Operation Tanne Ost

Finnish preparations to separately conclude the war against the Soviet Union prompted Germans to prepare for such an eventuality. Furthermore, as the situation became critical in mid-June 1944 during the initial successes of the Soviet Vyborg-Petrozavodsk Operation Germans placed the forces prepared for the operation into full readiness. German plans for both of the Tanne operations were planned alongside the Operation Birke, the German 20th Mountain Army's evacuation and on 5 July 1944, the Tanne operations were assigned solely to the Kriegsmarine. On 2 September 1944, Finland officially informed Germany of the coming cease-fire between Finland and the Soviet Union, which led to Hitler's orders to confiscate all Finnish shipping and to prepare for Operation Tanne Ost. ==Battle==

On 14 September 1944 a first wave of 1,400 men from both the Wehrmacht and the Kriegsmarine were loaded on ships in Tallinn. Before the assault the German commander tried to negotiate with the Finnish commander on Suursaari, as he had been led to believe from intelligence reports that the Finns might leave without resistance. At midnight, when a pair of Finnish VMV-class patrol boats were preparing to leave to transport a stranded German radio unit, a German minesweeper arrived at the docks on the eastern side of the island and demanded that the island surrender. When the demand was refused the Germans started to land troops which led to Finnish forces opening fire at 00:55 on 15 September 1944. ==Consequences==

This operation marked the beginning of hostilities between German and Finnish troops, known as the Lapland War. The Finns benefitted from the operation since it showed the Soviets that the Finns were prepared to use force against the Germans. It further damaged the German efforts in northern Finland since Finns ordered all shipping, including that leased to Germans, immediately to sail for Finnish or Swedish ports. ==Finnish order of battle==

Finnish forces consisted of Coastal Artillery Regiment 12 (RTR 12). Defence was organized into four sections as follows. Northern section, 1st Battalion (strength 340 men) • 10th Coastal Defence Company • 1st Section/201st Light Artillery Battery • 24th Heavy AA-Battery • 5th Light Coastal AA-Battery • 1st Platoon/Heavy mortar Company Mountain section, 2nd Battalion (strength 475 men) • HQ-Company/Coastal Artillery Regiment 12 • Section/9th Motorised Heavy Artillery Battery • 2nd Platoon/Heavy Mortar Company • 1st Platoon/1st Coastal Engineer Company • 8th Coastal Defence Company Middle section, Coastal Infantry Battalion 7 (strength 295 men) • 7th Coastal Defence Company • 9th Coastal Defence Company • 34th Heavy AA-Battery • Training Company Southern section, 3rd Battalion (strength 418 men) • 2nd Company/Coastal Battalion 7 • 3rd Company/Coastal Battalion 7 • 3rd Platoon/Heavy Mortar Company • 2nd Section/201st Light Artillery Battery ==References==