[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents World War II Plus 70 Years: Seminar and Discussion Forum
First session: September 1, 2009. Last date to add: September 2, 2015.
Reading assignment: New York Times articles delivered daily to students on the 70th anniversary of original publication date. (Previously posted articles can be found by searching on keyword “realtime” Or view Homer’s posting history .)
To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by freepmail. Those on the Realtime +/- 70 Years ping list are automatically enrolled. Course description, prerequisites and tuition information is available at the bottom of Homer’s profile.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

[CougarGA7]

Day 37 of the Winter War, January 5, 1940

Enemy infantry assaults are successfully repulsed at Summa, Suokanta, Työppölänjoki and Hatjalahti.
Photo: SA-KUVA

Heavy bombing in Mikkeli

• Northern Finland: troops of the 9th Division set out to destroy the enemy's 44th 'Blue' Division on the Raate road. H-hour is set for 8.30. The enemy is hard pressed but cannot be broken.

• Mikkeli: the headquarters town of Mikkeli suffers heavy bombing. Due to severe cold the phone lines are down and the anti-aircraft guns are frozen. 40 enemy aircraft take part in the raid which kills 29 people and injures 36.

• Gulf of Bothnia: at 13.00 hours the Soviet submarine Sts 311 sinks the Swedish steamer Fenris off the Swedish coast near Umeå.

• Central Isthmus: the troop replenishment at the main defensive position at Summa is successfully completed.

• Enemy infantry assaults are successfully repulsed at Summa, Suokanta, Työppölänjoki and Lake Hatjalahti.

• Northern Finland: it's a bitterly cold night on the Raate road, with a temperature of -40° Celsius. The Finnish force has only one or two tents and the troops have to spend the night in the open air.

• President Kyösti Kallio is donating 100,000 markkaa as basic capital for a fund to assist impoverished relatives of the dead and wounded.

• Sweden: the Soviet Ambassador in Stockholm, Alexandra Kollontai, protests to the Swedish Government over voluntary recruitment activities and other aid work on behalf of Finland, and also over articles in the Swedish press critical of the Soviet Union.

• The Soviet Union also sends a similar note to the Norwegian Government.

[PAR35]

Parachute Troops Fail Soviet Thusfar

World War II provided fairly solid proof that mass attacks by paratroops and gliders was not a particularly good idea. The Russians seemed to have learned the quickest, the Germans after Crete, and the Americans and British continued throughout the war, in the apparent hope that the result would somehow be different.