4 December 1939 - DAY 5 of Winter War
Karelian Isthmus
II AK & III AK
Fighting began in the morning on II AK's area. Already during the night attacked a strong armor unit towards Liikola. This attack was pushed back, but another attack started at 0930hrs.
Enemy's main push was in Nurmijärvi - Pasuri and Kivennapa - Liikola areas, with some weaker advance attempts elsewhere. They also tried to capture the Kiviniemi bridge and push over the Taipaleenjoki. These attempts were beaten back.
Strong attack supported by at least 100 tanks continued towards Liikola and from there to the west and northwest, trying to breakthrough the lines in Uusikirkko area. In this they succeeded. In Pamppala direction about 50 tanks were observed, the attack towards Pasuri from east was also supported by strong armor force.
By evening our troops held the line: Sortavala - Ylisjärvi - South end of Kaukjärvi - Särkijärvi - North end of Suulajärvi - Vuotjärvi - South end of Kirkkojärvi - Punnusjärvi - Raakolanjärvi - Pasuri. Our troops hold bridgeheads at Oravaniemi and Kiviniemi. Rest of the line to the east follows the main line (Mannerheim-line).
NOTE: Onega on the map should read Ladoga.
IV AK
Enemy continues to advance. Own troops are regrouping.
Dowly: See what I mean about bare-bones reports? Worth mentioning, Major General Heiskanen was relieved from command of IV AK due to the poor performance of the AK in delaying the enemy advance. Major General W. Hägglund replaced him.
North Finland Group (sorry, no map for this area atm, but unlike the Karelian locations that switched names after the war, you can find most of these locations through google maps)
Enemy advancing from Uhtua is closing on Kuusamo road. Russian advance from Kantalahti towards Kuolajärvi is a cause of concern as well.
Supreme Commander has accepted NFG commander's proposal to attack towards Repola.
***
No photo of the day as there was nothing really to show. But here's a propaganda song written in 1942 about the Winter War, this particular take on it was performed in 1989. Translation by me below.
Finlandia, Finlandia,
again Ivan was going there.
Molotov promised everything's fine,
tomorrow we'll eat icecream in Helsinki.
(2x)
No Molotov, No Molotov,
you told more lies than Bobrikov himself.
Finlandia, Finlandia,
Mannerheim-line proved stronger than it seemed.
Resistance in Karelia,
shut many Ivans' mouth.
(2x)
No Molotov, No Molotov,
you told more lies than Bobrikov himself.
Finlandia, Finlandia,
feared by the unstoppable Red Army.
And Molotov said, look at that,
the tsuhna* are grabbing us by the collar.
(2x)
No Molotov, No Molotov,
you told more lies than Bobrikov himself.
Beyond the Ural, Beyond the Ural,
that's where Molotov's homestead lies.
There's room there for Stalin and the others too,
politruks, comissars and others likeminded.
(4x)
No Molotov, No Molotov,
you told more lies than Bobrikov himself.
*Tsuhna is a derogatory term used for Finns and Estonians.
Daily losses: 110