Christmas at Suomussalmi*
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Date: December 24, 1939 *
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Battle Location: Suomussalmi, Finland*
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Battle Type: Soviet advance vs Finland delay*
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Description: On December 7, 1939 the Soviet 163rd Division captured the village of Sumossalmi. The road west seemed open, and this was their task - to slice west and cut Finland in half. That same day
Finnish reinforcements began moving in the direction of Suomossalmi. Colonel Hjalmar Siilasvuo, was
appointed commander of a newly formed brigade built around Infantry Regiment 27. His instructions were
simple: defeat the enemy group in the Suomossalmi area.*
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On December 11, Siilasvuo began his efforts with cutting off a five kilometres stretch of the road
used to bring up supplies for the Soviet 163rd Division, and then swung greater part of Infantry Regiment 27
in the direction of Suomossalmi. 
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The fighting proved hard and bloody, the Finns made it into the village but could not wrest it
completely from the Soviets. The fighting in and around Suomossalmi dragged on for days. Additional
Finnish forces were brought up while from the east another Soviet division, the 44th, was moving
to the rescue of their trapped countrymen.*
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Then on Christmas Eve, artillery from the 163rd opened up on the Finnish forces west of Sumossalmi
while fighters made strafing runs on Siilasvuo's men. It was unusually accurate. The 163rd then put in an determinated attack. It looked as it could swing either way.*
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Sources:*
Appel, Erik et al; Finland i Krig 1939-40 (Finland at War)**
Siilasvou, Hjalmar; Striderna i Suomussalmi (The Fighting in Suomussalmi)*
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Design by:  Ulf Lundstrom.**
