Posted on Jan 7, 2018
Russo-Finnish War - Battle Of Suomussalmi (1940)
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Heavy Fighting Along the Raate Road as Finns Break Soviet 44th Rifle Division
The Battle of Raate Road was fought during the Winter War between the Soviet Union and Finland in January, 1940, as a part of the Battle of Suomussalmi.
This battle proved the effectiveness of Finnish motti tactics.
On December 7, 1939, the Soviet 163rd division had captured Suomussalmi, but found itself trapped deep inside Finnish territory, and the Soviet 44th (Ukrainian) Rifle Division was sent to aid the 163rd. In the following battle, Colonel Hjalmar Siilasvuo's 9th Division completely destroyed the Soviet 44th Division on the Raate-Suomussalmi road.
The 44th division was waiting on the road to Raate, entrenched in an area of a couple of kilometers. Lt. Col. Siilasvuo divided his division to four detachments, which, south of the road to Raate, attacked to Haukila, Tyynelä, Likoharju and Raate. During a couple of decisive days (4.-7.1.1940) the 44th division was divided to isolated bulks (called "motti") and destroyed on the Raate road. Only a minimal part of the motored infantry division succeeded in fleeing from the blockade to the other side of the border. The war booty was remarkably big. The defense victories of Suomussalmi were the result of the skilled use of terrain, the will to fight and a skillful leadership of a unit, in spite of material deficiency.
https://worldhistoryproject.org/1940/1/6/heavy-fighting-along-the-raate-road-as-finns-break-soviet-44th-rifle-division
http://www.alternativefinland.com/frozen-hell-by-mika-kulju-the-battle-of-raate-road/
http://dictionary.sensagent.com/Battle%20of%20Raate-Road/en-en/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Raate_Road
Additional video footage :
https://youtu.be/yHrndb0oZEc
https://youtu.be/xZIX6m1nqbc
https://youtu.be/Z-LPvkkNVMM
@ col mikel COL Mikel J. Burroughs @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen C. @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen F. @ ltc wayne LTC Wayne Brandon @ ltc jeff LTC Jeff Shearer @ maj william Maj William W. 'Bill' Price @ maj ivan LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. @ capt tom Capt Tom Brown @ capt marty Maj Marty Hogan @ smsgt doc SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas @ sra christopher SrA Christopher B. @ sfc william SFC William Farrell @ ssg robert SSG Robert Webster @ sgt jim SGT Jim Arnold @ sgt david SGT (Join to see) @ sp5 mark SP5 Mark Kuzinski @ cpl dave CPL Dave Hoover Alan K. Cynthia Croft @ po1 tony PO1 Tony Holland
The Battle of Raate Road was fought during the Winter War between the Soviet Union and Finland in January, 1940, as a part of the Battle of Suomussalmi.
This battle proved the effectiveness of Finnish motti tactics.
On December 7, 1939, the Soviet 163rd division had captured Suomussalmi, but found itself trapped deep inside Finnish territory, and the Soviet 44th (Ukrainian) Rifle Division was sent to aid the 163rd. In the following battle, Colonel Hjalmar Siilasvuo's 9th Division completely destroyed the Soviet 44th Division on the Raate-Suomussalmi road.
The 44th division was waiting on the road to Raate, entrenched in an area of a couple of kilometers. Lt. Col. Siilasvuo divided his division to four detachments, which, south of the road to Raate, attacked to Haukila, Tyynelä, Likoharju and Raate. During a couple of decisive days (4.-7.1.1940) the 44th division was divided to isolated bulks (called "motti") and destroyed on the Raate road. Only a minimal part of the motored infantry division succeeded in fleeing from the blockade to the other side of the border. The war booty was remarkably big. The defense victories of Suomussalmi were the result of the skilled use of terrain, the will to fight and a skillful leadership of a unit, in spite of material deficiency.
https://worldhistoryproject.org/1940/1/6/heavy-fighting-along-the-raate-road-as-finns-break-soviet-44th-rifle-division
http://www.alternativefinland.com/frozen-hell-by-mika-kulju-the-battle-of-raate-road/
http://dictionary.sensagent.com/Battle%20of%20Raate-Road/en-en/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Raate_Road
Additional video footage :
https://youtu.be/yHrndb0oZEc
https://youtu.be/xZIX6m1nqbc
https://youtu.be/Z-LPvkkNVMM
@ col mikel COL Mikel J. Burroughs @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen C. @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen F. @ ltc wayne LTC Wayne Brandon @ ltc jeff LTC Jeff Shearer @ maj william Maj William W. 'Bill' Price @ maj ivan LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. @ capt tom Capt Tom Brown @ capt marty Maj Marty Hogan @ smsgt doc SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas @ sra christopher SrA Christopher B. @ sfc william SFC William Farrell @ ssg robert SSG Robert Webster @ sgt jim SGT Jim Arnold @ sgt david SGT (Join to see) @ sp5 mark SP5 Mark Kuzinski @ cpl dave CPL Dave Hoover Alan K. Cynthia Croft @ po1 tony PO1 Tony Holland
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Posted 7 y ago
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SGT John " Mac " McConnell thanks for the WWII historical history-Heavy Fighting Along the Raate Road as Finns Break Soviet 44th Rifle Division
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The Finns certainly were tough winter-fighters SGT John " Mac " McConnell. They gained the upper hand in this Battle Of Suomussalmi. U.S. volunteers helped the Finns but in the end the Finns had to sue for peace in March 1940.
Image: U.S. and Swedish volunteers in service to Finland move to the Russian front.
The Winter War was military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland from Nov 30, 1939 – Mar 13, 1940.
The Soviet Union waged a bloody war with the tiny nation of Finland. "Russia’s feud with its Nordic neighbor began in 1939, when Soviet leader Joseph Stalin looked to expand his influence over Eastern Europe. Citing concerns about a potential attack by the Germans, Stalin demanded that Finland’s border with Russia be moved back 16 miles along the Karelian Isthmus to create a buffer zone around the city of Leningrad. He also wanted the Finns to hand over several islands in the Gulf of Finland and lease the Soviets territory on the Hanko Peninsula for construction of a naval base. The Soviets offered a large swath of Russian territory as part of the deal, but the Finns were suspicious of their motives and turned them down. On November 30, 1939, following a series of ultimatums and failed negotiations, the Soviet Red Army launched an invasion of Finland with half a million troops."
"While the Finns put up a spirited resistance during the winter of 1939-1940, their troops were ultimately no match for the sheer immensity of the Red Army. In February 1940, following one of the largest artillery bombardments since World War I, the Soviets renewed their onslaught and overran the Finnish defenses on the Karelian Isthmus. With its forces low on ammunition and nearing the brink of exhaustion, Finland agreed to peace terms the following month."
http://www.history.com/news/ask-history/what-was-the-winter-war
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown CW5 (Join to see) SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SP5 Mark Kuzinski SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright Cpl Joshua Caldwell SGT Charles H. Hawes SSG David Andrews
Image: U.S. and Swedish volunteers in service to Finland move to the Russian front.
The Winter War was military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland from Nov 30, 1939 – Mar 13, 1940.
The Soviet Union waged a bloody war with the tiny nation of Finland. "Russia’s feud with its Nordic neighbor began in 1939, when Soviet leader Joseph Stalin looked to expand his influence over Eastern Europe. Citing concerns about a potential attack by the Germans, Stalin demanded that Finland’s border with Russia be moved back 16 miles along the Karelian Isthmus to create a buffer zone around the city of Leningrad. He also wanted the Finns to hand over several islands in the Gulf of Finland and lease the Soviets territory on the Hanko Peninsula for construction of a naval base. The Soviets offered a large swath of Russian territory as part of the deal, but the Finns were suspicious of their motives and turned them down. On November 30, 1939, following a series of ultimatums and failed negotiations, the Soviet Red Army launched an invasion of Finland with half a million troops."
"While the Finns put up a spirited resistance during the winter of 1939-1940, their troops were ultimately no match for the sheer immensity of the Red Army. In February 1940, following one of the largest artillery bombardments since World War I, the Soviets renewed their onslaught and overran the Finnish defenses on the Karelian Isthmus. With its forces low on ammunition and nearing the brink of exhaustion, Finland agreed to peace terms the following month."
http://www.history.com/news/ask-history/what-was-the-winter-war
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown CW5 (Join to see) SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SP5 Mark Kuzinski SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright Cpl Joshua Caldwell SGT Charles H. Hawes SSG David Andrews
Less than two years before the Soviet Union faced off against Nazi Germany during World War II, it waged a bloody war with another adversary...
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The Germans drew the wrong implications from the Russo Finnish War which was to have a tremendous impact on Operation Barbarossa and its ultimate failure.
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SGT John " Mac " McConnell
If Hitler wanted to win he should have payed attention to this defeat to the Soviets. I guess he was to strung out on drugs.
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