24 March
Molotov tells US Ambassador Standley exclusively of the Soviet Union's minimum requirements for starting peace talks with Finland:
Quote:
"The Soviet Government must warn the Government of the United States that it does not find it
possible to take the initiative in the question under discussion. However, it desires to
communicate to it, exclusively for the information of the American Government, its point of view
in respect to the minimum terms that it would be prepared to accept in negotiations looking for a
separate peace. These terms are as follows:
(1) Immediate severance of Finland from Germany and removal of German troops from Finland.
(2) Restitution of the Soviet-Finnish treaty of 1940 with all the consequences arising therefrom.
(3) Demobilization of the Finnish Army and transformation thereof to peace time status.
(4) Recompensation for at least one half of damage caused to the Soviet Union by Finland in the present war.
Since Finland violated its treaty of peace with the Soviet Union the Soviet Government could
demand of Finland full recompensation for damages caused by Finland and complete disarmament of
Finland. However, the Soviet Government does not desire to take vengeange on Finland and for this
reason does not lay down these terms."
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Source:
https://history.state.gov/historical...1943v03/pg_255 (Pg. 255-256)
The next telegram after Standley's (pg.256) gives an assesment of Finland's view on such terms.
TL;DR:
"The Finns would construe the terms outlined in the telegram under reference as deliberately designed to destroy their national existence and would undoubtedly prefer to perish in resistance rather than to accept them."
Finland's Foreign Minister Ramsay asks McClintock for further information about possible peace terms.
Colonel Oiva Willamo -- the liason officer to the German HQ in north Finland -- says during a dinner in the Finnish HQ in Mikkeli that he made a promise on 16 May 1942 that he will not touch any alcohol other than red wine before Leningrad falls. Mannerheim tells him of a similar situation where during WW1 a Russian officer promised to not shave his beard until Berlin was captured, ending his story with "Poor boy! His beard must've outgrown him by the end!"
The newly acquired Messerschmitt 109s of LeLv 34 score first kill, a Russian Pe-2 over the coast of Estonia.
I/Infantry Regiment 5 captures a large enemy base on the Maaselkä Isthmus. The enemy however manages to take it back by evening suffering heavy casualties.
Finnish daily losses: 45
***
25 March 1943
Aunus Group: "Enemy has shelled our positions on the width of the entire front."
Finnish daily losses: 22
AA fire. (Helsinki)
***
26 March 1943
Finland's Foreign Minister Ramsay meets with von Ribbentrop in Germany to discuss the peace talks between Finland and the Soviet Union. Ramsay is told that if Finland takes the offer, Germany will see it as betrayal, and that Finland should sign a treaty with Germany that neither side would sue for separate peace.
Finnish daily losses: 19
Running comms lines under the ice.
***
27 March 1943
AOK Norwegen: "Strong enemy attack countered on the southern flank. Enemy losses estimated at 50 KIA."
Finnish daily losses: 21
Peculiar looking snowmobile. (Limosaari)
***
28 March 1943
Joint Finnish-German operation to lay submarine nets across the Gulf of Finland begins.
Finnish daily losses: 18
Parade on the first anniversary of Suursaari's capture.
***
29 March 1943
AOK Norwegen: "On the northern flank, the line Fingerhut-Schwarzenberg-Kreuzeck-Biberkopf has been manned by a battalion size enemy unit this morning. Our attack to take the line is advancing towards Schwarzenberg."
Finnish daily losses: 13
Newly built canteen and its proud builders. (Rukajärvi area)
***
30 March 1943
AOK Norwegen: "Our attack towards Schwarzenberg has been aborted. The enemy lost 71 men (counted)."
Finnish daily losses: 24
***
I'll add the photos and other stuff later, once my self induced headache subsides.
EDIT: Added entries from HQ war diary.
EDIT2: Photos added.