Description

The follow-up to Finland at War: The Winter War, this is the astonishing David and Goliath story of Finland's military history during World War II as, heavily outnumbered, they held off the Soviet invaders

In the aftermath of the Winter War, Finland found itself drawing ever closer to Nazi Germany and eventually took part in Operation Barbarossa in 1941. For the Finns this was a chance to right the wrongs of the Winter War, and having reached suitable defensive positions, the army was ordered to halt. Years of uneasy trench warfare followed, known as the Continuation War, during which Finland desperately sought a way out, German dreams of victory were dashed, and the Soviet Union built the strongest army in the world.

In the summer of 1944, the whole might of the Red Army was launched against the Finnish defences on the narrow Karelian Isthmus. Over several weeks of fierce fighting, the Finns managed to halt the Soviet assault. With Stalin forced to divert his armies to the race to Berlin, an armistice agreement was reached, the harsh terms of which forced the Finns to take on their erstwhile German allies in Lapland.

Featuring rare photographs and first-hand accounts, this second volume of a two-part study, publishing in paperback for the first time, details the high price Finland had to pay to retain its independence and freedom.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Chronology

Chapter 1: The Return to War
Chapter 2: Silberfuchs - Attack in the North
Chapter 3: The Conquest of Karelian Isthmus
Chapter 4: Onslaught on the Karelian Isthmus
Chapter 5: The Finnish Navy and Hanko
Chapter 6: Trench Warfare 1942-44
Chapter 7: Capturing Suursaari Island
Chapter 8: The Beginning of the End
Chapter 9: Attack on the Karelian Isthmus
Chapter 10: The Tali-Ihantala Battles
Chapter 11: Withdrawal from Soviet Karelia
Chapter 12: Armistice and the Interim Peace
Chapter 13: The Lapland War, 1944-45
Chapter 14: Towards Peace

Bibliography
Appendix
Index

Product details

Published Mar 24 2016
Format Ebook (Epub)
Edition 1st
Extent 336
ISBN 9781472815286
Imprint Osprey Publishing
Series General Military
Short code GNM
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Vesa Nenye

After graduating college, Vesa Nenye followed his…

Author

Peter Munter

A veteran of historical and strategy gaming in Fin…

Author

Toni Wirtanen

After graduating from high school with the highest…

Author

Chris Birks

Chris Birks moved from England to Bergen, Norway,…

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