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Forest Guerrillas (Finnish: Metsäsissit) were an East Karelian resistance movement that was created officially on 14 October 1921.[1] There were around 3,000 Forest Guerillas in total during the East Karelian Uprising as a Karelian and Finnish resistance movement against Bolshevik Russia, aiming for an East Karelian state with independence from Russia, and in some occasions unification or cooperation with Finland. Most of the soldiers of the Forest Guerillas were from White Karelia, Repola & Porajärvi and Olonets Karelia.[1] The heraldry of the East Karelian Forest Guerillas was created by Akseli Gallen-Kallela.[2]
| Forest Guerrillas | |
|---|---|
| Metsäsissit | |
.svg) War flag of East Karelia, used by the Forest Guerrillas. | |
| Active | 1920–1922 |
| Disbanded | February 1922 |
| Allegiance |  Karelian United Government |
| Type | Paramilitary |
| Size | 3,000+ |
| Engagements | East Karelian uprising |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Ossippa Borissainen Ukki Väinämöinen Paavo Talvela Jalmari Takkinen |
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Near the end of 1921, company-sized militia groups were being formed in East Karelia to fight against the Bolsheviks, due to the official abandonment of Finnish support for the cause of Karelian Independence following the signing of the Tartu Peace Treaty between the Finns and Russians.[3] These militias would be united into the East Karelian Forest Guerilla Regiment on 14 October 1921, following a meeting between around 200 representatives from all around Karelia at Koivuniemi.[3][4] The Forest Guerilla Regiment was sized around 3,000 men strong.[4] In that very meeting held, Ukki Väinämöinen was chosen as the spiritual leader of the Forest Guerillas, as he was a major proponent and a key figure in Karelian Nationalism, with Ossippa Borissainen also serving a commanding role in the East Karelian Forest Guerrilla Regiment, with Jalmari Takkinen (nom de guerre: Ilmarinen) being chosen as the commander-in-chief of the Forest Guerillas.[5][6]
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The political body of the Forest Guerrillas was the Karelian United Government. The body dealing with foreign affairs of East Karelia, mainly asking for help and aid from the Western powers, such as Finland, the United States, Estonia and Poland, was called the Foreign Commission of Karelia. The Forest Guerrillas were divided into three separate units, which were respectively called: the East Karelian Forest Guerrilla Regiment, the Viena Regiment and the Repola Battalion.[6]
Advances & victories
On 11 December 1921, the Repola Battalion launched an offensive attack, capturing Repola and forcing the Bolshevik Russians to retreat. With the Forest Guerillas following closely in pursuit, capturing Lentiera on 15 December 1921, and the pursuit continued until Lupasalmi, where the Bolsheviks were encircled and beaten with significant losses. The pursuit tactics which the Forest Guerillas were using were efficient, until they were forced to battle the Bolsheviks at Klyyssinvaara and Kuutamalahti, until a tough battle on Christmas night when Porajärvi was captured for the East Karelians.[3]
The Forest Guerillas had captured around 60,000 square kilometers from the Bolshevik Russians at their highest extent, and there was lots of public support behind them, as Karelian nationalism and Pan-Finnicism were increasingly popular in the rural areas of Karelia.[3]
The Red Army had begun a counter-offensive against the Forest Guerillas on 5 November, beginning an attack towards the village of Uskela. The Forest Guerillas had set up defensive positions upon hearing the news and opened fire over the Red Army group traveling over the frozen lake at Uskela. The Forest Guerillas had defeated the Bolsheviks in their first major encounter.[3]
Forest Guerilla retreat & dissolution
On 22 January 1922, the Bolsheviks had begun an all-out counter-offensive against the Forest Guerillas, moving towards Kokkosalmi. The ensuing battle between the Forest Guerillas and Bolsheviks was fierce, with both sides taking major casualties. The Forest Guerillas only had around 800 men at their disposal to defend the village, and they had been blockaded by the Bolsheviks. The Karelian Forest Guerillas retreated towards Sohjana through a minor gap in the enemy blockade.
The Viena Regiment reorganized with help from the Oulanga Company at Sohjananvirta, and on 26 January they came into contact with the Bolsheviks, and a battle across a frozen river ensued with the Forest Guerillas holding off the Bolshevik forces until the next day, when they once again retreated, this time retreating to Pistojärvi. On 5 February 1922, they were forced into a defensive battle with the Bolsheviks, where they ultimately retreated across the Finnish-Russian Border into Kainuu, due to the vast Red Army superiority in manpower and the reason that the Forest Guerillas were lacking ammunition and food supplies.[3]
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