Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Day 126 January 4, 1940

Finland. Finns give Soviet 44th division another day to suffer in the subzero temperatures while they prepare for an assault on Raate Road. They drag guns & munitions into place and Task Force Kari clears Soviet flank forces from the village of Eskola. Many Soviet troops freeze to death or die of starvation & frostbite is widespread. Dry gangrene is common as limbs quickly mortify from frostbite & minor wounds. Amputated limbs pile up.

Britain & France develop plans to send troops to Finland overland via Norway & Sweden (requiring, of course, permission from these two neutral countries). They have a hidden agenda to seize Swedish iron ore mines at Gällivare which supply much of Germany’s war needs. British Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax sends a diplomatic note to sound out Norway (Sweden is cc’d) asking to send Royal Navy vessels into Norwegian waters, citing German sinking of British merchant ships.

The first Norwegian volunteers leave Oslo for Finland.

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