An Unwanted Surprise - Winter War

12 DECEMBER 1939, LAKE HIRVASJÄRVI, NORTHERN PINCER, BATTLE OF TOLVAJÄRVI By the second week of December the relentless onslaught of the Soviet Army had pushed the Finnish Army to the near breaking point on all fronts. Nowhere was the situation as desperate as along the Tolvajärvi Road, and hoping to fight the RKKA to at least a standstill, Mannerheim was hard pressed to take a desperate gamble. Deciding that the best defense was a good offense, the infamous Commander in Chief engineered a strategy to break the Soviet lines in the previously mentioned sector. Initially replacing many inadequate leaders, Mannerheim assigned a cadre of WWI veterans (namely Talvela and Pajari) to assume command of the Finnish forces in this area of peril. Aggressive and intelligent, they instantly constructed a doctrine for the attack. The northern pincer of this offensive operation was comprised of various infantry units under the command of Major Malkamäki (Task Force Malkamäki), and his forces were tasked with attacking Soviet forces in the northern sector of Lake Hirvasjärvi. Due to orienteering errors, the attack got off to a lackluster start. I/JR 16 (Kapteeni U.Herranen) was advancing north from it's previous position as elements of it's sister battalion (ErP.9) were combating strong RKKA forces on the western side of Lake Hirvasjärvi. Once across the lake, I/JR.16 immediately butted heads with the 718th Rifle Regiment/139th Division (who were on an offensive operation of their own). Taken by surprise, both Finn and Russian troops became engaged in a chaotic firefight in which unit cohesion was lost by both forces. Making no progress by 1200 hours, Major Malkmäki gave his men the order to withdraw.