Battle of Kollaa

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The Battle of Kollaa was a notable engagement of the Winter War in which vastly outnumbered Finnish forces successfully held defensive positions against repeated Soviet assaults in eastern Finland.


Statements (46)
Predicate Object
instanceOf battle
military engagement
associatedPerson Simo Häyhä
associatedWith Kollaa River
Kollaa front
belligerent Finnish Army
Red Army
commanderFinnish Aaro Pajari
Wiljo Tuompo
commanderSoviet Vladimir Kurdyumov
conflict Winter War
conflictType Finnish–Soviet conflict
countryInvolved Finland
Soviet Union
dateContext fought during the entire duration of the Winter War armistice negotiations
endDate 1940-03-13
endedWith Moscow Peace Treaty
followedBy Soviet focus on other sectors before war’s end
frontType defensive battle
hasMemorial Kollaa memorial in Finland
legacy frequently cited example of successful defensive warfare
important part of Finnish military tradition
location Kollaa
Ladoga Karelia
eastern Finland
notableAspect extensive use of snipers by Finnish forces
harsh winter conditions
heavy Soviet numerical and material superiority
notableFor effective use of small-unit tactics and field fortifications
outnumbered Finnish forces holding against repeated Soviet assaults
symbol of Finnish resistance in the Winter War
outcome Soviet offensive halted on Kollaa front
partOf Eastern Front of the Winter War
partOfCampaign Finnish delaying actions in Ladoga Karelia
precededBy initial Soviet offensive in Ladoga Karelia
result Finnish defensive victory
Finnish forces hold the line
slogan "Kollaa kestää"
sloganMeaning "Kollaa will hold"
startDate 1939-12-07
strategicObjectiveFinnish prevent Soviet breakthrough and protect key routes
strategicObjectiveSoviet break through Finnish lines toward the interior of Finland
theater Karelian Isthmus and Ladoga Karelia theater
timePeriod 20th century
World War II era
war Winter War


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