Skip to content
August 1944 in Europe

Vyborg–Petrozavodsk offensive

— CH. 1 · INTRODUCTION —

Soviet propaganda listed the Vyborg-Petrozavodsk offensive as one of Stalin's ten blows, the string of major offensives that reshaped the Eastern Front in 1944. The offensive struck Finland during the Continuation War, itself fought on the Eastern Front of the Second World War. Two Soviet fronts attacked together in June 1944. The Leningrad Front pushed through the Karelian Isthmus toward the city of Vyborg. The Karelian Front crossed into East Karelia at the same time. Orders for the assault came from the Stavka, the Soviet high command, and its aim reached well past capturing ground. Moscow wanted the Finnish Army destroyed and Finland forced out of the war entirely. Neither goal was fully met. How close did Finland actually come to losing its army on the Karelian Isthmus? And what was Finland's government doing, diplomatically, while the guns were still firing?

Continue browsing

Battles and operations of the Soviet–German WarConflicts in 1944Military operations of World War II involving Germany

Updated

Common questions

What was the Vyborg, Petrozavodsk offensive?

The Vyborg, Petrozavodsk offensive was a 1944 Soviet military operation against Finland during the Continuation War. The plan called for a two-pronged attack from Leningrad via Vyborg to the Kymi river and across the Svir River through Petrozavodsk.

When did the main Soviet offensive begin in the Vyborg, Petrozavodsk offensive?

The main Soviet offensive began on the 10th of June 1944, when the Soviet 21st Army opened attacks on the Valkeasaari sector. Aerial assaults by the 13th Air Army occurred on June 9, one day before the ground assault started.

How many soldiers died in the Vyborg, Petrozavodsk offensive?

Soviet losses included over 5,000 soldiers killed or wounded on June 28 alone, with total Red Army casualties reaching 20,000 KIA, MIA, or WIA. Finnish forces lost 1,200 soldiers in battles such as Ilomantsi while suffering heavy artillery losses in other sectors.

Where did the Soviet Karelian Front capture Petrozavodsk during the Vyborg, Petrozavodsk offensive?

The Soviet Karelian Front captured Petrozavodsk on the 29th of June 1944, after attacking the Olonets sector of White Karelia starting on June 20. The city was one of the main goals of the operation and marked a significant advance into Finnish territory.

Why did Finland accept peace terms after the Vyborg, Petrozavodsk offensive?

Finland accepted peace terms because the offensive forced the country out of the war despite failing to breach all Stavka objectives. The Soviets offered reduced reparations totaling $600 million in September 1944 compared to earlier demands for unconditional surrender.

All sources

69 references cited across the entry

  1. 1Zolotarev (1999), p. 13
  2. 2Krivosheev (1997)
  3. 3#Arkistolaitos, Suomen sodissa 1939–45 menehtyneet Arkistolaitos, Suomen sodissa 1939–45 menehtyneiden tietokanta. National Archive Service, military casualties of Finland during war period 1939–45.
  4. 4Tiihonen, 1999, Doctor of Philosophy Tapio Tiihonen studied and checked Soviet data and loss reports of units and reinforcements. He found Soviet losses higher than Manninen. Tiihonen, 2000 (Decision
  5. 5Manninen (1994), The numbers available in Krivosheyev's books are only up to the capture of Viborg at the Karelian Isthmus thus missing the heavy fighting between June 21 – July 15 at Karelian Isthmus
  6. 6Glantz (2002), p. 458.
  7. 7Newton (1995)
  8. 8Gilbert, p. 536"
  9. 9Platonov (1964)
  10. 10Zolotarev (1999), pp. 97–98
  11. 11Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation. Наступление советских войск на Карельском перешейке и в Южной Карелии По замыслу Ставки войска Ленинградского и Карельского фронтов при содействии Красно
  12. 12Glantz (2002), pp. 443, 458
  13. 13Gebhardt (1989), p. 2
  14. 14Glantz (1998), pp. 201–03
  15. 15Erickson (1993), pp. 329–30
  16. 16Moisala (1988)
  17. 17Bergstrom (2008)
  18. 18Moisala & Alanen (1988) pp. 58–59, 66–67
  19. 19Lunde (2011) pp. 259–60
  20. 20Lunde (2011) p. 302
  21. 21Lunde (2011) p. 270
  22. 22Jowett, P., Snodgrass, B. (2006). Finland at War 1939–45, Osprey Publishing, p. 12.
  23. 23Dagens Nyheter, July 3, 1944
  24. 24Svenska Dagbladet, July 3, 1944
  25. 25BookAspects of the Governing of the FinnsGeorge Maude — Peter Lang Publishing — 2010
  26. 26BookRatkaisu Kannaksella 1944Tapio Tiihonen — Fenix — 2000
  27. 27Turtola (2001), p. 168, Dr. Turtola discovered a Soviet draft for "The Unconditional Surrender of Finland" from the Russian Foreign Ministry archive in Moscow, dated June 1944. Here are the relevant p
  28. 28Baryshnikov (2006)
  29. 29BookFinland's War of ChoiceHenrik, O. Lunde — Casemate Pub — March 19, 2011
  30. 30Nenye P.261
  31. 31Juutilainen (1994), pp. 145–47
  32. 32Mannerheim (1952), pp. 459–60
  33. 33BookStalinism at War: The Soviet Union in World War IIMark Edele — Bloomsbury Academic — 2021
  34. 34BookEssays on Finnish foreign policyKeijo Korhonen — Finnish Political Science Association — 1969
  35. 35BookThe Great Crusade: A New Complete History of the Second World War, Revised EditionH.P. Willmott — Potomac Books — 2008
  36. 36BookFinland at War: The Continuation and Lapland Wars 1941-45Vesa Nenye et al. — Osprey Publishing — 2016
  37. 37Saressalo (1983)
  38. 38Mannerheim (1953), p. 500
  39. 39Ziemke (2002), p. 388
  40. 40Mannerheim (1952), p. 484
  41. 41Mannerheim (1952), p. 499
  42. 42Mannerheim (1953), p. 509
  43. 43Ziemke (2002), p. 390
  44. 44Platonov (1964), p. 486
  45. 45Vehviläinen (2002), p. 143
  46. 46BookBagration to Berlin – The Final Air Battles in the East: 1944–1945Christer Bergstrom — Ian Allan — 2008
  47. 47BookThe Road to Berlin: Stalin's War with GermanyJohn Erickson — Yale University Press — 1993
  48. 48JournalThe Petsamo-Kirkenes Operation: Soviet Breakthrough and Pursuit in the Arctic, October 1944James Gebhardt — Combat Studies Institute — 1990
  49. 49BookSecond World WarMartin Gilbert — Weidenfeld and Nicolson — 1989
  50. 50BookThe Battle for Leningrad 1941–1944David Glantz — Kansas University Press — 2002
  51. 51BookWhen Titans Clashed: How the Red Army Stopped HitlerDavid Glantz et al. — Kansas University Press — 1998
  52. 52BookIlomantsi, lopultakin voittoAntti Juutilainen — Sotahistoriallinen seura — 1994
  53. 53BookSoviet Casualties and Combat Losses in the Twentieth CenturyGrigoriy Krivosheev — Greenhill Books — 1997
  54. 54BookJatkosodan pikkujättiläinenJari Leskinen — WSOY — 2005
  55. 55BookMannerheim, muistelmat, toinen osaG. Mannerheim — Otava — 1952
  56. 56BookThe Memoirs of Marshal MannerheimG. Mannerheim — Cassell — 1953
  57. 57BookMolotovin cocktail, Hitlerin sateenvarjoOhto Manninen — Painatuskeskus — 1994
  58. 58BookKun hyökkääjän tie pysäytettiinUuno E. Moisala et al. — Otava — 1988
  59. 59BookRetreat from Leningrad: Army Group North, 1944/1945Steven H. Newton — Schiffer Books — 1995
  60. 60BookBitva za LeningradS. P. Platonov — Voenizdat Ministerstva Оborony — 1964
  61. 61BookJatkosodan Torjuntataisteluita 1942–44Ari Raunio et al. — Otava — 2008
  62. 62BookHow Wars EndDan Reiter — Princeton University Press — 2009
  63. 63BookKutsui ääni isänmaan, Jalkaväkirykmentti 58Saressalo, Leo — JR58: n asevelitoimikunta — 1983
  64. 64BookFinnish Aces of World War 2Kari Stenman — Osprey Publishing — 1998
  65. 65BookMannerheim-kirjaMartti Turtola — Ajatus — 2001
  66. 66BookFinland in the Second World WarOlli Vehviläinen — Palgrave Macmillan — 2002
  67. 67BookТerra1999
  68. 68BookStalingrad to Berlin. The German Defeat in the EastEarl Ziemke — Government Printing Office — 2002
  69. 69BookThe German Northern Theater of Operations 1940–1945Earl F. Ziemke — Department of the Army — 1959

Report an error

Queue