1. The situation on the Karelian sector of the front. The decision of the Soviet command

The summer offensive of 1944 was launched by the Soviet Armed Forces with an operation on the Karelian Isthmus and in South Karelia, where the Finnish troops were defending. In the middle of 1944, Finland found itself in a state of deep crisis. Its position began to worsen even more after the defeat of the Nazi troops in January - February 1944 near Leningrad and Novgorod. The anti-war movement was growing in the country. Some of the prominent political figures of the country also took an anti-war position.

The current situation forced the government of Finland to turn to the government of the USSR in mid-February in order to find out the conditions under which Finland could stop hostilities and withdraw from the war. The Soviet Union laid out peace terms that were regarded in many countries as quite moderate and acceptable. However, the Finnish side replied that they did not suit her. The then Finnish leadership still hoped that Germany at a critical moment would provide Finland with the necessary military and economic support. It also counted on the political assistance of the US government, which had diplomatic relations with it. Former Hitlerite General K. Ditmar wrote that the Finns saw the preservation of ties with the United States as "the only way to salvation if Germany's situation does not improve during the war."

The Finnish command set the task for its army to hold its positions at all costs. It feared that after Finland's refusal to withdraw from the war, Soviet troops might launch a powerful offensive on the Karelian Isthmus and South Karelia. However, some influential representatives of the country's military leadership believed that the Armed Forces of the USSR "would not launch an offensive against Finland", but would concentrate all their efforts on defeating Germany. Although the Finnish command did not have a clear idea of ​​the plans of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command of the Soviet Armed Forces, it nevertheless decided to strengthen its positions as much as possible. Using numerous lakes, rivers, swamps, forests, granite rocks and hills, the Finnish troops created a solid, well-equipped defense in terms of engineering. Its depth on the Karelian Isthmus reached 120 km, and in South Karelia - up to 180 km. Particular attention was paid to the construction of long-term fortifications on the Karelian Isthmus.

In South Karelia and on the Karelian Isthmus, the main forces of the Finnish army were defending, consisting of 15 divisions, 8 infantry and 1 cavalry brigades. They numbered 268 thousand people, 1930 guns and mortars, 110 tanks and assault guns and 248 combat aircraft. The troops had extensive experience in combat and were capable of stubborn resistance.

To defeat the Finnish army, restore the state border of the Soviet Union in this sector of the front and withdraw Finland from the war on the side of Germany, the Headquarters of the Soviet Supreme High Command decided to conduct the Vyborg-Petrozavodsk operation. According to the plan of the Headquarters, the troops of the Leningrad and Karelian fronts with the assistance of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet. The Ladoga and Onega military flotillas were to crush the opposing enemy with powerful blows, capture Vyborg, Petrozavodsk and reach the line of Tiksheozero, Sortavala, Kotka. The operation was started by the troops of the Leningrad Front, then the Karelian Front went on the offensive.

On the Karelian Isthmus, the troops of the right wing of the Leningrad Front under the command of General L. A. Govorov were to advance. The troops of the 23rd and 21st armies were involved in this operation. The actions of the ground forces were supported by the aviation of the 13th Air Army, as well as the Red Banner Baltic Fleet, commanded by Admiral V.F. Tributs. Troops of the left wing of the Karelian Front, consisting of the 32nd and 7th armies, were advancing in the Petrozavodsk direction, with the support of the 7th air army, the Ladoga and Onega military flotillas. The front was commanded by General K. A. Meretskov. The forces of the fronts allocated to participate in the operation consisted of 41 divisions, 5 rifle brigades and 4 fortified areas, in which there were about 450 thousand people, about 10 thousand guns and mortars, over 800 tanks and self-propelled artillery installations and 1547 aircraft . Soviet troops outnumbered the enemy: in men - 1.7 times, in guns and mortars - 5.2 times, in tanks and self-propelled guns - 7.3 times, and in aircraft - 6.2 times. The creation of such a large superiority over the enemy was dictated by the need to quickly break through the defense in depth, the offensive in extremely unfavorable terrain, as well as the stubborn resistance of enemy troops.

The plan of the operation provided for a broad massing of forces and means in the directions of the main strikes. In particular, from 60 to 80 percent of all forces and means located on the Karelian Isthmus were transferred to the 21st Army of the Leningrad Front, which delivered the main blow in the direction of Vyborg. The vast majority of them were concentrated in the breakthrough section with a length of 12.5 km. Long-term powerful artillery and aviation preparation was planned on both fronts.

The Red Banner Baltic Fleet, by decision of the commander of the Leningrad Front, before the start of the operation, was supposed to transport the troops of the 21st Army, consisting of five divisions, from the Oranienbaum area to the Karelian Isthmus, and then, with naval artillery fire and aviation, assist them in developing the offensive, cover the coastal flank of the Leningrad Front, carry out antiamphibious defense of the coast, to counteract the attempts of enemy ships to fire on the advancing troops, disrupt the supply of reinforcements and the supply of the Finnish army by sea, and be ready for the landing of tactical assault forces.

Before the Ladoga military flotilla, the commander of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet set the task of assisting the right flank of the 23rd Army in breaking through the defenses on the Karelian Isthmus with naval artillery fire and a demonstration of landing. The flotilla was also to assist in the advancement of the troops of the left flank of the 7th Army of the Karelian Front and be ready for landing at the mouths of the Tuloks and Olonka rivers. The Onega military flotilla, operationally subordinate to the command of the Karelian Front, was to assist the right-flank formations of the 7th Army with artillery fire and landings. During the period of preparation for the offensive, the troops received reinforcements. Despite this, the divisions averaged only 6.5 thousand people on the Leningrad front and 7.4 thousand each on the Karelian front (respectively 65 and 74 percent of the state). fuel and lubricants, food and fodder.

The command and headquarters launched a comprehensive preparation of troops for the offensive. The exercises of units and formations were carried out on terrain similar to the one on which they were to act on the offensive, with the reproduction of elements of the Finnish defense. In order to take over the long-term fortifications of the enemy in the regiments of the most experienced, physically hardened and courageous warriors, assault battalions, detachments and groups were created. Exceptional attention was paid to building up units and working out the interaction of infantry, tanks, artillery and aviation, as well as engineering support for a breakthrough.

Particular attention was paid to the divisions, which were to operate in decisive directions. The troops were explaining the statement of the Soviet government of April 22 on Soviet-Finnish relations.

From the forces of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet, including the Ladoga military flotilla, and the Onega military flotilla, up to 300 ships, boats and vessels, as well as 500 combat aircraft, were allocated. The enemy in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland, on Lake Ladoga and Onega, had 204 ships and boats and about 100 naval aircraft.

Thus, the necessary conditions were created for the successful actions of the Soviet troops, who had to break through the heavily fortified enemy defenses and advance in extremely difficult terrain, replete with many obstacles.

2. Breakthrough of the enemy defense and development of the offensive in the Vyborg and Petrozavodsk directions

On June 9, the day before the start of the operation, the artillery of the Leningrad Front and the Red Banner Baltic Fleet for 10 hours destroyed the most durable defensive structures in the enemy's first line of defense. At the same time, the 13th Air Army, commanded by General S. D. Rybalchenko, and the fleet aviation under the command of General M. I. Samokhin carried out concentrated bombing strikes. In total, Soviet pilots made about 1150 sorties. As a result, almost all the intended targets were destroyed.

On the morning of June 10, after a powerful artillery preparation, the troops of the 21st Army under the command of General D.N. Gusev went on the offensive. Prior to the start of the attack, front-line aviation, together with fleet aviation, delivered a massive blow to Finnish strongholds in the Stary Beloostrov area, Lake Svetloe, Rayajoki station, destroying and damaging up to 70 percent of the field defensive fortifications here. Naval and coastal artillery attacked the area of ​​Raivola, Olila. Having overcome the stubborn resistance of the enemy, the army troops on the same day broke through the first line of his defense, crossed the Sestra River on the move and advanced along the Vyborg highway up to 14 km. On June 11, the 23rd Army under the command of General A. I. Cherepanov went on the offensive. In order to develop a breakthrough, the front commander brought an additional rifle corps from his reserve into the battle. By the end of the day on June 13, the troops of the front, having liberated more than 30 settlements, reached the second line of defense.

The Finnish command, which did not expect such a powerful blow, began to hastily transfer two infantry divisions and two infantry brigades from South Karelia and Northern Finland to the Karelian Isthmus, concentrating their efforts on holding positions along the Vyborg highway. With this in mind, the commander of the Leningrad Front decided to move the main forces of the 21st Army to its left flank so that it could further develop its main attack along the Primorskoye Highway. A rifle corps and a brigade of heavy howitzer artillery were also advanced here.

In a directive dated June 11, 1944, the Headquarters noted the successful course of the offensive and ordered the troops of the Leningrad Front to capture Vyborg on June 18-20. On the morning of June 14, after an hour and a half of artillery preparation and massive air strikes, the 21st and 23rd armies began an assault on the enemy's second line of defense. The fighting was extremely fierce. The enemy, relying on a large number of long-term firing points, anti-tank and anti-personnel barriers, put up stubborn resistance and in some areas went over to counterattacks. In the course of heavy fighting, Soviet troops captured a number of strongholds, and by the end of June 17 they had broken through the second line of defense. Soviet pilots from 13 to 17 June made 6705 sorties. During this time, they conducted 33 air battles and shot down 43 enemy aircraft. The ships and coastal artillery of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet provided significant assistance to the troops of the front. With artillery fire, they destroyed the enemy's defenses and delivered powerful blows to his communications in the rear. Finnish troops began to fight back to the third line of defense. Their morale deteriorated sharply, there were panic moods. The representative of the state information agency, E. Yutikkala, said in those days that the psychological impact of Soviet tanks and artillery on Finnish soldiers was enormous. Despite the critical situation, the Finnish command was still trying to stop the Soviet offensive. To do this, it concentrated its main forces on the Karelian Isthmus. On June 19, Marshal K. Mannerheim appealed to the troops with an appeal to hold the third line of defense at all costs. "Breaking through this position," he emphasized, "may decisively weaken our defensive capabilities." In connection with the impending catastrophe, the Finnish government on the same day authorized the Chief of the General Staff, General E. Heinrichs, to turn to the German military leadership with a request to provide assistance with troops. However, instead of the requested six divisions, the German command transferred from Tallinn to Finland only one infantry division, a brigade of assault guns and a squadron of aircraft. The 21st Army of the Leningrad Front overcame the third line of defense, the inner Vyborg bypass, and on June 20 captured Vyborg by storm. At the same time, in the eastern part of the Karelian Isthmus, the 23rd Army, with the assistance of the Ladoga military flotilla, reached the enemy's defensive line along the Vuoksa water system on a wide front. These days, fierce fights were going on in the air. On June 19 alone, front-line fighters conducted 24 air battles and shot down 35 enemy aircraft. On June 20, up to 200 aircraft participated in 28 air battles on both sides. After the occupation of Vyborg, the Headquarters specified the tasks for the troops of the Leningrad Front. The directive of June 21 stated that the main forces of the front should seize the line of Imatra, Lappeenranta, Virojoki on June 26-28, and part of the forces should advance on Kexholm (Priozersk), Elisenvaara and clear the Karelian Isthmus from the enemy northeast of the Vuoksa River and Lake Vuoksa. Fulfilling these instructions, the troops of the front continued the offensive. The enemy command, aware of the impending danger, urgently pulled up reserves. Resistance to the advancing Soviet troops intensified. Therefore, in the first ten days of July, the 21st Army was able to advance only 10-12 km.

By that time, the 23rd Army had crossed the Vuoksa River and captured a small foothold on its northern bank. By the end of June, the sailors of the Baltic Fleet cleared the islands of the Bjork archipelago from the enemy. As a result, the rear of the coastal sector of the front was reliably secured and conditions were created for the liberation of other islands in the Vyborg Bay. During the operation, troops of the 59th Army (commanded by General I. T. Korovnikov), who had previously occupied the defense along the eastern shore of Lake Peipsi, were transferred to the Karelian Isthmus. In the period from 4 to 6 July, in close cooperation with the Red Banner Baltic Fleet, they captured the main islands of the Vyborg Bay and began preparing for an amphibious landing in the rear of the Finnish troops. During the liberation of the islands of the Vyborg Bay, each soldier of the 59th Army contributed to the achievement of success through bold and initiative actions. Artillery and aviation played an important role in these battles.

Meanwhile, the resistance of the enemy on the Karelian Isthmus was intensifying more and more. By mid-July, up to three-quarters of the entire Finnish army was operating here. Its troops occupied the line, which 90 percent passed through water obstacles that had a width of 300 m to 3 km. This allowed the enemy to create a strong defense in narrow defiles and to have strong tactical and operational reserves. Further continuation of the offensive of the Soviet troops on the Karelian Isthmus in these conditions could lead to unjustified losses. Therefore, the Headquarters ordered the Leningrad Front from July 12, 1944 to go on the defensive at the reached line. During the offensive, which lasted more than a month, the troops of the front forced the enemy to transfer significant forces from South Karelia to the Karelian Isthmus. This changed the balance of forces and means in favor of the troops of the left wing of the Karelian Front and thus created favorable conditions for the success of their strike.

On the morning of June 21, in the zone of the 7th Army of the Karelian Front, commanded by General A.N. Krutikov, a powerful artillery and aviation preparation began. Using its results, army troops, with the support of the Ladoga military flotilla, crossed the Svir River and captured a small bridgehead.

When overcoming the Svir in the Lodeynoye Pole area on June 21, 12 soldiers of the 300th Guards Rifle Regiment of the 99th Guards Rifle Division and 4 soldiers of the 296th Guards Rifle Regiment of the 98th Guards Rifle Division accomplished the feat. There were no fords here, but it was necessary to overcome a water barrier 400 m wide under heavy enemy fire.

Before the main forces began forcing the river, the command of the front and the army decided to further refine the Finnish fire system. For this, a group of young volunteer fighters was created. The idea paid off. When overcoming the river by a group of daredevils, the enemy opened fierce fire. As a result, many of its firing points were discovered. Despite the continued shelling, the group reached the opposite bank and entrenched on it. By their selfless actions, the heroes contributed to the successful crossing of the river by the main forces. For the heroic deed by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of July 21, 1944, all 16 soldiers - A. M. Aliev, A. F. Baryshev, S. Bekbosunov, V. P. Elyutin, I. S. Zazhigin,. V. A. Malyshev, V. A. Markelov, I. D. Morozov, I. P. Mytarev, V. I. Nemchikov, P. P. Pavlov, I. K. Pankov, M. R. Popov, M. AND. Tikhonov, B. N. Yunosov and N. M. Chukhreev - were awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

On the very first day of the operation, the troops of the 7th Army in the Lodeynoye Pole region, having crossed the Svir River, captured a bridgehead up to 16 km along the front and 8 km in depth. Supporting their actions, the aviation of the 7th Air Army, commanded by General I. M. Sokolov, on June 21 made 642 combat sorties. The next day, the bridgehead was significantly expanded. Fearing the complete defeat of the troops of the Olonets grouping, the Finnish command hastily began to withdraw them to the second defensive zone. On June 21, the 32nd Army of General F.D. Gorelenko also went on the offensive. During the day, her strike force also broke through the enemy defenses, liberated Povenets and advanced 14-16 km. Retreating, the Finnish troops mined and destroyed roads, blew up bridges, and made massive blockages in the forests. Therefore, the advance of the troops of the front slowed down. The Headquarters of the Supreme High Command, in a directive dated June 23, expressed dissatisfaction with the low pace of their progress and demanded more decisive action. The front was ordered by the main forces of the 7th Army to develop an offensive in the direction of Olonets, Pitkyaranta and part of the forces (no more than one rifle corps) - in the direction of Kotkozero, Pryazh, in order to prevent the enemy grouping operating in front of the right flank from retreating to the northwest army, and in cooperation with the 32nd army, which was supposed to advance with the main forces on Suvilahti and part of the forces on Kondopoga, liberate Petrozavodsk.

On June 23, the 7th Army intensified offensive operations. On the same day, the Ladoga military flotilla, commanded by Rear Admiral V.S. Cherokov, with the support of fleet aviation, landed troops in the rear of the Olonets enemy grouping, in the interfluve of Tuloks and Vidlitsa, as part of the 70th separate marine rifle brigade. Frontal aviation was used to cover his actions on the coast. 78 combat and auxiliary ships and vessels participated in the landing. Despite the opposition of the enemy, units of the 70th Separate Naval Rifle Brigade on June 23 captured the intended area, defeated enemy artillery positions and cut the Olonets-Pitkyaranta highway. However, the very next day, the brigade began to lack ammunition, while the enemy launched strong counterattacks. In order to build on the success of actions on the coast, on the orders of the front commander, the 3rd separate naval rifle brigade was landed on the captured bridgehead on June 24. This helped improve the situation."

On June 23, the 32nd Army liberated Medvezhyegorsk and continued its offensive against Petrozavodsk. Formations of the 7th Army regrouped their forces, pulled up artillery and proceeded to break through the second line of defense. On June 25, they liberated the city of Olonets. On June 27, the advanced units of the 7th Army, having joined with the landing force in the Vidlitsa area, began to pursue the enemy in the direction of Pitkyaranta. Part of the army forces advanced towards Petrozavodsk. Advancing from the north and south, they, in cooperation with the Onega military flotilla, commanded by Captain 1st Rank N.V. Antonov, liberated Petrozavodsk, the capital of the Karelian-Finnish SSR, on June 28 and completely cleared the Kirov (Murmansk) railway from the enemy along its entire length. At the end of June, the troops of the Karelian Front, overcoming the fierce resistance of the enemy, persistently continued the offensive. Moving off-road, through forests, swamps and lakes, the 7th Army, with the support of the Ladoga military flotilla, reached the Loimola region by July 10 and occupied an important Finnish defense center - the city of Pitkyaranta. On July 21, formations of the 32nd Army reached the border with Finland in 1940.

During the operation, Soviet aviation was extremely active. She destroyed powerful long-term structures, suppressed reserves, and conducted reconnaissance. Having basically completed their tasks in the offensive operation, the troops of the Karelian Front on August 9, 1944 reached the line of Kudamguba, Kuolisma, Pitkyaranta, thereby completing the Vyborg-Petrozavodsk offensive operation.

3. Withdrawal of Finland from the war

The exit of Soviet troops to the border with Finland meant the final failure of the plans of the Finnish leadership. Having suffered a defeat at the front, the Finnish government again faced a choice: either accept the Soviet terms of the armistice and end the war, or continue it and thereby put the country on the brink of disaster. In this regard, as early as June 22, through the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was forced to turn to the Soviet government with a request for peace. The government of the USSR replied that it was waiting for a statement signed by the President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland about their readiness to accept Soviet conditions. However, Finnish President R. Ryti this time again chose the path of maintaining an alliance with Nazi Germany and continuing to participate in the war. On June 26, he signed a declaration in which he gave a personal commitment not to conclude a separate peace with the USSR without the consent of the German government. The next day, Prime Minister E. Linkomies spoke on the radio with a statement about the continuation of the war on the side of Germany.

In making this decision, the Finnish leaders expected to receive help from Hitler in order to stabilize the situation at the front and obtain more favorable peace conditions from the Soviet Union. But this step delayed the final defeat of Finland only for a short time. Her position became more and more difficult. The financial system was greatly upset; by September 1944, the public debt had grown to 70 billion Finnish marks. Agriculture fell into decay, the food crisis worsened. The leadership of the central association of trade unions, which until then fully supported the aggression of the fascist bloc against the Soviet Union, was forced to dissociate itself from the policy of the government. Under the influence of the further deterioration of the military-political position of Germany and its satellites, a certain part of the Finnish ruling circles also insisted on Finland's withdrawal from the war. All this forced the country's government to once again turn to the USSR with a request for peace.

In preparation for this step, the rulers of Finland made some changes in leadership. On August 1, Ryti, one of the most ardent supporters of Finnish-German cooperation, resigned. The Seimas elected Marshal K. Mannerheim, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, as president. A few days later, a new government was formed, headed by A. Haktsel. In connection with the change of the Finnish leadership to strengthen cooperation between Germany and the new government on August 17, V. Keitel arrived in Helsinki. However, this voyage did not achieve its goal. Alarmed by the successful offensive of the Soviet troops, which led to a radical change in the military-political situation in Finland, the Finnish government was forced to establish contact with the Soviet Union. On August 25, the new Finnish government turned to the government of the USSR with a proposal to start negotiations on a truce or peace. On August 29, the Soviet government informed the Finnish government of its agreement to enter into negotiations, provided that Finland breaks relations with Germany and ensures the withdrawal of Nazi troops from its territory within two weeks. Going towards the Finnish side, the Soviet government expressed its readiness to sign a peace treaty with Finland. However, the UK opposed this. Therefore, it was decided to sign an armistice agreement between Finland, on the one hand, and the Soviet Union and Great Britain, on the other.

Having accepted the preconditions for the armistice, on September 4, 1944, the government of Finland announced its break with Nazi Germany. On the same day, the Finnish army ceased hostilities. In turn, from 8.00 on September 5, 1944, the Leningrad and Karelian fronts, by order of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command, ended hostilities against the Finnish troops.

The Finnish government demanded that Germany withdraw its armed forces from Finnish territory by September 15, 1944. But the German command, taking advantage of the connivance of the Finnish authorities, was in no hurry to withdraw its troops not only from Northern, but also from Southern Finland. As the Finnish delegation at the talks in Moscow admitted, by September 14, Germany had evacuated less than half of its troops from Finland. The Finnish government put up with this situation and, in violation of the preconditions it had accepted, not only did not intend to disarm the German troops on its own, but also refused the offer of the Soviet government to help it in this. However, by the will of circumstances, Finland had to be at war with Germany from September 15th. German troops, having provoked hostilities with a former "brother in arms", on the night of September 15, tried to capture the island of Gogland (Sur-Sari). This clash revealed the insidious intentions of the Nazi command and forced the Finns to move on to more decisive action. Finnish troops were assisted by the aviation of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet.

Between September 14 and 19, negotiations were held in Moscow, which were conducted by representatives of the USSR and England, acting on behalf of all the United Nations, on the one hand, and the Finnish government delegation, on the other. During the negotiations, the Finnish delegation sought to drag out the discussion of certain articles of the draft armistice agreement. In particular, she argued that Finland's reparations to the Soviet Union in the amount of 300 million dollars were greatly exaggerated. Regarding this statement, the head of the Soviet delegation, V. M. Molotov, noted that "Finland caused the Soviet Union such damage that only the results of the blockade of Leningrad several times exceed the requirements that Finland must fulfill."

Despite the difficulties encountered, the negotiations ended on September 19 with the signing of the Armistice Agreement. To control the fulfillment of the terms of the armistice, the Allied Control Commission was established under the chairmanship of General A. A. Zhdanov. The Finnish side tried in every possible way to delay the implementation of the agreement reached, was in no hurry with the arrest of war criminals and the dissolution of fascist organizations. In the north of Finland, for example, the Finns began military operations against the Nazi troops with a great delay - only on October 1 - and conducted them with insignificant forces. Finland also delayed the disarmament of the German units stationed on its territory. The German command sought to use these units to hold the occupied territory of the Soviet Arctic, especially the region of Petsamo (Pechenga) rich in nickel, and to cover the approaches to Northern Norway. However, the firm position of the Soviet government ensured the implementation of the Armistice Agreement. Thanks to the efforts of the Soviet Union, Finland was able to get out of the war long before the complete collapse of Nazi Germany. The armistice agreement opened a new period in the life of the Finnish people and, as the head of the Finnish delegation at the talks in Moscow said, not only did not violate the sovereignty of Finland as an independent state, but, on the contrary, restored its national independence and independence. This agreement, said Finnish President Urho Kekkonen in 1974, "can be considered a turning point in the history of independent Finland. It marked the beginning of a completely new era, during which the foreign and domestic policy of our country has undergone fundamental changes."

With the conclusion of the Armistice Agreement, prerequisites appeared for the establishment of new Soviet-Finnish relations. The idea of ​​building relations between Finland and the USSR on the basis of friendship was approved and supported by the general population. In the changed domestic and foreign political situation in November 1944, a new government was formed, which for the first time in the history of Finland included representatives of the Communist Party. It was headed by a prominent progressive political and statesman J. Paasikivi. Defining the priorities of his government, Paasikivi declared on Independence Day, December 6, 1944: “In my opinion, it is in the fundamental interests of our people to pursue a foreign policy so that it is not directed against the Soviet Union. Peace and harmony, as well as good neighborly relations with the Soviet Union, based on full confidence, are the first principle that should guide our state activities." The Soviet government did not bring its troops into the territory of Finland. It agreed to reduce reparations, which already only partly repaired the damage done to the Soviet Union. Thus, the Soviet state clearly demonstrated good will and a sincere desire to establish good neighborly relations with Finland, a former ally of Nazi Germany.

As a result of the Vyborg-Petrozavodsk offensive operation, the troops of the Leningrad and Karelian fronts, in cooperation with the Red Banner Baltic Fleet, the Ladoga and Onega military flotillas, broke through the enemy's multi-lane, heavily fortified defenses. Finnish troops suffered a major defeat. Only on the Karelian Isthmus in June they lost 44 thousand people killed and wounded. Soviet troops finally cleared the Leningrad region of the invaders, expelled the enemy from the entire territory of the Karelian-Finnish Republic and liberated its capital - Petrozavodsk. The Kirov railway and the White Sea-Baltic Canal were returned to their homeland.

The defeat of the Finnish troops on the Karelian Isthmus and in South Karelia significantly changed the strategic situation on the northern sector of the Soviet-German front: favorable conditions were created for the liberation of the Soviet Arctic and the northern regions of Norway. As a result of the expulsion of the enemy from the coast of the Gulf of Finland from Leningrad to Vyborg, the basing of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet improved. He got the opportunity to conduct active operations in the Gulf of Finland. Subsequently, in accordance with the Armistice Agreement, the ships, using Finnish skerry fairways safe from mines, could go out to perform combat missions in the Baltic Sea.

Fascist Germany lost one of its allies in Europe. German troops were forced to leave the southern and central regions of Finland to the north of the country and further to Norway. The withdrawal of Finland from the war led to a further deterioration in relations between the "Third Reich" and Sweden. Under the influence of the successes of the Soviet Armed Forces, the liberation struggle of the Norwegian people against the Nazi occupiers expanded. A huge role in the success of the operation on the Karelian Isthmus and in South Karelia was played by the help of the Soviet rear, which provided the troops of the fronts with everything necessary, the high level of Soviet military art, which manifested itself with particular force in the choice of the directions of the main attacks of the fronts, the decisive massing of forces and means in the areas of the breakthrough, the organization precise interaction between the forces of the army and navy, the use of the most effective methods of suppressing and destroying enemy defenses, and the implementation of flexible maneuver during the offensive. Despite the exceptionally powerful enemy fortifications and the difficult nature of the terrain, the troops of the Leningrad and Karelian fronts were able to quickly crush the enemy and advance at a rather high pace for those conditions. In the course of the offensive, ground and naval forces successfully carried out landing operations in the Vyborg Bay and on Lake Ladoga in the Tuloksa region.

In battles with the Finnish invaders, Soviet soldiers increased the glory of the Armed Forces, demonstrated high combat skills, and displayed mass heroism. More than 93 thousand people were awarded orders and medals, and 78 soldiers were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. For an outstanding role in the operation and skillful command and control of the troops, the commander of the Leningrad Front, L. A. Govorov, was awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union on June 18, 1944. Four times Moscow solemnly saluted the advancing troops. 132 formations and units were given the honorary titles of Leningrad, Vyborg, Svir, Petrozavodsk, 39 were awarded military orders.

History of the Second World War 1939 - 1945 in (12 volumes), volume 9, p. 26 - 40 (Chapter 3.). The text is abbreviated.

In the spring of 1944, Finland faced the question of withdrawing from World War II as soon as possible. By this time, Suomi, who had sided with Hitler, had not only been at war with the Soviet Union for the fourth year, but was also at war with Great Britain.

Successes on the Karelian front allowed the Red Army to quickly occupy most of the territory of Finland. However, Joseph Stalin did not order an offensive that would lead to the final defeat of the ally of Nazi Germany, and then to the Sovietization of this country.

Why didn't this happen, in an interview Federal news agency told the leading researcher, head of the Center for the History of Northern Europe and the Baltic States of the Institute of World History of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexey Komarov.

The Soviet Union did not officially raise the issue in negotiations with the allies in the anti-Hitler coalition about including Finland in its zone of influence. Both the USSR and our allies had the task of withdrawing this country from the war, minimizing losses.

The USSR wanted to return those territories that it received in the Moscow Peace on March 12, 1940 following the results of the Soviet-Finnish War. However, not everything in that agreement suited the Soviet leadership, since the Pechenga region (Petsamo) on the Kola Peninsula continued to remain with Finland. Before that, Pechenga had been a territory of the Russian Empire for centuries, but Soviet Russia was forced to give it to Finland under the Treaty of Tartu in 1920.

Therefore, the issue of Pechenga was on the agenda, but the head of the Soviet Foreign Ministry, Vyacheslav Molotov, at the beginning of negotiations on a truce with Finland, suggested leaving this topic for later. We can definitely say that the USSR demanded that the Finns leave the Karelian Isthmus.

- That is, the question of Sovietizing Finland, following the example of, say, Poland, was not raised in principle?

There are some indications that such a discussion has taken place. I was reading a document called "On the Unconditional Surrender of Finland." It was created by members of the commission headed by Kliment Voroshilov and engaged in the preparation of peace treaties in the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, a document soon appeared with a less militant title - "On the Surrender of Finland." Apparently, the Soviet leadership wanted to turn Finland into a relatively friendly state, a kind of buffer zone between the USSR and the West.

Another commission in the Soviet Foreign Ministry, led by diplomat Maxim Litvinov, proposed to include in the peace treaty a clause on the transfer of the Aland Islands in the Baltic Sea to the Soviet Union. According to another plan, these islands, inhabited by ethnic Swedes, were proposed to be made an independent dwarf state like Monaco. And then to conclude an agreement with this state and place a military base on its territory.

In early 1944, Deputy Foreign Minister Solomon Lozovsky spoke at one of the Bolshevik conferences and said that since the USSR was winning, we should advance our interests. That is, there were certain plans for the Sovietization of Finland.

There were also talks about revising Norway's border on the coast of the Arctic Ocean - pushing it west to the Tana River. Actually, the Pomors considered this territory to belong to Russia until the conclusion of the border treaty with Norway in 1826.

All these plans did not receive the support of the central leadership. I think Stalin started from pragmatic considerations: it was important for him to keep Finland neutral. At least at that historical stage.

Perhaps Stalin did not want to fight the Finns, remembering the losses of the Red Army during the Soviet-Finnish war of 1940? Wanted to save strength to fight the main enemy of the USSR - Nazi Germany?

I have often heard similar assumptions of historians. But one must understand that in 1944 the Red Army was completely different than in 1940. The Finnish army was also quite combat-ready, but I think that it was not difficult for the Soviet troops to defeat it.

In the summer of 1944, the Germans began to suspect that in the ruling circles of Finland, the mood to withdraw from the Second World War intensified. At this time, the Red Army was successfully advancing, and theoretically we could quickly move deep into the territory of Finland. Against this background, the Germans suspended the supply of weapons to the Finns.

On June 20, Ribbentrop arrived in Helsinki. As a result of the negotiations, the Germans promised to resume military assistance to the northern allies. In exchange for this, Finnish President Risto Ryti solemnly promised that the Finns would not withdraw from the war, much less fight against Germany.

However, the situation at the front for Finland was constantly deteriorating, and Rutte soon resigned. And Mannerheim, who took his place, said that he did not make any promises to the Germans. Therefore, already at the end of the summer of 1944, the Finns requested a truce from the USSR, and on September 5 of the same year, the fire was ceased.

Negotiations were held from September 14 to 19, following their results, among other things, the Soviet Union annexed the territory of the Pechenga region, which historically belonged to Russia. However, I think that we could take Pechenga in 1940 as a result of the Soviet-Finnish war.

- Why didn't they do it?

At that time, a huge nickel plant operated there, owned by an Anglo-Canadian company. Probably, in the conditions of the already ongoing World War II, they did not want to offend potential allies once again. The British and French, as you know, were on the verge of intervening in the Soviet-Finnish war.

Well, in 1944, the USSR demanded that a military base in the Porkkala Udd region in the Baltic be leased. Mannerheim was dumbfounded, since this base was literally in the suburbs of the Finnish capital. Hoping to convince the Soviet leadership, he offered to transfer the Aland Islands to the USSR. However, information was leaked, and the inhabitants of these islands, who were mostly Swedes, were terribly indignant. Separatist tendencies intensified, and as a result, both sides abandoned this idea.

The Finns were obliged to arrange the Lapland War against the German troops, who still remained in the northern part of Suomi. During the so-called defashization, trials were held on those who were responsible for entering the war with the USSR on the side of Nazi Germany. They were convicted, but did not serve very long: they were released under an amnesty.

I think, in the end, time has shown the correctness of the position of the Soviet leadership. The Soviet Union secured for itself those territories that it wanted, secured its northern capital. And at the same time, although Finland was in the zone of influence of the West during the Cold War, it remained a neutral state near our borders.

After the end of the Winter War in March 1940 ( Talvisota) in Finland, revanchist sentiments spread in all sectors of society - not only to return the lost territories, but to annex a number of regions of the USSR with the peoples of the Finnish group traditionally living in them (Karels, Veps, Izhors, Komi). Already in April 1940, the Finnish Armed Forces began preparations for a new war with the USSR. If in 1939 - the first half of 1940 Finland staked on Great Britain and France, then after their defeat in the military campaign of May - June 1940, Germany becomes its main foreign policy partner.

On September 12, 1940, Finland and Germany agreed on the possibility of transit flights of the German Air Force through Finnish territory.

On October 1, 1940, an agreement was concluded between Finland and Germany on the supply of German weapons to the Finnish army. Up to January 1, 1941, 327 artillery pieces, 53 fighters, 500 anti-tank rifles and 150,000 anti-personnel mines were delivered.

Also, deliveries came from the USA - 232 artillery pieces.

From January 1941, 90% of Finland's foreign trade was oriented towards Germany.
In the same month, Germany brought to the attention of the leadership of Finland its intention to attack the USSR.

Review of the Finnish troops. Spring 1941

On January 24, 1941, the Finnish parliament passed a law on conscription, which increased the term of service in the regular troops from 1 year to 2 years, and the draft age was lowered from 21 to 20 years. Thus, in active military service in 1941, there were 3 draft ages at once.

On March 10, 1941, Finland received an official offer to send its volunteers to the formed SS units and in April gave its positive answer. From the Finnish volunteers, an SS battalion (1200 people) was formed, which in 1942 - 1943. participated in battles against units of the Red Army on the Don and in the North Caucasus.

On May 30, 1941, the Finnish leadership developed a plan for the annexation of the territory of the so-called. "Eastern Karelia", which was part of the USSR (Karelian-Finnish SSR). Professor Hjalmari Jaakkole ( Kaarle Jalmari Jaakkola) commissioned by the Finnish government, wrote a memo book "The Eastern Question of Finland", which substantiated Finland's claims to part of the territory of the USSR. The book was published on August 29, 1941.

Hjalmari Yaakkole

In June 1941, the Finnish army received 50 anti-tank guns from Germany.

On June 4, 1941, in Salzburg, an agreement was reached between the Finnish and German commands that the Finnish troops would enter the war against the USSR 14 days after the start of the Soviet-German military campaign.

On June 6, at the German-Finnish negotiations in Helsinki, the Finnish side confirmed its decision to participate in the upcoming war against the USSR.

On the same day, German troops (40,600 people) entered Finnish Lapland from Norway and settled in the area Rovaniemi.

On the same day, in Finnish Lapland, German troops (the 36th mountain corps) began to move towards the border of the USSR, in the Salla region.

On the same day, a flight of 3 German reconnaissance aircraft began to be based in Rovaniemi, which over the next few days made a number of flights over Soviet territory.

On June 20, a flight of 3 German reconnaissance aircraft began to be based at the Loutenjärvi airfield (central Finland).

On June 21, Finnish troops (5,000 men with 69 guns and 24 mortars) landed on the demilitarized Åland Islands (Operation Regatta). The staff (31 people) of the USSR consulate on these islands was arrested.

On the same day, the Finnish command received information about Germany's intention on June 22 to begin military operations against the USSR.

On June 22, the German Air Force bombed the territory of the USSR, moving through Finnish airspace using radio beacons installed earlier and having the opportunity to refuel at the airfield in Utti. On the same day, Finnish submarines, together with German submarines, took part in mining the western part of the Gulf of Finland.

On June 25, Soviet aviation attacked the territory of Finland, including the capital of the country, Helsinki. On the same day, Finland declared war on the USSR, acting as an ally of Germany in World War II. 41 Finnish aircraft were destroyed at the airfields. Finnish air defense shot down 23 Soviet aircraft.

The new war against the USSR was called "continuation war" in Finland ( Jatkosota).

By the beginning of hostilities, 2 Finnish armies were concentrated on the borders with the Soviet Union - on the Karelian Isthmus, the Southeastern Army under the command of General Axel Eric Heinrichs ( Axel Erik Heinrichs) and in East Karelia the Karelian army under the command of General Lenart Esch ( Lennart Karl Oesch). There were 470,000 soldiers and officers in the active army. The armored forces included 86 tanks (mostly Soviet captured) and 22 armored vehicles. Artillery was represented by 3500 guns and mortars. The Finnish Air Force included 307 combat aircraft, of which 230 were fighters. The navy consisted of 80 ships and boats of various types. The coastal defense had 336 guns, and the air defense had 761 anti-aircraft guns.

General Lenart Ash. 1941

The Supreme Commander of the Finnish Armed Forces was Marshal Carl Gustav Emil Mannerheim ( Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim).

In Finnish Lapland, the left flank of the Finnish troops was covered by the German 26th Army Corps.

On the Karelian Isthmus, the Finnish South-Eastern Army (6 divisions and 1 brigade) opposed 8 divisions of the Red Army.

In Eastern Karelia, the Finnish Karelian Army (5 divisions and 3 brigades) was opposed by 7 divisions of the Red Army.

In the Arctic, the German-Finnish troops (1 German and 1 Finnish divisions, 1 German brigade and 2 separate battalions) were opposed by 5 divisions of the Red Army.

Finnish soldiers on their way to the front. July 1941

In addition to the Finnish units themselves, the Swedish volunteer battalion (1500 people) led by Hans Berggren ( Hans Berggren). After the Swedish volunteer battalion returned to Sweden on December 18, 400 Swedish citizens remained in the Finnish army until September 25, 1944 as part of a separate volunteer company.

Estonian volunteers (2500 people) also served in the Finnish Armed Forces, of which on February 8, 1944, the 200th regiment (1700 people) was formed as part of the 10th Infantry Division under the command of Colonel Eino Kuusela ( Eino Kuusela). The regiment until mid-August 1944 fought on the Karelian Isthmus and near Vyborg. In addition, 250 Estonians served in the Finnish Navy.

On July 1, 1941, the 17th Finnish division (including the Swedish volunteer battalion) launched attacks on the Soviet military base (25,300 people) on the Hanko Peninsula, which were successfully repelled by the Soviet garrison until December 1941.

July 3 Finnish submarine Vesikko east of the island of Suursaari, she sank the Soviet transport Vyborg (4100 brt) with a torpedo. Almost the entire crew escaped (one person died).

Finnish submarine Vesikko. 1941

On July 8, German troops (36th mountain corps), advancing from the territory of Finnish Lapland, occupied the deserted mountainous region of Salla. At this, active hostilities on the northern section of the Soviet-Finnish border, controlled by German troops, stopped until the autumn of 1944.

On July 31, British aircraft bombed Petsamo. Finland protested and withdrew its embassy in London. In turn, the British Embassy left Helsinki.

On July 1, 1941, fighting began in the Kandalaksha direction. The Finnish 6th Infantry and the German 169th Infantry Divisions advanced 75 km deep into Soviet territory, but were stopped, went over to the defensive, which they occupied until the end of the war.
On August 15, 1941, a Finnish patrol boat sank a Soviet submarine M-97.

Captured Red Army soldiers surrounded by Finnish soldiers. September 1941

By September 2, the Finnish army everywhere reached the borders of Finland in 1939 and continued the offensive on Soviet territory. During the fighting, the Finns captured more than a hundred Soviet light, floating, flamethrower, medium (including T-34) and heavy (KV) tanks, which they included in their tank units.

The Finnish army, crossing the Soviet-Finnish border in 1939 and advancing further 20 km, stopped 30 km from Leningrad (along the Sestra River) and blockaded the city from the north, carrying out the blockade of Leningrad together with the German troops until January 1944.

The return of Finnish refugees (180,000 people) to the southern regions of Finland formerly occupied by the USSR began.

On the same day, a Finnish torpedo boat south of Koivisto sank the Soviet steamship Meero (1866 brt). The crew escaped.

On September 4, Marshal Carl Gustav Emil Mannerheim told the German command that the Finnish army would not participate in the storming of Leningrad.

On September 11, Finnish Foreign Minister Rolf Johan Witting ( Rolf Johan Witting) informed the US Ambassador to Helsinki Arthur Shenfield that the Finnish army would not participate in the storming of Leningrad.

On September 13, off the island of Ute (off the coast of Estonia), a Finnish flagship, a coastal defense battleship, blew up and sank on a mine. Ilmarinen. 271 people died, 132 people were saved.

On September 22, Great Britain declared a note to Finland about its readiness to return to friendly relations, subject to the cessation of hostilities against the USSR by Finland and the withdrawal of troops abroad in 1939.

Hjalmar Prokop

On the same day, Marshal Carl Gustav Emil Mannerheim, by his order, banned the Finnish Air Force from flying over Leningrad.

October 3, 1941 U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull ( CordellHull) congratulated Finnish Ambassador to Washington Hjalmar Prokop ( Hjalmar Johan Fredrik Procope) with the "liberation of Karelia", but warned that the United States was opposed to the Finnish army violating the Soviet-Finnish border in 1939.

On October 24, the first concentration camp for the Russian population of East Karelia was created in Petrozavodsk. Before 1944 9 concentration camps were created by the Finnish occupation authorities, through which about 24,000 people (27% of the population) passed. Over the years, about 4,000 people died in concentration camps.

Russian children in a Finnish concentration camp.

On November 28, Great Britain presented an ultimatum to Finland demanding that hostilities against the USSR be stopped until December 5, 1941.

On the same day, a Finnish minesweeper struck a mine in the Koivisto-Sund Strait and sank. Porkkala. 31 people died.

On the same day, the Finnish government announced the inclusion of the territory of the USSR occupied by Finnish troops into Finland.

On December 6, Great Britain (as well as the Union of South Africa, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) declared war on Finland after refusing to cease hostilities against the USSR.

On the same day, Finnish troops captured the village of Povenets and cut the White Sea-Baltic Canal.

In 1941 - 1944 Germany delivered aircraft of new designs to the Finnish Air Force - 48 fighters Messerschmitt Bf 109G-2, 132 fighters Bf 109G-6, 15 bombers Dornier Do 17Z-2 and 15 bombers Ju 88A-4 who took part in the battles against the Red Army.

From January 3 to January 10, 1942, in the Medvezhyegorsk region, Soviet troops (5 rifle divisions and 3 brigades) carried out unsuccessful attacks by Finnish troops (5 infantry divisions).

Finnish infantry on the Svir River. April 1942

During the spring of 1942 - the beginning of the summer of 1944, local battles were fought on the Soviet-Finnish front.

By the spring of 1942, 180,000 older people had been demobilized from the Finnish army.

From the summer of 1942, Soviet partisans began to carry out their raids into the hinterland of Finland.

Soviet partisans in East Karelia. 1942

July 14, 1942 Finnish minelayer Ruotsinsalmi sank the Soviet submarine Shch-213.

On September 1, 1942, Finnish aviation sank the Soviet patrol ship Purga on Lake Ladoga.

Finnish fighter aircraft made in Italy FA-19

October 13, 1942 2 Finnish patrol boats south of Tiiskeri sank the Soviet submarine Shch-311 ("Kumzha").

On October 21, in the area of ​​the Aland Islands, a Finnish submarine Vesehiisi sank a Soviet submarine S-7 with a torpedo, from which her commander and 3 sailors were taken prisoner.

On October 27, in the area of ​​the Aland Islands, a Finnish submarine Iku Turso sank a Soviet submarine Shch-320 with a torpedo.

November 5, 1942 in the area of ​​the Aland Islands, a Finnish submarine Vetehinen sank the Soviet submarine Shch-305 ("Lin") with a ramming blow.

On November 12, the 3rd Infantry Battalion (1115 people) was formed from the prisoners of war of the Red Army, who belonged to the Finnish peoples (Karelians, Vepsians, Komi, Mordovians). Since May 1943, this battalion took part in the battles against the Red Army units on the Karelian Isthmus.

On November 18, 3 Finnish torpedo boats in the Lavensaari roadstead sank the standing Soviet gunboat Red Banner.

By the end of 1942, there were 18 partisan detachments and 6 sabotage groups (1698 people) on the territory of the USSR occupied by Finnish troops.

In the spring of 1943, the Finnish command formed the 6th infantry battalion, which consisted of Finnish-speaking residents of the Leningrad region - Ingrians. The battalion was used for construction work on the Karelian Isthmus.
In March 1943, Germany demanded that Finland sign a formal commitment to a military alliance with Germany. The Finnish leadership refused. The German ambassador was recalled from Helsinki.

On March 20, the United States officially offered Finland its assistance in withdrawing from the war against the USSR and the British Empire, but the Finnish side refused.

May 25, 1943 Finnish minelayer Ruotsinsalmi sank the Soviet submarine Shch-408.

26 May Finnish minelayer Ruotsinsalmi sank the Soviet submarine Shch-406.

In the summer of 1943, 14 partisan detachments made several deep raids into the hinterland of Finland. The partisans were faced with 2 interrelated strategic tasks: the destruction of military communications in the frontline zone and the disorganization of the economic life of the Finnish population. The partisans sought to cause as much damage as possible to the Finnish economy, to sow panic among the civilian population. During partisan raids, 160 Finnish peasants were killed and 75 seriously wounded. The authorities issued an order for the urgent evacuation of the population from central Finland. Local residents abandoned livestock, agricultural implements, property. Haymaking and harvesting in these areas in 1943 were disrupted. For the protection of settlements, the Finnish authorities were forced to allocate military units.

On August 23, 1943, Soviet torpedo boats south of Tiiskeri sank a Finnish mine layer Ruotsinsalmi. Of the 60 crew members, 35 survived.

In August 1943, out of 2 tank brigades with a total of 150 tanks (mainly captured T-26s), an assault gun brigade equipped with Finnish Bt-42s and German Sturmgeschütz IIIs, jaeger brigade and support units, a tank division was formed ( Panssaridivisoona), which was headed by Major General Ernst Lagus ( Ernst Ruben Lagus).

On September 6, 1943, Finnish torpedo boats sank a Soviet transport barge between Leningrad and Lavensaari. 21 people died.

On February 6, 1944, Soviet aviation bombed Helsinki (910 tons of bombs). 434 buildings destroyed. 103 people were killed and 322 people were injured. 5 Soviet bombers shot down.

On the same day, a Finnish patrol boat was sunk by Soviet aircraft in the Helsinki roadstead.

Fires in Helsinki caused by the bombing. February 1944

On February 16, Soviet aviation bombed Helsinki (440 tons of bombs). 25 residents of the city died. 4 Soviet bombers shot down.

On February 26, Soviet aviation bombed Helsinki (1067 tons of bombs). 18 residents of the city died. 18 Soviet bombers shot down.

On the same day, a Finnish patrol boat was sunk by Soviet aircraft in the Helsinki roadstead.

Women from the organization Lotta Svard at the air observation post. 1944

Evacuation of children from the frontline zone. Spring 1944

On March 20, the United States offered Finland its mediation in peace negotiations. The Finnish government refused.

On March 21, the evacuation of the Finnish population from Eastern Karelia began. From here, about 3,000 former Soviet citizens were evacuated to the hinterland of Finland.

In total, up to 200,000 people were evacuated from the frontline zone to the north.

On March 25, former Finnish Ambassador to Stockholm Juho Kusti Paasikivi ( Juho Kusti Paasikivi) and Marshal Mannerheim's Special Representative Oskar Karlovich Enkel ( Oscar Paul Enckell) went to Moscow to negotiate peace with the USSR.

On April 1, 1944, the Finnish delegation returned from Moscow and informed the government of the Soviet conditions for concluding a bilateral peace: the 1940 border, the internment of German units, reparations in the amount of 600 million US dollars for 5 years. During the discussions, the last 2 points were recognized by the Finnish side as technically unfeasible.

On April 18, 1944, the Finnish government gave a negative answer to the Soviet conditions for concluding a peace treaty.

On May 1, 1944, Germany protested in connection with the search by the Finnish side for a separate peace with the USSR.

At the beginning of June 1944, Germany stopped deliveries of grain to Finland.

In June 1944, Germany delivered 15 tanks to the Finnish army PzIVJ and 25,000 anti-tank grenade launchers Panzerfaust And Panzerschreck. Also, the 122nd Wehrmacht Infantry Division was transferred from Estonia near Vyborg.

On June 10, 1944, troops of the Leningrad Front (41 rifle divisions, 5 brigades - 450,000 people, 10,000 guns, 800 tanks and self-propelled guns, 1,547 aircraft (not counting naval aviation), a grouping of the Baltic Fleet (3 brigades of marines, 175 guns, 64 ships, 350 boats, 530 aircraft) and the ships of the Ladoga and Onega flotillas (27 ships and 62 boats) launched an offensive on the Karelian Isthmus. The Finnish army had 15 divisions and 6 brigades (268,000 people, 1930 guns and mortars, 110 tanks and 248 aircraft).

On June 16, Germany handed over 23 dive bombers to Finland. Ju-87 and 23 fighters FW-190.

On the same day, Soviet aviation (80 aircraft) attacked the Elisenvaara railway station, killing over 100 civilians (mostly refugees) and wounding over 300.

From June 20 to June 30, Soviet troops launched unsuccessful attacks on the defense line of Vyborg - Kuparsaari - Taipele.

On the same day, Soviet troops (3 rifle divisions) unsuccessfully attacked Medvezhyegorsk.

On the same day, Soviet aircraft sank a Finnish torpedo boat Tarmo.

On the same day, the 122nd Infantry Division of the Wehrmacht stopped the offensive of the Soviet 59th Army along the Vyborg Bay.

On the same day in Helsinki, German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop ( Ulrich Friedrich Wilhelm Joachim von Ribbentrop) concluded an agreement with President Risti Heikko Ryti that Finland would not conduct separate peace negotiations.

On the same day, 42 self-propelled artillery mounts arrived from Germany to Finland Stug-40/42.

From June 25 to July 9, 1944, there were fierce battles in the Tali-Ihantala region on the Karelian Isthmus, as a result of which the Red Army was unable to break through the defenses of the Finnish troops. The Red Aria lost 5,500 men killed and 14,500 wounded. The Finnish army lost 1,100 killed, 6,300 wounded and 1,100 missing.

Finnish infantryman with a German Panzerschreck anti-tank rifle. Summer 1944

By the end of June 1944, the Red Army reached the Soviet-Finnish border 1941

From July 1 to July 10, 1944, the Soviet landing force captured 16 islands of the Bjerki archipelago in the Vyborg Bay. The Red Army lost 1800 people killed, 31 ships were sunk during the fighting. The Finnish army lost 1253 people killed, wounded and captured, 30 ships were sunk during the fighting.

On July 2, in the area of ​​​​Medvezhyegorsk, Soviet troops surrounded the 21st Finnish brigade, but the Finns managed to break through.

On July 9 - 20, Soviet troops unsuccessfully tried to break through the defenses of the Finnish troops on the Vouksa River - the bridgehead was captured only in the northern sector.

On the same day, the USSR notifies Sweden of its readiness to discuss the terms of a truce with Finland.

On August 2, in the Ilomantsi area, the Finnish cavalry and 21st rifle brigades surrounded the 176th and 289th Soviet rifle divisions.

On August 4, 1944, Finnish President Risti Heikko Ryti resigned. Marshal Carl Gustav Emil Mannerheim was elected as the new president.

On August 5, in the Ilomantsi area, the remnants of the 289th Soviet Rifle Division broke through from the encirclement.

On August 9, the troops of the Karelian Front, during the offensive, reached the Kudamguba-Kuolisma-Pitkyaranta line.

On August 25, Finland announced the severance of relations with Germany and turned to the SSR with a request to resume negotiations.

Finnish delegation for the conclusion of a truce. September 1944

By the end of August 1944, during the fighting on the Karelian Isthmus and in South Karelia, Soviet troops lost 23,674 people killed and 72,701 wounded, 294 tanks and 311 aircraft. Finnish troops lost 18,000 killed and 45,000 wounded.

On September 4, 1944, the Government of Finland made a radio announcement that it accepted the Soviet preconditions and ceased hostilities on the entire front.

On September 5, the Red Army stopped shelling Finnish positions.

Soviet and Finnish officers after the armistice. September 1944

During the fighting against the USSR from June 28, 1941 to September 4, 1944, the Finnish army lost 58,715 people killed and missing. 3114 people were captured, of which 997 people died. In total, in 1941 - 1944. about 70,000 Finnish citizens died.

Accurate data on the losses of Soviet troops on the Soviet-Finnish front in 1941 - 1944. no, but in the battles in Karelia in 1941 - 1944. and during the summer offensive of 1944, 90,939 people died on the Karelian Isthmus. 64,000 people fell into Finnish captivity, of which 18,700 people died.

After the end of World War II, the Paris Peace Treaty of 1947 required Finland to significantly reduce its Armed Forces. Thus, the number of military personnel was to be determined at 34,000 people. Then the tank division was disbanded. Also, until now, the Finnish Navy should not include submarines, torpedo boats and specialized assault ships, and the total tonnage of ships was reduced to 10,000 tons. Military aviation was reduced to 60 aircraft.

In the USSR, Ingrians were greeted with an orchestra. Vyborg, December 1944

55,000 Ingrians voluntarily returned to the USSR, as well as forcibly - employees of the 3rd and 6th infantry battalions. The former were sent to settle in various regions of the RSFSR and Kazakhstan, while the latter were sentenced to long terms of imprisonment in camps.

Army of Finland 1939 - 1945 // Journal "Soldier at the Front", 2005, No. 7.

Verigin S.G., Laidinen E.P., Chumakov G.V. USSR and Finland in 1941 - 1944: unexplored aspects of military confrontation // Russian History Journal, 2009. No. 3. P. 90 - 103.

Jokipii M. Finland on the way to war. Petrozavodsk, 1999.

Meister Yu. War in Eastern European waters 1941 - 1943. M., 1995.

Abbott P., Thomas N., Chappel M. Germany's Allies on the Eastern Front 1941 - 1945. M., 2001

During World War II, Finland was an ally of Germany. On September 22, 1940, a technical agreement was signed between Germany and Finland, it provided for the transportation of German equipment, sick people and vacationers from German troops in Norway through Finnish territory. Berlin started shipping to Finland. Gradually, Germany took the main place in the foreign economic sphere of Finland, the German share began to account for 70% of the country's foreign trade turnover. In October 1940, the Finnish government allowed the recruitment of volunteers for the SS troops.

In January 1941, the Finnish parliament passed a law on conscription, which increased the length of service in the regular forces from one year to two years. On June 9, 1941, the commander-in-chief of the Finnish armed forces, Marshal Carl Gustav Emil Mannerheim, issued an order for partial mobilization, it concerned the reservists of the cover troops. On June 17, general mobilization began in Finland. On June 21, Finnish units landed on the Aland Islands, which were a demilitarized zone. On June 25, the Soviet Air Force attacked airfields, enterprises owned by the Germans in Finland. The Finnish government declared war on the USSR. On June 28, Finnish troops went on the offensive.

German poster addressed to the Finns during the Lapland War. The ironic inscription on the poster: "Als dank bewiesene für nicht Waffenbrüderschaft!" (“Thank you for the proven lack of camaraderie!”)

At the beginning of 1942, the Soviet ambassador to Sweden, A. M. Kollontai, through the Swedish Foreign Minister Günther, made an attempt to establish contacts with the Finnish government. At the end of January, President Risto Heikki Ryti and Marshal Mannerheim discussed the possibility of conducting preliminary negotiations with the Soviet Union and concluded that any contact with Moscow was unacceptable.

On March 20, 1943, the American government approached Finland with an offer to mediate a peace agreement (the United States was not at war with Finland). The Finnish government, having reported the proposal to Berlin, refused. However, the mood of the Finnish military-political elite began to change as the German troops failed on the eastern front. In the summer of 1943 Finnish representatives began negotiations with the Americans in Portugal. Finnish Foreign Minister Karl Henrik Wolter Ramsay sent a letter to the US Department of State assuring that Finnish troops would not fight American soldiers if they entered Finnish territory after landing in Northern Norway.

Gradually, the military frenzy subsided and was replaced by defeatist moods, the plans for the construction of "Great Finland" had to be forgotten. At the beginning of November 1943, the Social Democratic Party issued a statement in which it not only emphasized the right of Helsinki to withdraw from the war at will, but also advised that this step should be taken without delay. In mid-November 1943, Buheman, secretary of the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, informed Ambassador Kollontai that the Finnish government wanted to conclude peace with the USSR. November 20 A.M. Kollontai asked Buheman to inform the Finnish authorities that Helsinki could send a delegation to Moscow for negotiations. The Finnish government began to study the Soviet proposal. At the same time, the Swedish government announced that it was ready to provide Finland with food aid in the event that attempts to start negotiations with the Soviet Union with a view to concluding a peace agreement would lead to the termination of German supplies. The Finnish government's response to Moscow's proposal stated that Helsinki was ready to negotiate peace, but could not give up territories and cities vital to Finland. Thus, Mannerheim and Ryti agreed to negotiate peace with the Soviet Union, but from the position of the winners. The Finns demanded the transfer to Finland of the territories lost as a result of the Winter War and which were part of the USSR on June 22, 1941. In response, Kollontai said that only the Soviet-Finnish border of 1940 could be the starting point for starting negotiations. At the end of January 1944, State Councilor Juho Kusti Paasikivi left for Stockholm for informal talks with the Soviet side. The Finnish government again raised the issue of the 1939 borders. The arguments of Soviet diplomacy were not successful.

Finnish fighters of German production Messerschmitt Bf.109G-6 in flight during the Lapland War. Attention is drawn to the identification marks on Finnish aircraft. In September 1944, in connection with the exit from the war on the side of Germany, the Finns had to remove the German tactical designations "Eastern Front" (yellow engine cowlings and lower surfaces of the wingtips, yellow stripe in the rear fuselage) and nationality marks (Finnish swastika) . They were replaced by cockades in the colors of the Finnish flag: white, blue, white

More significant were the arguments of the Soviet long-range action. On the night of February 6-7, 1944, the Soviet Air Force attacked the Finnish capital. 728 Soviet bombers participated in the operation, they dropped 910 tons of bombs on the city (among them were four FAB-1000 bombs, six FAB-2000 and two FAB-5000 - high-explosive bombs weighing 1000, 2000, 5000 kg). More than 30 major fires have broken out in Helsinki. Various military facilities, a gas storage facility, the Strelberg electromechanical plant and much more were on fire. A total of 434 buildings were destroyed or seriously damaged. The Finnish authorities managed to notify the population of the city 5 minutes before the start of the strike, so the losses of the civilian population were insignificant: 83 killed and 322 wounded. On February 17, a second powerful air strike was delivered to Helsinki. It wasn't as strong as the first one. The Soviet Air Force dropped 440 tons of bombs on the city. On the night of February 26-27, 1944, another powerful raid on the Finnish capital took place: 880 aircraft took part in it, 1067 tons of bombs were dropped (including twenty FAB-2000). The Finnish air defense system could not cope with such a force and acted ineffectively. The aces transferred from Germany - the Me-109G squadron - could not help either. During three raids, the Soviet Air Force lost 20 vehicles, including losses due to technical malfunctions.

At the end of February, Paasikivi returned from Stockholm. However, the Finnish leadership was still trying to argue over territorial issues. Then the Swedish government intervened. The head of the Swedish Foreign Ministry, Gunther, the head of the government, Linkomies, and then the king himself turned to the Finns with a proposal to accept the proposals of the USSR, since Moscow's demands were minimal. Sweden demanded that the Finnish government determine its position by March 18.

On March 17, 1944, the Finnish government turned to the USSR through Sweden and asked for more detailed information about the minimum terms of the peace agreement. On March 25, Paasikivi's adviser and Foreign Minister Oskar Karlovich Enkel flew over the front line on the Karelian Isthmus in a Swedish plane and arrived in the Soviet capital. A little earlier, Mannerheim ordered the evacuation of the population, property and equipment from Karelia and the occupied Karelian Isthmus.

Finnish infantrymen in the city of Tornio (Tornio), Finland, in battle with German units during the Lapland War. The city of Tornio was the center of fierce street fighting at the start of the Lapland War between Finland and Germany. In the photograph, the nearest soldier is armed with a Mosin-Nagant 1891/30 rifle, and the distant one is armed with a Suomi M / 3 submachine gun

On April 1, Paasikivi and Enkel returned to the Finnish capital. They informed the government that the main condition for peace was the adoption of the borders of the Moscow Treaty of March 12, 1940 as a basis. The German troops that were stationed in Finland were to be expelled or interned. In addition, Finland had to pay 600 million US dollars in reparations over a 5-year period (the amount was proposed to be repaid in goods). On April 18, Helsinki refused to accept Moscow's conditions. Shortly thereafter, Deputy Foreign Minister Vyshinsky made a statement on the radio saying that Helsinki had rejected the peace proposals of the USSR and that now the Finnish leadership was fully responsible for the consequences.

Meanwhile, by the end of April 1944, the situation of the Finnish armed forces was critical. Behind Vyborg, the Finnish troops did not have serious fortifications. All healthy men under the age of 45 inclusive were already mobilized for war. On June 10, 1944, the Red Army launched an offensive on the Karelian Isthmus and captured Vyborg on June 20. On June 28, Soviet troops liberated Petrozavodsk. Finland faced the threat of complete military defeat and occupation.

The Finnish government asked Germany for help. Ribbentrop arrived in the Finnish capital on June 22. President Ryti gave a written commitment not to conclude a peace treaty without the consent of Berlin. But on August 1, Risti Haikko Ryti resigned, his place was taken by Mannerheim. On August 8, the government of Edwin Linkomies was dissolved, and Andres Werner Hackzel was elected as the new prime minister. On August 25, Helsinki asked Moscow to resume peace talks. On August 29, the Soviet embassy in Sweden transmitted Moscow's reply: Finland had to sever relations with Germany; withdraw German troops before September 15; send a delegation for negotiations in the USSR.

On September 3, the head of the Finnish government addressed the people on the radio and announced the decision to start negotiations with the USSR. On the night of September 4, the Finnish leadership made a statement on the radio and announced that they accepted the preconditions of the Soviet Union, broke off relations with Nazi Germany and agreed to the withdrawal of German troops. The Finnish military command announced that it was ceasing hostilities from 8 am on September 4.

During the Lapland War, German troops under the command of General Lothar Rendulich used the scorched earth tactics. In Lapland, 30% of the buildings were destroyed, and the city of Rovaniemi, the birthplace of the Finnish Santa Claus - Joulupukki, was destroyed to the ground. About 100,00 civilians became refugees

On September 8, 1944, a Finnish delegation arrived in the Soviet capital. It included Prime Minister Andreas Hackzel, Defense Minister Karl Walden, Chief of Staff Axel Heinrichs and Lieutenant General Oskar Enckel. The USSR was represented by People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs V. M. Molotov, member of the GKO K. E. Voroshilov, member of the Military Council of the Leningrad Front A. A. Zhdanov, representatives of the NKID M. M. Litvinov, V. G. Dekanozov, head of the Operations Department of the General Staff S M. Shtemenko, commander of the Leningrad naval base A. P. Alexandrov. Britain was represented by Ambassador Archibald Kerr and Councilor John Balfour. On September 9, Hackzel fell seriously ill, so negotiations did not begin until September 14. Subsequently, the Finnish delegation was headed by Foreign Minister Karl Enkel. On September 19, an armistice agreement was signed in Moscow between the Soviet Union and Great Britain on the one hand and Finland on the other.

Main terms of the agreement:

Helsinki pledged to disarm the German troops that would remain on Finnish territory after September 15 and to transfer their personnel to the Soviet command as prisoners of war;
- The Finnish government undertook to intern all German and Hungarian subjects;
- Finland provided its airfields for the Soviet Air Force to conduct combat operations against the Germans in the North and the Baltic;
- The Finnish army was supposed to move to a peaceful position in two months;
- The provisions of the peace treaty of March 12, 1940 were restored;
- Finland undertook to return to the Soviet Union the region of Petsamo (Pechenga), which the Soviet government twice (in 1920 and 1940) ceded to the Finns;
- The USSR received the right to lease the Porkkala-Udd peninsula for a 50-year period in order to create a naval base there. For rent, the Soviet government had to pay 5 million Finnish marks annually;
- The agreement between the USSR and Finland on the Åland Islands of 1940 was restored. According to the agreement, the Finnish side undertook to demilitarize the Åland Islands, not to provide them to the armed forces of other states.
- Finland pledged to immediately return all Soviet and allied prisoners of war and internees. The Soviet Union returned all Finnish prisoners;
- Finland was obliged to compensate the damage caused to the USSR. The Finns had to repay the amount of 300 million US dollars in goods within six years;
- Finland undertook to restore all legal rights, including property rights, of citizens and states of the United Nations;
- Finland undertook to return to Russia all the exported valuables, property, both private individuals and the state;
- The Finnish government was to transfer the military property of Germany and its allies, including military and merchant ships;
- Finland provided in the interests of the allies its merchant fleet and the required materials and products;
- In Finland, all fascist, pro-German and paramilitary structures, organizations and societies were dissolved.

Finnish infantry is loaded onto transport in the port of Oulu for landing in Tornio

Lapland War (September 1944 – April 1945)

It should be noted that the German command was ready for a negative scenario in Finland. In 1943, the Germans began to make plans for a separate agreement between Finland and the USSR. It was decided to concentrate the military grouping in Northern Finland in order to retain the nickel mines in the Petsamo region (they were located near the modern village of Nikel in the Murmansk region). In the winter of 1943-1944 the Germans carried out large-scale work in the north of Finland and Norway, building and improving roads, creating warehouses.

There were few German troops in inner Finland. Aviation units were present at the front, and the main German forces were stationed in the Arctic. The fulfillment by the Finnish government of the terms of the armistice agreement with the USSR and Great Britain led to a number of conflicts with the German troops (they were called the "Lapland War"). So, on September 15, the Germans demanded the surrender of the Finnish garrison on the island of Gogland (an island in the Gulf of Finland). Having been refused, the German troops tried to capture the island. The Finnish garrison received strong support from the Soviet Air Force, Soviet pilots sank four German self-propelled landing barges, a minesweeper and four boats. Deprived of reinforcements and support from the sea, the German forces, numbering about a battalion, surrendered to the Finns.

In northern Finland, the German command was slow to withdraw its troops to Norway (the 20th Army of Lothar Rendulich began Operation Northern Lights to send troops to Norway only on October 4), and there were several clashes with the Finns. On September 30, the Finnish 3rd Infantry Division under the command of Major General Payari landed in the port of Ryutya near the city of Torneo. At the same time, the Shutskorites (militias, members of the Security Corps) and vacation soldiers attacked the Germans in the city of Torneo. After a stubborn clash, the German troops left the city. On October 8, Finnish troops occupied the city of Kemi. On October 16, the Finnish units occupied the village of Rovaniemi, and on October 30, the village of Muonio. German troops, leaving Finland, used the scorched earth tactics. Vast territories were devastated, Rovaniemi was completely destroyed. The last German formations left Finnish territory in April 1945.

On October 7, the Petsamo-Kirkenes operation began, during which the forces of the Karelian Front and the Northern Front attacked German troops in northern Finland in the Petsamo region and in Northern Norway. This accelerated the evacuation of German troops from Finland.

The insignificance of the military operations of the Finnish troops against the Wehrmacht is evidenced by a comparison of the scale of losses of the armed forces of Finland and the USSR during the hostilities in the North. The Finns lost from mid-September 1944 to April 1945 about 1 thousand people killed and missing, about 3 thousand wounded. German troops during the Lapland "war" lost about 1 thousand dead and more than 3 thousand wounded and captured. The Soviet army during the Petsamo-Kirkenes operation lost about 6 thousand people dead, the German army - about 30 thousand soldiers.

Finnish soldiers plant the national flag on the border with Norway after the last detachments of German troops left Finnish territory. April 27, 1945