December 6, 1939 · Karelian Isthmus Theater
December 6, 1939
The Battle of Taipale was a critical engagement at the eastern end of the Mannerheim Line where the Taipale River met Lake Ladoga. Soviet forces made this a major assault point seeking to outflank the Mannerheim Line from the east. Despite repeated massive Soviet attacks across the frozen river and along the lakeshore, Finnish defenders held the position for the entire duration of the Winter War. The fighting was among the most intense of the conflict, with continuous bombardment and infantry assaults lasting from December 1939 through the final days of the war in March 1940.
Commanders