Monday 8 January 1940

Soviet dead stacked up near their abandoned vehicles.

Winter War: By 8 January 1940, the Finns have astounded the world by beating back most of the Soviet incursions on their territory, including all of the most deadly ones.

Winter War Army Operations: The Soviet holdouts on the Ratte road surrender around Lakes Kuivasjarvi and Kuomasjarvi (near Captain Mäkinen’s original roadblock). The Finns will take a few days to finish off the remaining Soviet stragglers who ran into the woods or are still hiding in abandoned equipment on the Ratte road. In essence, though, they now have completely eliminated what had been considered the most dangerous advance into the country.

Casualties of the 44th Rifle Division totaled over 5,000 men. All told, in the Suomussalmi battles, the Soviets lost 13,000-27,500 dead or missing, with 2,100 prisoners, 71 field guns, 260 trucks, 1,170 horses, 29 anti-tank guns, and 43 tanks captured.

While it is an epic defeat, the Soviet Union is far from defeated.

A Wellington bomber with the DWI apparatus.

Battle of the Atlantic: A Wellington 1A bomber is converted into a magnetic mine killer with DWI (Directional Wireless Installation). It is powered by a Ford V8 engine driving an electrical generator. By flying over the mines, it makes the explode. The installation is an awkward aluminum coil inside a balsa wood ring with a diameter of 51 feet.

Operating from Manston, Kent, England, must fly low (60 feet) and slow. If it flies lower than 35 feet, it risks damage from the exploding mines. It makes its first sortie over the North Sea. This is one solution to the magnetic mines, the other is degaussing of individual ships, but that will take longer to implement and is much more costly.

Convoy HG 14 departs from Finland to Liverpool.

British Homefront: Weekly British food rationing begins and ration books are issued. Every person gets 40z (100g) of back or ham, 12z (350g) of sugar.

German Military: The Germans establish a new military headquarters at Recklinghausen about 10 miles from the Dutch frontier.

British Military: General Wavell departs for an inspection tour of British Somaliland and French Somaliland.

Japan: The Japanese cabinet establishes a puppet government over occupied China. It is headed by Ching-Wei, who previously had lost a power struggle with Chiang Kai-shek for control of the Nationalist government and now seeks to control China by another route.

China: The Chinese Winter Offensive grinds on: Southern Honan Army of the 5th War Area launches a counterattack around the Pingchangkuan - Hsiaolintien - Kungchiafan sector.

A Soviet POW.

Future History: General Chuikov, as students of the war know very well, goes on to glory later in the war. However, in his autobiography of the war written decades later ('From Stalingrad to Berlin"), he devotes not one single word to his command of the Ninth Army during the battles of Suomussalmi and the Ratte road.

January 1940

January 1, 1940: Finns Carve up the Soviets
January 2, 1940: Finnish Counterattacks Continue
January 3, 1940: Soviets Trapped
January 4, 1940: Soviet Breakout Attempts Fail
January 5, 1940: Dicing Up the Soviets
January 6, 1940: Soviet 44th Division Runs
January 7, 1940: Shakeup in Soviet High Command
January 8, 1940: Ratte Road Battle Ends
January 9, 1940: British Submarines in Peril
January 10, 1940: Mechelen Incident
January 11, 1940: Finns Surround More Soviets
January 12, 1940: New Soviet Attacks at Taipale
January 13, 1940: Fall Gelb Postponed
January 14, 1940: Japan's Government Falls
January 15, 1940: Soviets Prepare More Carefully
January 16, 1940: German Atrocities Uncovered
January 17, 1940: Bletchley Park in Action
January 18, 1940: New Hope for Allied Shipping
January 19, 1940: Finnish Attacks at Salla
January 20, 1940: Churchill Urges Cooperation
January 21, 1940: Asam Maru Incident
January 22, 1940: Dissension Within British Government
January 23, 1940: Dissension in South Africa
January 24, 1940: NKVD Blocking Detachments
January 25, 1940: Auschwitz Site Selected
January 26, 1940: Millionaire Bunker Destroyed
January 27, 1940: U-20 Sinks Four Ships
January 28, 1940: Softening Up the Finns
January 29, 1940: Moscow Willing to Talk
January 30, 1940: Hitler Throws Down the Gauntlet
January 31, 1940: Timoshenko Is Ready

2019

Saturday December 23 1939

Molotov cocktail.

Winter War: Today, 23 December 1939, is the Finnish Army's first attempt at a strategic offensive. It was pitched to Marshall Mannerheim only two days ago by General Öhqvist, who is in charge of the Karelian Isthmus. It is the first planned, set-piece offensive by the Finns.

Winter War Army Operations: At 06:30, four Finnish Divisions launch a major counterattack on the western side of the Karelian Isthmus in front of Viipuri. It is the most sensitive spot on the entire front, and both sides have their top firepower there.

The Soviets may not be very good on the offensive recently, but they show that tanks are excellent defensive weapons. After gaining no ground, General Öhqvist abruptly calls off the operation at 14:40. There are roughly 1300 deaths on both sides, which, for the Finns, is a disaster.

At Suomussalmi, the 9th Division launches an attack on the struggling 44th Division which is strung out on the Ratte road. The column had been moving ahead slowly, but with only two machine companies, Captain Mäkinen of the 9th Army forces the entire column, led by the 25th Rifle Regiment, to halt and dig in. It is like a gigantic traffic jam with all lanes blocked.

Winter War Air Operations: The Soviets bomb Helsinki again, but this time with leaflets which contained a message from the Soviet's puppet Finnish government.

Battle of the Atlantic: British repair ship Dolphin hits a mine and sinks off Blyth, Scotland. Everyone survives.

Minesweeping trawlers HMS Glen Albyn and HMS Promotive hit mines and sink in Loch Ewe, Scotland.

The British release US freighters Explorer and Oakwood from detention at Gibraltar.

German Government: Hitler tours the West Wall.

Ireland: The IRA steals 1.1 million rounds of small arms ammunition from the Irish Army's depot at Phoenix Park.

Romania: The government makes inquires to the Italian government for support against Soviet aggression.

League of Nations: The League is busy rounding up support for the Finns, one of the more effective things it has ever done.

United States/Latin American Relations: The US and 20 other nations in the Americas make a statement reaffirming their coastal water neutrality from belligerent actors inside the "security zone" at the River Platte. This message appears directed at the British.

China: The Japanese are launching counterattacks in most places:

• Japanese landings on the Yangtze River in Third War Area;
• Japanese 21st Army captures Tsotanhsu and Lungmen from Chinese 4th War Area;
• Chinese 5th War Area retreats across the Han River;

Chinese 8th War Area is still on the attack outside Patou. In addition, the Chinese are attacking the Japanese 5th Infantry Division around Kunlunkuan.

A Finnish modified Maxin 1910 machine gun used in an antiaircraft role.

December 14, 1939: Quisling Meets Hitler
December 15, 1939: Chinese Winter Offensive in High Gear
December 16, 1939: Battle of Summa
December 17, 1939: End of Admiral Graf Spee
December 18, 1939: Battle of Heligoland Bight
December 19, 1939: British Disarm Magnetic Mines
December 20, 1939: Finnish Counterattacks Continue
December 21, 1939: Finns Plan More Counterattacks
December 22, 1939: Enter Chuikov
December 23, 1939: Failed Finnish Counterattack
December 24, 1939: Soviets on the Run
December 25, 1939: Fresh Soviet Attacks
December 26, 1939: Vicious Battles at Kelja
December 27, 1939: Grinding Finnish Victories
December 28, 1939: Liberators
December 29, 1939: Finns Tighten the Noose
December 30, 1939: Finnish Booty
December 31, 1939: Planning More Soviet Destruction

2019