"The Battle of Suomussalmi " Topic

Of possible interest?

"During the YH (the mobilization) , a total of 1 621 men gathered to the training center in Suomussalmi. From this personnel, the 15th Separate Battalion, Er.P 15, was formed under the command of Lt.Col. L.Kyander . The battalion had an order (only the commander was aware of this order) to attack across the border and advance to Vuokkiniemi (some 30 km from the border) in case the war breaks out. The Er.P 15 was attached to the P-SR (North Finland Group) , commanded by Major General W.E.Tuompo .

On 30 November, when the war started, the Er.P. 15 had one company in Likoharju ( some 10 km west of Raatevaara) . This company had manned all border stations from Puras to Lake Kuivajärvi. All other elements and units of the battalion were in or around Suomussalmi and Ämmänsaari. In the Suomussalmi church-area, was also one separate company led by Capt. E.Kontula (hence the name, Er.K. Kontula) under the direct command of the Commander of the North Finland Group (from now on P-SR in the text) . The only Finnish unit in the Juntusranta area was a border guard detachment (from now on RO II, Rajavartio-osasto II, in Finnish) , which had manned the border stations on a 50 km front. The total strength of RO II was 58 men, and in the border station in Hossa (some 20 km north of Juntusranta) were 10 men (with one Bergmann-smg) and in the border station in Toravaara 10 men (with one Bergmann-smg) , so in Juntusranta, the detachment had 38 men (the detachment in Juntusranta had only one Lahti-Saloranta lmg and 2 smg's, one Bergmann and one Suomi-smg) . The detachment had no radio, so all communications to the HQ were made by phone…"
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Amicalement
Armand

The Finns fought very bravely during the war against the USSR. Regardless of making a deal with the devil, Hitler's Nazi Germany. But it is clear the Finns were fighting for their very survival as a nation against the massive forces of the USSR.

Agree.

Amicalement
Armand

Regardless of making a deal with the devil, Hitler's Nazi Germany.

During the battle of Suomussalmi, it was Soviet Union that was in pact with Germany against Finland.

Yes, I know, but later the Finns had no choice but to get support from the Germans. I was just trying to be "thorough" as if I didn't mention it someone else would. But as I see it happened any way … But thank you for being thorough …

The US, UK, etc. also made a deal with the devil in WWII. But in this case it was with Stalin's USSR. As well as many other European counties took another "devil's alternative" and were part of the Axis, not just Italy, but Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, etc., …

Tripartite Pact powers:
Nazi Germany
Empire of Japan
Kingdom of Italy (after 1943, Italian Social Republic)

States that adhered to the Tripartite Pact:
Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Romania
Slovak Republic
Kingdom of Bulgaria
Kingdom of Yugoslavia (never ratified)
Independent State of Croatia

Co-belligerent states:
Republic of Finland (see Continuation War)
Kingdom of Iraq (see Anglo-Iraqi War)
Kingdom of Thailand

Puppet governments:
Albanian Kingdom
State of Burma
Reorganized National Government of China
Hellenic State
Provisional Government of Free India
Manchukuo
Governorate of Montenegro
Quisling regime in Norway
Second Philippine Republic
Government of National Salvation of Serbia
Vichy France