenant Kaariala, sought to block their advance. At 1030 hours, a mere 9 hours after the Soviets renounced their non-aggression pact with Finland, the lead Russian elements encountered the Finns in prepared positions.

Kuhmo, Finland

The Winter War was a war between the Soviet Union (USSR) and Finland. It began with a Soviet invasion of Finland on 30 November 1939, three months after the outbreak of World War II, and ended three and a half months later with the Moscow Peace Treaty on 13 March 1940. Despite superior military strength, especially in tanks and aircraft, the Soviet Union suffered severe losses and initially made little headway. The League of Nations deemed the attack illegal and expelled the Soviet Union from the organisation.

Wikipedia: Winter War

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