military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) (12/23/89)
From: military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) Sunday, 24 December, 1939 The Pope, in a Christmas Eve broadcast, enumerates five conditions for a just peace: independence for all nations, disarmament, international bodies to ensure adherence to agreements, fulfillment of national and minority needs, and abandonment of hatred. Finland reports driving back the Red Army on all three fronts. After a two-day battle on the Kemi river, a correspondent reports 2000 Russian soldiers frozen solid in fighting positions. Near Suomussalmi, the Soviet 44th and 163rd divisions attempt a breakout, but are contained by the Finnish 9th division, which moves up artillery to reduce the pockets. Germany and the USSR re-establish railway connections at their border in occupied Poland. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Bill Thacker military@cbnews.att.com Send submissions for "50 Years Ago" to military-request@att.att.com "Our entire nation is a single wall against the West. Before our forts is a clear field of fire for our artillery. The barrels of 10,000 guns are ready to warn any one approaching that "this land is ours"." - Rudolf Hess