Winter War
1939 · The Karelian Isthmus and Finland's eastern border (today's Russia–Finland border region) · World · Modern
The Soviet army suffered repeated setbacks early on; after reorganizing in February 1940 it broke through the Mannerheim Line, and Finland was forced to accept a peace treaty.
Belligerents
Finland
- Commanders
- Mannerheim
- Strength
- About 300,000
Soviet Union
- Commanders
- Voroshilov, Meretskov, Timoshenko
- Strength
- About 450,000 at first, later increased to hundreds of thousands or more
Background
After the German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact of 1939, the Soviet Union demanded that Finland give up part of the Karelian Isthmus to secure Leningrad, and negotiations broke down. On November 30 Soviet troops launched a cross-border offensive.
Course of the battle
- Cross-border offensiveThe Soviet army attacked along multiple axes on a long front stretching from the isthmus to the Arctic Circle, and bombed Helsinki.
- Ambushes in the forestAt Suomussalmi, the Raate Road and elsewhere, Finnish ski troops divided and encircled Soviet columns on the roads and annihilated them.
- Breaking through the defensesAfter Timoshenko took over, he concentrated heavy artillery and troops, broke through the Mannerheim Line around Summa in February and closed in on Vyborg.
- Moscow Peace TreatyA ceasefire took effect on March 13; Finland preserved its independence at the cost of ceding territory.
Outcome at a glance
| Date | 1939 |
|---|---|
| Place | The Karelian Isthmus and Finland's eastern border (the present-day border region between Russia and Finland) |
| Result | The Soviet army suffered repeated setbacks early on; after reorganizing in February 1940 it broke through the Mannerheim Line, and Finland was forced to accept a peace treaty. |
| Winner | Soviet Union (Finland keeps its independence) |
| Casualties | About 25,000 Finns were killed; Soviet deaths are estimated at over 120,000 (accounts vary widely). |
| Territorial change | Under the Moscow Peace Treaty of March 1940, Finland ceded the Karelian Isthmus (including Vyborg), the northern shore of Lake Ladoga and other territory, and leased the Hanko Peninsula; about 400,000 Finnish residents were evacuated. |
Impact
In the Winter War Finland fought a much larger enemy and preserved its independence; the poor Soviet performance also shaped Germany's assessment of Soviet military strength.
See the world in 1939 on the map →