The Finnish troops have held the intermediary defensive positions on the Isthmus for 12 days. Lieutenant-General Erik Heinrichs, commander of the Army of the Isthmus, orders withdrawal from these positions to begin at 7 o'clock in the evening.
Photo: SA-KUVA
Delaying action begins to cover withdrawal to backline defences
- The Finnish troops have held the intermediary defensive positions on the Isthmus for 12 days. Lieutenant-General Erik Heinrichs, commander of the Army of the Isthmus, orders withdrawal from these positions to begin at 7 o'clock in the evening.
- The Finns begin delaying action to cover withdrawal to the backline defences.
- Despite the critical situation in the intermediary positions as a result of the enemy breakthrough, the Finnish troops manage to pace their withdrawal successfully. The Soviet force follows behind relatively slowly.
- Following the realignment of the front on the western part of the Isthmus, the Finnish 2nd Division is ordered to withdraw to the eastern side of the Vuoksi and defend the Sintolanniemi-Vuosalmi line.
- The 2nd Division fighting in Vuosalmi ends its assessment of its present situation: "Today we're okay, tomorrow we'll be really struggling, and the day after tomorrow the 2nd Division will no longer exist unless we get full assistance from III Army Corps."
- The 2nd Division is placed under III Army Corps and begins a delaying action in the Vuosalmi sector.
- In the far north, enemy air raids on the Finnish positions at Heteoja in Petsamo continue throughout the day.
- In the face of an assault by a much larger enemy force, the outnumbered Finns are forced in the evening to withdraw to the west bank of the River Nautsijoki.
- Abroad: Finland's Foreign Minister Väinö Tanner is in Stockholm for talks with Swedish Prime Minister P.A. Hansson.
- The Swedish Government sticks to its previous position: it will not intervene to help Finland.
- Tanner proposes a defensive alliance to halt the Soviet advance. He also meets the Soviet Union's ambassador in Stockholm, Madame Alexandra Kollontai.
- The Soviet Union refuses to relax its peace terms.
- 300 child evacuees arrive in Stockholm from Finland. 3,000 more are expected to arrive soon.
- Pope Pius XII donates a signed and sealed prayer on behalf of Finland to the Pro Finlandia auction of books organized by the Bukowski auction house in Stockholm.
- Helsinki's Swedish Theatre visits Oslo and receives public acclaim for its performance of J.J. Wecksell's play Daniel Hjort.
- After the performance the company are presented with flowers and Director Nyman presents his Finnish colleague with a laurel wreath.
- The Norwegian Royal Family and many members of the Government attend the performance, which ends with the singing of the Finnish and Norwegian national anthems.