[Homer_J_Simpson]

Fun with Winnie! (“The next day” refers to Feb. 6, when the British party is returning from the Feb. 5 meeting in Paris. See yesterday’s reply #3 for Churchill’s description of that.)

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Day 69 of the Winter War, February 6, 1940

By 7.30 in the evening the Finnish front line is entirely under Finnish control. The retreating enemy suffers heavy losses from the Finnish artillery and machine-gun fire.
Photo: SA-KUVA

Mannerheim Line holds firm on the Isthmus

• Karelian Isthmus: the Mannerheim Line holds firm. Finnish troops repulse the attempted Soviet breakthrough in Summa village and Marjapellonmäki.

• The first enemy tanks are destroyed in the early morning twilight, with the accompanying infantry also suffering heavy losses.

• By 7.30 in the evening the Finnish front line is entirely under Finnish control. The retreating enemy suffers heavy losses from the Finnish artillery and machine-gun fire.

• Northern Finland: in Kuhmo, the Finnish 9th Division surrounds the Russian 54th Division in a series of 'mottis'.

• Ladoga Karelia: Finnish troops capture an enemy base to the northeast of Lake Ladoga. The enemy loses over 500 men and a considerable amount of war materiel.

• Stockholm: Finnish Foreign Minister Väinö Tanner has another meeting with the Soviet Ambassador in Stockholm, Madame Alexandra Kollontai. Madame Kollontai passes on her government's view that Tanner's suggestion of the previous day does not provide a sufficient basis for opening peace talks. Tanner leaves for home.

• Norway: the northern Norwegian province of Ruija announces that there are currently 1,179 Finnish refugees in the province: 381 men, 359 women and 429 children.

• London: a question is asked in the House of Commons on the urgent dispatch of aircraft to Finland. Due to the sensitivity of the issue no detailed information can be provided.