Time Slip Reiwa Japan

053 - Karelian Isthmus Conflict - 2

For the Soviet Union, Finland's reaction was somewhat expected, but the intense opposition from the League of Nations and the international community was unexpected. In particular, what angered Stalin was the dispatch of volunteer units by the Siberian Republic. Moreover, assigning the heavy cruiser Admiral Evarts, which was an unacceptable traitor to the Soviet Union, to escort the convoy of the volunteer units, made Stalin furious.

He ordered the sinking of Admiral Ewald at all costs and also ordered pressure on the Siberian Republic. Under Stalin's strict orders, the Soviet military, in addition to preparing for war with Finland, declared the sudden implementation of the 1939 West Siberian Exercise, using troops deployed in the western Siberian lowlands to conduct pressure operations against the Siberian Republic.

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Siberian Republic/Japan

In response to the 1939 West Siberian Exercise, the Siberian Republic requested that the Japanese government conduct a similar large-scale exercise. The Japanese government decided to conduct a maneuver exercise, including the Japan Federal Armed Forces Siberian Army and Federal Army *1 in response to this request. In addition, air bombing exercises with newly completed B-1 and B-2 bombers *2 were also planned. Regarding the transport of volunteer units and humanitarian aid supplies, the Japan Federal Armed Forces and Federal Armed Forces South Seas Force organized the TF-391 by assembling ships and assigning them for escort duty.

TF-391 was a formidable carrier strike group, consisting of 21 combat ships of various sizes centered around the 70.000-ton aircraft carrier Zuikaku and the 35.000-ton air defense escort ship Musashi. It had air defense combat capability provided by 7 Aegis system ships led by the retiring Ticonderoga-class, and anti-submarine combat capability provided by 6 escort ships, mainly composed of helicopter-equipped combat escort ships (Hyūga-class escort ships). In addition, there were multi-function escort ships and submarines to strengthen the outer perimeter.

Assuming the Soviet Union's suspicious movements, the deployment was based on the assumption of humanitarian transport support but also assumed the possibility of full-scale combat.

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Finland

In the latter half of 1939, negotiations between Finland and the Soviet Union were still ongoing, but this did not mean that there was no fighting. There were small-scale clashes between scattered forces along the border, reconnaissance by aircraft, and a show of force by aviation units trying to gain air superiority. This was appropriately called the "Phoney War."

At this point, Finland had fewer than 100 aircraft, including fighter planes, bombers, and training planes. On the other hand, the Soviet Union had deployed over 500 aircraft near the border with Finland. Although there were only small skirmishes in the air, Finland was clearly at a disadvantage.

However, the arrival of new equipment would change the situation. The Japanese-made water-cooled fighter plane F-7 arrived. Piloted by pilots who received rigorous training in Britain, the F-7s, although only 12 in number, managed to turn the tide of the air war from an overwhelming disadvantage to a slightly disadvantaged level.

This was not a full-scale combat, and the current situation was a small-scale skirmish between reconnaissance planes and fighter planes—a show of force. Nevertheless, the sight of F-7s dominating the skies over Karelia greatly encouraged the people of Finland.

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Soviet Union

In the Siberian War of Independence (Siberian Disgrace), Japanese-made fighter planes pushed the Soviet Air Force to the brink of destruction in the western region. The news gave the Soviet Air Force an unexpected shock. Although the Soviet leadership had known about Japan's sale of new piston-engine fighter planes to Finland, the appearance of the planes in front of them caused a disturbance. In particular, the F-7, which first flew over Karelia, arrived in Finland with its distinctive white-gray Japanese camouflage (low visibility) paint scheme. Soviet Air Force pilots who had experienced a desperate battle with Japanese military planes (F-5 fighters) in Siberia remembered that color.