The Military History of Suomussalmi
Winter War
The battles of Suomussalmi and the Raate Road were significant victories in the Winter War. The decisive battles were fought in the beginning of the war, by 8 January 1940. The Finns defeated the 163rd Division (163rd Div) in Suomussalmi and destroyed the 44th Division (44th Div) on the Raate Road.
War events
The first phase of the Winter War in Suomussalmi consisted of delaying battles. The Red Army’s 163rd Division surprised the Detached Battalion 15 (Det Bn 15) mobilized in Suomussalmi, by attacking with its main parts on difficult terrain in the direction of Juntusranta village. There was only one Finnish platoon against the enemy and it could not be stopped. The evacuation of the civilian population was too late and the residents of Juntusranta were run over by the war action. In the first week of war, a retreat was also necessary in the direction of Raate, as the enemy advancing in north could not be stopped. The burned village centre of Suomussalmi was abandoned on 7 December.
In the next phase, additional troops helped the Finns to stabilise the situation. The Group Siilasvuo (G Siilasvuo) launched a counterattack on 11 December and cut off the enemy’s supply line from the direction of Raate. However, the insufficient Finnish troops were unable to defeat the enemy. The Detachment Kontula (Det Kontula) assembled to Kuomanjoki simultaneously repelled the supporting attacks of the 44th Ukranian Division. The enemy’s advance to the north was halted by transferring the Detached Battalion 16 (Det Bn 16) from Kuusamo to Piispajärvi.
The Headquarters concentrated more troops to Suomussalmi before Christmas and the 9th Division (9th Div) was re-established from these troops. These troops helped Siilasvuo to defeat the 163rd Division from Suomussalmi on 28 December. Meanwhile, the Group Susi (G Susi) formed at Piispajärvi destroyed one enemy regiment in the battle of Hyövynvaara and tracked the enemy to Juntusranta.
In the final stage, Siilasvuo destroyed the 44th Division, which had advanced to Raate Road, by 7 January 1940. After this, the situation calmed down in the directions of Juntusranta and Raate with no more significant battles. After this, the Finnish troops were transferred to other fronts. Group Susi remained in Juntusranta and Group Kari (G Kari) headed towards Raate.
Salpa line
Salpa Line was also built in Suomussalmi. Numerous defence positions were built in Suomussalmi already during the additional reserve exercises and the Winter War along the roads leading to north, west, and south. Fortifications were built at Linnansalmi and on the eastern side of it during the Winter war.
The defence position at Linnansalmi was reinforced with new field fortifications during the Interim peace. Heavier permanent fortifications, such as reinforced concrete bunkers, were intended to be built at Värjänsalmi and Kuivassalmi on the southern shore of Haukiperä. In addition, in early June 1941, reinforced concrete bunkers were to be built at Linnansalmi, but the beginning of the work was interrupted. The fortification works on the southern shore of the Haukiperä waterway line were also interrupted by the Continuation War.
No battles took place in the defence positions during the Continuation War. The restored structures can be viewed at the defence positions of Purasjoki river, a nationally significant site of the Salpa line.
Continuation War
In the beginning of the Continuation War, the Finnish troops attacked across the eastern border towards Uhtua with German cooperation. The actual battles were fought on the ground of the Soviet Union, but Uhtua remained unoccupied by the Finns.
Partisan strikes
Six partisan strikes were carried out in Suomussalmi during the Continuation War, where 38 civilians died.