Operation White Death

[Markus Wilding]

Party Boss Sari Paatelainen looked out upon the streets of Helsinki. Below her balcony on the People's Parliament, soldiers from the punainen kaarti and the 1st Red Armored Cavalry Regiment were parading below them, armored vehicles trailing behind them. A smile crept onto her face as she watched them pass by, people cheering for the symbols of Finland's military. Behind her, General Teemu Äijälä saluted and snapped his boots together, like any good soldier should. "Party Boss, the 1st punainen kaarti will be prepared for operations in approximately one week. The Red Navy estimates enemy opposition will be non-existent."

Sari did not turn, she only continued looking at the parade. "And the air force?"

"Reports are equal to the Red Navy's. They did recommend building a squadron of AC-130U aircraft to further assist ground operations."

"See that it is done."

"Yes, Party Boss."

In the evening, after the parade was over, the punainen kaarti and 1st RACR began training operations. The valkoinen demonit was included in this as well, using simulation ammo and chaff munitions to further assist in the training. Divisions who were not deemed part of the operation were assigned to be the "OpFor", the true enemy unknown to the soldiers and most of the command. Everything was kept under wraps until D-Day came, and when that came was anyone's guess. The punainen kaarti, 1st RACR, 1st TD Division (who would come in later in combat sims) and the 1st Mechanized, along with the 1st Engineering, would focus on amphibious assaults, paradropping and subsequent regrouping, assaulting large cities, fighting in dense forests and defending against a superior enemy force. Total units in the operation numbered to nearly 3.5k infantry fighting vehicles, 55,500 soldiers, 552 tanks (including those in the 1st TD) and over 650 support vehicles of AAA and self-propelled artillery. Finland was obviously preparing something large...but the enemy was a mystery.

[Markus Wilding]

Rumors began flying about that the enemy was confirmed. It differed from unit to unit, some saying the Swedes, others saying Prussia, and even more claiming that Slavorussia would be targeted. Senior officers who knew better quickly silenced any rumors of an invasion into Slavorussia, but said nothing of a possible Swedish/Prussian campaign, while the command structure remained silent. Any officer trying to find more information wouldn't receive an answer to calls or inquiries. Meanwhile, General Teemu Äijälä continued to demand the training exercises to continue, despite protests from unit commanders who knew their men were being worked to exhaustion. Despite this, the training continued, with every exercise interweaving itself with another. One unit would find their goals would coincide with those from another, and this would encourage coordination from commanders at the squadron and divisional level. Nothing was left to chance.

[Markus Wilding]

The training became even more intense. Countless hours of exercises had been jam-packed into days, and the days seemed to blend into each other. Combat operations were seen as normal for some.

But Finland had a very specific purpose in mind for these soldiers, one none of them could see. These exercises meant something, but who the enemy was still remained unknown. To Finnish High Command, however, D-Day was coming closer.