7 February - DAY 70 of Winter War
Karelian Isthmus: the pressure on the Isthmus continues to grow. The non-stop Soviet artillery bombardment, bombing and tank and infantry assaults are now into their seventh day in the area defended by the Finnish 3rd Division.
A dugout belonging to the Finnish 9th Infantry Regiment takes a direct hit from a heavy enemy mortar; 18 soldiers are killed and 11 wounded.
Central Isthmus: Red Army tanks and infantry mount two separate assaults in
Summa village, both of which are successfully repulsed.
Ladoga Karelia: in the Aittojoki sector, Detachment Pajari is attempting to strike the enemy troops to the west of the
River Kuukkausjoki.
The Finnish attack grinds to a halt in the evening in the face of heavy enemy fire.
Northern Finland: in the Suomussalmi sector an enemy detachment which had entered Finnish territory to the south of Raate is pushed back across the border.
Thirty-three enemy aircraft carry out a surprise bombing raid on Kajaani, where the headquarters of the North Finland Group are situated. Four people are killed in the raid, including one doctor, and two civilians are injured. Several buildings are destroyed, the worst hit being the town hospital.
The enemy takes advantage of the resulting confusion to send in reconnaissance parachutists. Those picked up are wearing Finnish military uniforms.
Helsinki: the city court sentences 12 people to pay fines for infringing the blackout regulations.
Abroad: in Copenhagen a new civilian labour agency has attracted 1,250 volunteers for Finland in its first two days of operation.
An article in Leningradskaya Pravda tells of the first executions in Leningrad for hoarding food and profiteering. The official grounds for the convictions are counter-revolutionary activities and serving as a Finnish agent.
The United States' House of Representatives rejects by 108 votes to 105 a motion to withdraw the US Ambassador from Moscow in protest over the war in Finland.
The American trade union movement is today holding a special day to express its support for Finland.
(Click for larger photo)
Captain Teira of 8/kT-Pr.* in Märkäjärvi.
*=8th battalion, field replacement brigade
Daily losses: 195