Finlands motattack 23 december 1939

[Fältmarskalken]

Jag funderar på om det var klokt av Finland att gå till motattack 23 december 1939 eller borde man ha väntat? Vilka konsekvenser hade det fått om man väntat med motattacken?

[Hans]

Jag funderar på om det var klokt av Finland att gå till motattack 23 december 1939 eller borde man ha väntat? Vilka konsekvenser hade det fått om man väntat med motattacken?

Här finns lite bakgrundinfo.

During December, the commander of the Finnish II Corps, Lt. General Öhquist, had made several propositions to the Finnish High Command about a general counterattack. Mannerheim hadn't approved them, and on 19 December, it became clear that the Finnish defenders had repelled the first Soviet attempts to break the Finnish main defense line. It was well known, that the Red Army was concentrating more forces between Summa and Lake Muolaanjärvi , so the possible benefits of a successful counterattack were better than before.

On 19 December, Mannerheim attached the 6th division to the II Corps. It was to be used either to counterattack possible Soviet breakthroughs or in an attack against the Soviet forces. The HQ of the Isthmus Army decided to use the division for the latter.

The motivations for an attack were as follows; only an attack could reduce the combat effectiveness of the Soviet divisions. Also the offensive mindedness of the Finnish officers was a major reason.
The letters and diaries, captured from dead Soviet soldiers, described the Soviet situation very grim. Losses from the attacks in the previous weeks were extremely high, supply situation was bad, clothing and especially quartering equipment were inadequate. Letters like these had an influence on the decision to attack.

The ultimate objective of the attack, was to give the opposing forces a crippling blow rendering them incapable to continue attacks, than to destroy.

MVH

Hans

[Belisarius]

Men varför på näset? Om man hade vetat om att vägnätet var förbättrat på den ryska sidan (och därmed förenklat underhåll även om man bröt igenom försvaret), hur hade oddsen varit för ett motangrepp norr om Ladoga ned mot Svir? Det hade nog ställt till en del huvudbry för ryssarna.