Suomussalmi, Battle of

Victory of the Finnish army over Soviet invaders in the Winter War December 1939 in northeastern Finland. The battle lasted three weeks in temperatures as low as −40°C. Although greatly outnumbered, the Finns sustained only 900 casualties against the Red Army's 27,000.

Stalin's aim had been to cut Finland off from its land border with Sweden. General Vinogrador, the Soviet commander, was executed for his failure.