Vyborg 1944

The Last Soviet-Finnish Campaign on the Eastern Front

Irincheev Bair

The war between the Soviet Union and Finland in 1941-44 is much less known in the West and in Russia than the Winter War 1939-40. For Finland the Continuation War is one of cornerstones of national identity. The Vyborg offensive, the battle that ended this war, is described very differently in Russian and Finnish literature. This book attempts to provide an extensive description of the build-up and course of the battle as well as the diplomatic games that lay behind it, including role of the Tehran Conference between the Allies.

The book covers all the main battlefields of the Vyborg offensive – both ones where the Leningrad front was victorious and where it failed. The author tries to give credit to simple soldiers on both sides and provides not only statistics but also recollections and memories of men who were there.

Extensive archival research in Russia and Finland was undertaken, as well as numerous trips to the actual battlefields that lie less than 100 miles north from Saint Petersburg. The book includes photos and maps of the operations.

The final part of the book summarises the end of hostilities between the Soviet Union and Great Britain on one side and Finland on another

About the Author

Bair Irincheev was born in Leningrad in 1944. He completed his studies at Saint-Petersburg University and Stockholm University. He is an author specialising in North European studies and especially wars between the USSR and Finland in the 20th century. His previous numerous publications cover the Winter War, Finnish fortifications and history of the Karelian Isthmus and Vyborg. The author also runs a war museum in Vyborg.

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