Slon-76 wrote:I am badly familiar with the composition of the Finnish troops in Lapland, but I think that even taking into account Swedes they did not compensate the 45- thousandth difference in the people.
There were several plans how to attack Petsamo, the original most probably coming from Finland:
Juha earlier wrote:Most detalled info I remember to have read about the issue, is from Jukka Nevakivi book Apu jota ei annettu, Länsivallat ja Suomen Talvisota 1939-1940" (Help not given, the Western Allies and the Finnish Winter War 1939-1940)
The same info might also be at one of the authors earlier book, also translated in English: The appeal that was never made: The Allies, Scandinavia and the Finnish Winter War, 1939-1940
There it's mentioned that the original idea most probably came from the Finnish side, then was bought by the French military command, approved by the Polish government in exile.
The British side finally didn't approve the idea, as they were more intrested in landing more south (= also taking the Swedish iron ore fields in to control)
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 8#p1371228
According to the above mentioned Nevakivi book: "Apu jota ei annettu, Länsivallat ja Suomen Talvisota 1939-1940":
At the Finnish promemoria ( made by Col Aladár Paasonen, 24th Dec-39) there was mentioned that the force sent to help Finns should have some 300-400 aircrafts and 3-4 light divisions infantry, accustomed to the winter conditions.
At the French Gen Gamelin proposition, 31st Dec-39, the number of volunteers sent to Petsamo was mentioned as 30 000 - 40 000 men.
At the Admiral Darlan plan the intial striking force against Petsamo would have been 13 000 - 17 000 men strong followed with "volunteers" (couple of divisions).
Slon-76 wrote:I can believe, that the allies badly knew the composition of Soviet forces on the north.
Nevakivi mentions that at the French plans the Soviet forces North of Kandalaksha being estimated as four divisions strong
Slon-76 wrote:But I cannot believe, that the allies developed their plans without having an idea about the forces of Finnish army.
Most probably there was co-operation.
At many cases the French plans were based/identical on the Paasonen plan
Regards, Juha