From: Jyri-Pekka J{rvinen <jyrtsi@vipunen.hut.fi>
Subject: Re: Lapland War?
Organization: Syndicate Inc. tng - Assistants of Aeronautical Engineering
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 17:28:13 GMT


From Jyri-Pekka J{rvinen <jyrtsi@vipunen.hut.fi>

In article <Bzs8pD.L7J@law7.DaytonOH.NCR.COM> 098802@adpdp2.lanl.gov (098802) writes:
>
>From 098802@adpdp2.lanl.gov (098802)
>
>In reading one of the articles discussing the "worst fighters of WW II", I note
>that the Finns were fighting the Germans in the Lapland War. I guess I didn't
>know that the Finns and the Germans ever fought. Would someone care to explain
>the circumstances which resulted in this war. 
>

The Lapland War 15.9.-44 - 25.4.-45
===================================

Our second war against the Soviets ended on 4.9.-44.
According to one of the terms of the armistice Finland had to break off
its relations with Germany and demand that all German troops leave Finland
by 15.9.-44.
After the deadline Finnish forces were expected to disarm the Germans
and hand them over to the Soviets as POW's.  
All small German units stationed in Southern Finland left in time.
The naval detachment which left the harbour of Kotka laid mines behind
it on 14.9. and in the small hours a strong invasion force attacked the
Suursaari island but was thrown back by the evening.
Another interesting detail: the Soviet air force helped the Finns.
After the battle the Soviets occupied the island and took 1220 German
prisoners.
Clearing Lapland of Germans was not that simple: there were 9 divisions
(some 220 000 men) of mountain jaegers with enough supplies for the
whole winter.
The Luftwaffe had its Luftflotte 5: approx. 300 planes in Northern
Finland and in Northern Norway.
The Germans started their slow retreat towards Norway while carrying
their supplies with them and applying the scorched earth policy: they
destroyed everything - bridges, railways, roads, buildings...

(Judging by some of our jokes, the Finns will never forget what 
the Germans did to Lapland. An example: 
Q - What's the difference between Lapland and the town of xxx? 
    (xxx = any Finnish town outside Lapland)
A - So far the Germans have burned down only Lapland... )

Most of the Finnish civilians had already been evaquated to Sweden and to
the areas south of River Oulujoki. 
The Finns had gathered enough troops on 28.9. and the 3rd Army Corps started
its attack.
Lapland's biggest city Rovaniemi - or what was left of it - was captured
on 16.10. 
< Most of the campaign details omitted - consult any *decent* :) history
book. >
The Soviet troops crossed the border in two places and patrolled in the 
area but never took part in the battles.
The last Germans left Finland when they abandoned their delaying
position in Kilpisjarvi on 25.4.-45.
Everything in Lapland was destroyed and/or mined or booby-trapped with 
German thoroughness.
750 bridges were destroyed.
Before -71 the Finnish troops had cleared 740 000 mines. Artillery
shells and mines are still found every now and then.
The Finnish losses in the Lapland War were 1036 KIA & MIA and 2904
wounded. 14 planes were shot down.
 
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
+ Jyri-Pekka Jarvinen                * "Computers can be controlled.   +
+ Helsinki University of Technology  *  You just disconnect them.   "  +
+ Aeronautical Engineering           *     - A Kyle Reesism            +
+ 02150 Espoo Finland                * "...but I'm an intellectual and +
+ jyrtsi@vipunen.hut.fi              *  I know that science fiction is +
+ jjarvine@finhut.hut.fi             *  art."  - Eppu Normaali         +
+--------------------------------------------------------------------- +













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