In June 1941, Finnish troops invaded the Soviet Union alongside the
forces of Nazi Germany, sparking a bitter three-year conflict. This
absorbing study examines the composition, tactics, and training of both
sides.
In a bid to recapture territory conceded following the Winter War of
1939--40, Finnish forces cooperated with Nazi Germany and other Axis
powers during the invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. Rapid
Finnish progress in reoccupying lost ground in Karelia during the first
few months of the invasion gave way to a more static form of warfare
from October 1941. The Finns resisted German pressure to participate
fully in the Axis attack on the beleaguered Soviet-held city of
Leningrad, and the Continuation War came to be characterized by trench
warfare and unconventional operations conducted by both sides behind the
front lines. In June 1944 the stalemate was abruptly ended by a massive
Soviet offensive that pushed the Finns back; the two sides clashed in a
series of major battles, including the battle of Tali-Ihantala, with the
Finns halting the Soviet advance before agreeing to an armistice that
September.
The evolving military situation in this sector of the Eastern Front
meant that the soldiers of the Soviet Union and Finland fought one
another in a variety of challenging settings, prompting both sides to
innovate as new technologies reached the front line. In this study, the
doctrine, training, equipment, and organization of both sides' fighting
men are assessed and compared, followed by a detailed assessment of
their combat records in three key battles of the Continuation War.
