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33-589: Nietjärvi is a village by Lake Nietjärvi ( "järvi" meaning lake). It is located in Ladoga Karelia , north of Lake Ladoga (in the southwestern corner of the Aunus Karelia frontier), in an area which belonged to Finland up to the end of the Continuation War (1944). Here, Finland's Aunus Group was on 11–12 July 1944 ready in positions at the defensive U-line, expecting an enemy offensive. The construction of

66-568: A 400 m wide section of the line which the Soviets held tight. Throughout the evening, the Soviet offensive continued relentlessly backed by heavy air support. The Finnish Air Force also took part in the battle, bombing Red Army formations on the southeastern edge of Lake Nietjärvi. Artillery battalions supporting the Finnish 5th Division fired 10,170 rounds and 4,900 mortars on 15 July. On the morning of 16 July,

99-576: A standard Red Army rifle division, as part of the pre-war expansion of the Soviet forces. It was stationed on the Svir River front in the autumn of 1941 and had a relatively uneventful war facing the Finns until the Vyborg–Petrozavodsk Offensive began on June 10, 1944, from which point it saw much more active service. As the Finns were leaving the war the division was transferred to 14th Army in

132-493: The Gulf of Finland in the south, and Lake Ladoga in the north. Ladoga Karelia Ladoga Karelia ( Finnish : Laatokan Karjala , Russian : Ладожская Карелия , romanized :  Ladožskaja Karelija , Карельское Приладожье, Karelskoje Priladožje or Северное Приладожье, Severnoje Priladožje ) is a historical region of Karelia , currently largely in Russia . Today,

165-538: The Viborg Governorate , also known as Old Finland . Following the Russian conquest of the rest of Finland, this so-called "Old Finland" was united, under the name Viborg Province , with the newly constituted Grand Duchy of Finland in 1812. The Ladoga Karelia was then divided into Central Karelia and Border Karelia . The area remained part of Finland following its independence from Russia in 1917. Ladoga Karelia

198-681: The 114th was recognized for its role in the capture of Petsamo with the award of the Order of the Red Banner . 14th Army continued its attack into Norway past Kirkenes and across the Neiden River . By now, in late October, the army faced very difficult terrain and the Arctic night, and operations were brought to a virtual halt. However, a reconnaissance force of the 114th was sent 116 road kilometres further west into Norway, eventually reaching Tana on November 13,

231-548: The Arctic, from where it helped to defeat and pursue the German forces from Lapland into Norway. The division began forming on July 14, 1939, at Irkutsk in the Transbaikal Military District . On August 16 the division came under the command of Col. Sergei Nikolaievich Devyatov, who would remain in this post until November 3, 1941. On June 22, 1941, the division was still in that district. Its primary order of battle

264-525: The Finns gave up their bridgehead south of the Svir on the 18th. The withdrawal went less smoothly than they expected, because 7th Army kept up an aggressive pursuit, crossing the river on either side of Lodeynoye Pole . The 114th distinguished itself in this operation and was later given the honorific «Свирская» (Svir). By June 30 the Finns had been forced out of Petrozavodsk and, two days later, Salmi . On July 26, Col. Nikolai Antonovich Koshchienko took command of

297-481: The Finns launched a counter-attack to regain the defense line. The entire day saw continuous heavy fighting. By evening the Soviets held on to a part of Nietjärvi village, and part of the defense line (a stretch of line consisting of connected trenches) on a low hill in that area. As a frontal assault was deemed to be too expensive, the Finns chose to cut off the Soviets by assaulting along the trenches, with artillery being used to prevent Soviet reinforcements from reaching

330-467: The Red Army message to its headquarters: "The Regiment destroyed, the flag saved". The main bulk of the two other regiments of the Soviet 114th Division were also destroyed, and the Soviet 272nd Rifle Division suffered heavy losses. Around 40 Red Army tanks, which had attacked in the direction of Nietjärvi, were lost. The breakthrough attempt cost the Soviets over 6,000 casualties, of whom over 2,000 died in

363-539: The Soviet Karelian Front's advance along the shores of Ladoga at the U-line. The concentrated field artillery and mortar fire power played a vital role, as in many other critical combats during summer of 1944. The Soviet 7th Army 's attempt to get around the U-line resulted in smaller engagements on the frontier north of lake Ladoga. The Soviet move to extend the front required Finns to extend their line as well, setting

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396-575: The U-line had been launched seven months earlier on the level of Nietjärvi–Lemetti–Loimola, as the fortified line behind the PSS-line (Pisi– Saarimäki–Sammatus), which was the most heavily fortified defense line in the Olonets Karelia (north and northeast of Lake Ladoga). Until July 1944, the frontline had closely followed the banks of the River Svir , which flows from Lake Onega to Lake Ladoga . Before

429-557: The area spoke South Karelian ( suvikarjala , not to be confused with the southeastern dialects of Finnish), while Livvi was spoken in Salmi and the Hyrsylä salient of Suojärvi. The historic region of Border Karelia was divided into the following municipalities (all belonging to Salmin kihlakunta ): 114th Rifle Division (Soviet Union) The 114th Rifle Division began service in July 1939 as

462-429: The area. At 22:30 that evening, the Finns began an artillery preparation which was immediately followed by an infantry assault along the trenches from both ends, using automatic rifles, hand grenades and flame throwers. In the early morning of 17 July 1944, the Finnish units approaching the trench from both ends managed to link up with the help of the flame throwers. Only a small portion of the Red Army soldiers trapped in

495-550: The battles began, the Finns abandoned the bridgehead which they had occupied on the southern shore of Svir, when troop transfers to the Karelian Isthmus made it impractical to hold. Behind the frontline there was a secondary defensive line before the strong PSS-line for the Finnish Army to slow down the Soviet advance. The long-awaited Soviet offensive began with overwhelming force and managed to push through Finnish defenses at

528-428: The better maintained Finnish road network as well as several roads to Finnish rear areas ( Sortavala , Värtsilä and Matkaselkä). At dawn on 15 July, the formation of the Finnish 5th Division was as follows: the line between Lake Ladoga and Nietjärvi was defended by the 44th Infantry Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Ilmari Rytkönen; the 2nd Infantry Regiment defended on the northeastern side of Nietjärvi under

561-399: The command of Colonel Heikki Saure. On the morning of 15 July 1944, Soviet artillery and mortars opened fierce fire preparations. The resulting dust, sand and smoke clouds severely reduced visibility. The Red Army followed the artillery preparation with an infantry assault supported with armored units. By midday, the Finnish defense had been able to stop the Soviet attacks everywhere except on

594-461: The deepest operation by Soviet forces into that country. The division served the remainder of the war in Arctic, in 14th Army, officially "out of contact with the enemy" after December. At the war's end the soldiers of the 114th held the official title 114-я стрелковая Свирская Краснознамённая дивизия (English: 114th Rifle, Svir, Order of the Red Banner Division). The division became part of

627-417: The division on November 4, 1941, and he would remain in command for most of the rest of the war, being promoted to Major General on October 16, 1943. On May 15, 1944, General Panfilovich handed his command to Col. Ignatii Alekseevich Moskalev. The Soviet offensive against Finland began on June 10. By the 16th, Marshal Mannerheim had issued orders to give up East Karelia under the weight of the Soviet assault;

660-599: The division, which he would lead for the duration of the war. By August the Soviet forces had driven the Finnish army back to its 1940 borders, and beginning on August 9 the division was moved to the high Arctic, becoming part of 14th Army . It took part in the Petsamo–Kirkenes Offensive along the coast of the Arctic Ocean, driving the German 20th Mountain Army out of northern Finland and into Norway. On October 31,

693-516: The former Simpele municipality is now part of the current Rautjärvi municipality. Meanwhile, Kolkka , the westernmost part of the former Korpiselkä municipality that remained in Finland, was joined to Tuupovaara municipality, which in turn is now part of Joensuu and North Karelia province. The historic region of Central Karelia ( Finnish : Keski-Karjala ) was divided into the following municipalities and hundreds ( kihlakunnat ): Hiitola

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726-440: The front line. The attack stalled at the PSS-line, but combined efforts from the assaulting troops and naval infantry landing behind the Finnish lines made holding the PSS-line impossible for the Finns, who started withdrawing towards the U-line while delaying the Soviet advance. During the previous three weeks, the Finnish defenders had managed to delay and disturb the advancement of the enemy offensive, wearing down and eating away

759-475: The highest recorded artillery support, with 1.4 artillery battalions per infantry battalion. The Finns deployed a surprise element, inflicting heavy damage on enemy forces with very short half-minute or one-minute artillery barrages and counter-battery firing. This happened without notable Finnish air force support. The efficient cooperation of the elements of the Finnish armed forces helped the Aunus Group to stop

792-498: The relatively short but brutal battle. Few Red Army soldiers were captured by the Finns. The Finnish Army suffered 500 dead or missing and 700 wounded. Some soldiers might have died outside of the Nietjärvi battleground. During the five days from 11 to 15 July, the Finnish field artillery fired 54,300 rounds in the U-line, more than in any other battle during the summer of 1944. They also fired 24,400 mortars. The infantry battalions had

825-461: The sharpest edge of the Soviet attack. Withdrawing Finns stopped at the U-line, and after finding out the Finnish defenses, the Soviets began to make local probing attacks against the U-line in an attempt to locate possible weak spots suitable for a breakthrough attempt from the Finnish defense line. The decision was made to breach the Finnish defenses along the main coastal road at Nietjärvi and advance to Kittilä. Reaching Kittilä would provide access to

858-510: The stage for the Battle of Ilomantsi fought further to the north. The Finnish defense had prevented the Red Army from advancing from the north side of Lake Ladoga into the battle stages of the Karelian Isthmus . If the Red Army had not been stopped here, the Finnish forces fighting on the Karelian Isthmus would have been left between two Soviet armies on the narrow Isthmus, in the area limited by

891-692: The term refers to the part of the Republic of Karelia in the Russian Federation comprising the south-west part of the Republic, specifically Lakhdenpokhsky District , Pitkyarantsky District and Sortavala District. This region is on the northern littoral of Lake Ladoga , which borders Olonets Karelia to the East, Leningrad Oblast ( Karelian Isthmus ) to the south-west and the North Karelia region of Finland to

924-429: The trench or beyond it had escaped. Soviet forces tried to support the troops fighting in the trenches but Finnish artillery prevented reinforcements from reaching the area. The Red Army had not been able to penetrate through the defense of the Finnish 5th Division in the U-line. The heaviest losses were suffered by the Soviet 114th Rifle Division . The Soviet 762nd Rifle Regiment was totally destroyed. The Finns captured

957-469: The west side of Nietjärvi, where 1st and 3rd battalions of 44th Infantry Regiment were unable to hold back the Soviets. The Soviets followed their initial success with another breakthrough attempt on the northwestern shore of Lake Nietjärvi, in Yrjölä. Lack of reserves made it difficult for the Finns to respond to the attacks, but by evening they had succeeded in stopping the Red Army breakthrough attempt, apart from

990-506: The west. When state formation first began in the region, Ladoga Karelia belonged to the Novgorod Republic ; thereafter it came under Russian rule, as part of Kexholm County . Along with Kexholm County, Ladoga Karelia was transferred to Sweden through the Treaty of Stolbovo in 1617. Sweden lost Ladoga Karelia to Russia in the Treaty of Nystad in 1721, after which the area became part of

1023-420: Was also sometimes read as belonging to Ladoga Karelia. Pälkjärvi belonged to the parish of Ilomantsi and thus to the county of Kuopio . Because of its geographical position and historical background, however, it could also be connected to Laatokan Karjala. In Border Karelia ( Finnish : Raja-Karjala ), the majority language was Karelian and most of the people were Orthodox Christians . Most Karelians in

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1056-646: Was as follows: In July, the 114th joined the 36th Army in the same district, but in September was alerted for transfer to the west. It was eventually assigned to the Southern Operations Group of 7th Army in East Karelia , facing the Finnish Army along the front of the Svir River until June 1944. During most of this time it was part of the 4th Rifle Corps . Col. Mikhail Ignatovich Panfilovich took command of

1089-570: Was fought over by Finland and the Soviet Union during the 1939–40 Winter War (ended with the Moscow Peace Treaty ) and the 1941–44 Continuation War . Following these conflicts, only small parts of Ladoga Karelia remained in Finland. Some form part of the South Karelia region : the Finnish parts of Parikkala , Saari and Uukuniemi municipalities are now part of Parikkala municipality ;

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