The most famous battles of the Winter War are probably the "Suomussalmi" and "Raate Road" battles. Also the successful counterattack of the Finnish IV Corps, during late December - January, resulting in the so-called "Motti-area", and the meatgrinding battles in the "Summa-sector" are well know internationally.

There were also dozens of other battles which were smaller in scale but equally important. I have tried to include to this page also those "other battles". I've decided not to include the battles in the "Summa", "Taipale", "Äyräpää" etc., that were fought for weeks, since it would simply take too long to illustrate them in detail, and because specific data is often hard to come by.

 

I have divided the Finnish - Soviet frontier into three main sections:

1. The Karelian Isthmus
2. The Ladoga Karelia
3. The Centre - North Finland (the rest of the frontier)

Click a section on the map to see the list of battle

 

The Karelian Isthmus

• The Counterattack of the Finnish II Corps, 23 December 1939
• The Battle of Kelja, 25 - 27 December 1939
• The Defense of the 5./JR 14 on the Muolaa Church-isthmus, 14 - 15 February 1940
• The Battle of Honkaniemi -The only Finnish tank action-, 26 February 1940

 

The Ladoga Karelia

• The Counterattack of the Finnish IV Corps, 12 - 14 December 1939
• The Battle of Tolvajärvi, 12 December 1939
• The Attack of the Finnish IV Corps, 6 - 17 January 1940

   

The Centre - Northern Finland

• The Battle of Suomussalmi, 8 - 30 December 1939
• The Battle of Raate-Road
• The Battle of Mäntyvaara, 19 - 20 December 1939