Battle of Summa - Second Battle in February

Second Battle in February

As the Soviets found it too difficult to breach the line at the Summa sector, they attacked 10 km to the east in a sector known as Lähde. If they broke through there then they could encircle the Finns holding the Summa position. Timoschenko knew he could beat the Finns in a battle of attrition. His plan was to wear them down and go for an intense final attack.

First large probing actions were launched against the Finnish lines. For over ten days the line held every position. On 11 February, the Soviets began their major assault.

On 12 February, a minor breach in the Finnish lines in the Lähde sector led to disaster. By that time, so many breaches had occurred in the Mannerheim Line that the reports concerning them were virtually disregarded. The following morning, a Finnish counter-attack was supposed to be launched by the entire 5th Division, the only reserve in easy reach of the front-line, but only one of the three regiments was available as the other two regiments had to be parceled out elsewhere.

Only two Finnish battalions launched a counter-attack against two well supplied Soviet regiments that were equipped with armor and artillery. The attack was thrown back with heavy Finnish casualties. The Russians made efforts to exploit this salient. One tank regiment proceeded as far as the Lähde road junction but then halted. Although complete victory was in their grasp, the Russians stopped their armoured spearhead.

Many Finnish companies were reduced to half their original strength. One company had lost 86 out 110 men. Over-night from the 14th to the 15th, the Finns began withdrawing from the Summa position. On the morning of the 15th the Russians attacked an empty position at Summa with more than 100 tanks and two divisions. That afternoon, Mannerheim ordered a general retreat to the Intermediate Line.