44 GERMANY TRIUMPHANT 1939–1941
Rybachy PeninsulaKola PeninsulaLeningradSallaPelkosenniemiRepolaIIomantsiÄgläjärviKollaa SalmiMainilaTerijokiPetrozavodskKandalakshaKondopogaSvetogorskBelomorskMurmanskSavonlinnaPolyarnyyKemijärvi
MärkäjärviKokkolaHarstadHelsinkiTolvajärviKuhmoSuomussalmiRaatePorvooViipuri
SummaKuopioMikkeliTurkuVaasaSalmijärviNautsiPetsamoKemiOuluPoriReinforcementsNORWAY
ESTONIA
S
W
E
D
E
N
F
I
N
L
A
N
D
U
S
S
R
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aV
ar
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Kemi
Ounas
Torne
Tana
Kollaa
River
Lake
Ladoga
Lapland
In the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact of August 23, 1939, the Soviet Union and Germany secretly agreed to divide much of Europe between themselves in a way that anticipated the “territorial and political rearrangements” to come. According to this pact, the Baltic States and Finland fell into the Soviet sphere of influence, and it was not long before the Soviets demanded that Finland cede to them a number of strategically important territories on their shared border. Finland refused, and Stalin ordered an invasion, intending to install a compliant regime in Finland.
The Soviet attack began on November 30, 1939, and was
undertaken initially by four armies of about 450,000 men. The plan was to reach Helsinki within three weeks. The main focus of the Soviet offensive was the Karelian Isthmus, where most of
the Finnish Army was deployed along the Mannerheim Line—a series of fortifications, anti-tank ditches, and obstacles built over two decades to deter Soviet aggression. The Soviet build-up gave
the Finns time to assemble around 250,000 men, who had been trained in the use of
motti
tactics—encircling and breaking up
enemy formations into isolated pockets, then destroying them.
Stout resistance and damaging counter-attacks from the Finns
stalemated the Soviets in most of Finland by the end of December. The highly mobile Finnish ski patrol units wreaked havoc behind Soviet formations. However, by early February, a reorganized Red Army converted its superiority in manpower and equipment into success on the battlefield. Hostilities ended on March 13, 1940, with Finland ceding around ten percent of its territory to the USSR.
THE WINTER
WAR IN FINLANDThe Soviet invasion of Finland in winter 1939 was met with ferocious resistance from
a largely reservist Finnish army that was familiar with—and well trained for—the severe weather conditions. The damage inflicted by the Finns on their numerically superior
enemy helped them negotiate a settlement that avoided their complete subjugation.
Annexed from the Baltic StatesAnnexed from Romania
SOVIET ABSORPTION OF THE BALTIC AND BLACK SEA STATESFollowing the Winter War, the Soviets annexed Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and parts of Romania— KEY
all areas recognized in the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact as lying within the Soviet sphere of influence. These territories were incorporated into the Soviet Union as constituent republics in August 1940, and many
of their residents, deemed “enemies of the people,” were deported to Siberia or Kazakhstan.
Dec 15–18, 1939
The Finns finally retreat
from Salmijärvi, having counterattacked Soviet forces for two weeks.
△
Finnish ski troopers
Moving quickly through the forests, and equipped for the hostile conditions, Finnish ski
patrols conducted successful missions against the Soviets.
SOVIET INVASIONThe USSR invaded Finland with a
huge army of around 450,000 men. However, they were confounded
by a Finnish army that slowed their progress and inflicted heavy casualties until a peace deal ended the war.KEY
Soviet air raid
NOV 1939
DEC
JAN 1940
FEB
MAR
APR
TIMELINE^123456
ACTION IN THE ARCTIC NORTH NOVEMBER 30–DECEMBER 15, 1939Two divisions of the Soviet 14th Army attacked the Rybachy Peninsula and the arctic port of Petsamo from Murmansk on the Kola Peninsula. The Finns withdrew and the Soviets occupied the port to prevent any Allied landing. The Soviets resumed
the offensive, pushing on to their objective—the town of Nautsi—but their progress was impeded
by Finnish counterattacks. Nautsi was not captured until March 7.
1
Soviet attacks
Finnish resistance
Berlin
G E R M A N Y
U S S R
N O R W A Y
FINLAND
HUNGARY
ROMANIA
SLOVAKIA
BUKOVINA
BESSARABIA
LITHUANIA
ESTONIALATVIA
POLAND
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