896:
150:
118:
138:
926:
the German High
Command to reinforce something which they considered as a secondary theater paved the way for the only successful Soviet resistance in the early stages of Operation Barbarossa. The failure of Platinum Fox had a significant impact on the course of the war in the east. Murmansk was a major base for the Soviet Northern fleet and it also was the destination of shipped Western Allied aid to the Soviet Union. With the entry of the United States into the war in December 1941, the stream of supplies intensified even more through the
92:
884:
after the
Soviets landed with two battalions on the other side of the Litsa Bay further north, Dietl had to stop the offensive. The situation now became worse for the Germans, as the thinly stretched forces had to hold a 57 km long frontline along the Litsa River to the Rybachy Peninsula. With the absence of roads, the supply situation also deteriorated and the offensive stalled. Dietl asked for more reinforcements and Hitler, after initially being reluctant, agreed to transfer the
913:
reinforcements arrived in the area and on 21 September the German offensive was broken off. Mountain Corps Norway was ordered to now defend the frontline and secure the
Petsamo area and its nickel-mines, as a renewed offensive was ruled out. In mid-October the 2nd Mountain Division withdrew to Petsamo and the 6th Mountain Division replaced the 3rd Mountain Division along the Litsa line. The 3rd Mountain Division was then moved back to Germany in December.
904:
ports, hampered the arrival of reinforcements and supplies and would delay the arrival of the 6th
Mountain Division to October. Nevertheless, on 8 September Dietl started with the renewed offensive without the 6th Mountain Division. The initial assault failed badly and the SS regiments, untrained for arctic warfare, took heavy casualties. The Germans made some initial progress, but a Soviet counterattack stopped the offensive soon after.
105:
883:
On 10 July a new plan had to be made, after a copy of the offensive plan fell into Soviet hands. The 2nd
Mountain Division had to expand the bridgehead, while the 3rd Mountain Division had to advance on the south and establish another bridgehead. The renewed attack was again initially successful, but
880:, with joint forces from both divisions. With the element of surprise lost, the Germans were only able to establish a small bridgehead over the river. After a heavy Soviet counterattack on 7 July, Dietl requested more reinforcements, but he received only a motorized machine-gun battalion from Norway.
925:
Operation
Platinum Fox was a German failure. Although Dietl was able to make some ground, his insufficient forces were soon stopped by the Soviets. The presence of British-Soviet naval forces at the Barents Sea hampered German efforts to adequately supply his forces and the general unwillingness of
907:
Constant attacks by Soviet submarines and
British surface ships (consisting of a force of two aircraft carriers, two cruisers and six destroyers) also sank numerous German ships and worsened the supply situation even more. For this reason von Falkenhorst prohibited German shipping from sailing east
903:
Dietl now made plans to renew the offensive, with the fresh SS regiments leading the assault, in
September before the onset of the winter would make it difficult to fight. But a combination of British and Soviet surface ships and aircraft, which constantly attacked German shipping to the northern
912:
on 13 September. Hitler again pressured to continue the offensive, but Dietl made it clear, that with the dire supply situation and without further reinforcements no further advance was possible. On 19 September the
Germans retreated from their bridgehead east of the Litsa river. More Soviet
858:. After some initial successes the advance was slowed. The German offensive met with many problems from the start, as the rough terrain with bad roads made any advance difficult. The German units also lacked proper maps and had to move mostly through unknown terrain.
876:. The 2nd Mountain Division could not advance into the Rybachy Peninsula, and already at the start of July had to go into the defensive in this sector. Further south, after a heavy Soviet counterattack, the Germans resumed their offensive to the east to reach the
916:
During the winter of 1941, the
Soviets launched several heavy attacks on the Litsa as well as the Rybachy Peninsula front. The dug-in German units were able to hold it, cementing the front line for the next years.
1473:
1468:
483:
241:
865:
in one day after fierce fighting and secured a bridge over the river. In the north the 2nd Mountain Division also made good progress in the first hours to secure the neck of the
1458:
476:
1488:
937:
In recognition of its role in the successful defense of Murmansk, the Soviet 52nd Rifle Division was renamed 10th Guards Rifle Division on 26 December 1941.
469:
1478:
1366:
234:
892:
to Dietl's command. After more arguing, in August the 388th Infantry Regiment and the 9th SS Regiment from Norway were also assigned to the operation.
275:
895:
660:
280:
788:), attacking Murmansk from two directions. The assault from Finnish Petsamo directly towards the port of Murmansk was codenamed Platinum Fox (
1340:
1004:
227:
195:
645:
450:
1483:
999:
994:
851:
847:
270:
187:
972:
369:
1413:
1374:
1321:
885:
170:
166:
861:
The two divisions advanced in two directions. In the south the 3rd Mountain Division was able to penetrate the Soviet lines at the
419:
665:
1282:
966:
1463:
1026:
956:
951:
832:
828:
716:
384:
414:
800:
and to isolate Murmansk from the south by cutting off the Murmansk railway. This concurrent operation was codenamed
1448:
872:
Nevertheless, the offensive soon met with heavy Soviet resistance, especially from some ad-hoc ground units of the
753:
434:
978:
836:
1453:
843:
757:
404:
379:
1240:
399:
285:
670:
429:
409:
330:
325:
877:
873:
817:
199:
59:
1350:
1354:
801:
749:
727:
615:
608:
530:
509:
311:
290:
30:
931:
772:. They joined Finnish forces on the border of Soviet territory. These divisions consisted of elite
765:
563:
394:
352:
320:
191:
55:
1384:
1292:
1025:
a mixed unit consisting of ad-hoc drafted and volunteered sailors and marine units later renamed
909:
855:
622:
587:
556:
424:
335:
154:
1409:
1370:
1336:
1317:
1278:
866:
769:
601:
594:
516:
297:
63:
930:. A large part of this was delivered via the Northern route to the port of Murmansk, and the
899:
German coastal artillery – German shipping was under constant attack by Soviet-British forces
723:
696:
570:
502:
374:
357:
340:
251:
1396:
1304:
688:
638:
541:
439:
773:
461:
1442:
862:
781:
549:
1357:; Hoffmann, Joachim; Klink, Ernst; Müller, Rolf-Dieter; Ueberschär, Gerd R. (eds.).
824:
712:
704:
149:
142:
137:
123:
97:
793:
720:
631:
1361:. Vol. IV. Translated by McMurry, Dean S.; Osers, Ewald; Willmot, Louise.
842:
crossed the border and advanced on Murmansk. They were opposed by units of the
927:
545:
579:
389:
777:
708:
110:
1241:""W krainie skutej lodem" - Operacja "Barbarossa" na Dalekiej Północy"
889:
761:
1097:
1095:
816:
On 29 June 1941 the Platinum Fox phase of Silver Fox was launched.
219:
1353:(1998). "Strategy and Policy in Northern Europe". In Boog, Horst;
894:
797:
1331:
Nenye, Vesa; Munter, Peter; Wirtanen, Tony; Birks, Chris (2016).
1184:
1182:
1275:
Red Guards: Soviet Guards Rifle and Airborne Units 1941 to 1945
465:
223:
1148:
1146:
1124:
1122:
784:. The Finnish-German forces launched Operation Silver Fox (
1333:
Finland at War: The Continuation and Lapland Wars 1941–45
1474:
Military operations of World War II involving Germany
1406:
The German Northern Theater of Operations 1940–1945
1277:. Vol. IV. Nafziger Collection, Incorporated.
1469:Battles and operations of the Soviet–German War
1369:). Oxford: Clarendon Press. pp. 941–1020.
23:
735:
477:
235:
46:(2 months, 3 weeks and 2 days)
8:
1312:Mann, Chris M.; Jörgensen, Christer (2002).
934:, contributing to its continued resistance.
726:. It was part of a larger operation, called
1459:Arctic military operations of World War II
1367:Military History Research Office (Germany)
1214:
1188:
1152:
1128:
1101:
1086:
962:Under the direct command of AOK Lappland:
484:
470:
462:
242:
228:
220:
20:
1316:. Hersham, UK: Ian Allan Publishing Ltd.
1201:
1199:
1197:
1172:
1170:
768:at the Finnish-Soviet border as part of
1205:Mann & Jörgensen (2002), pp. 81–87.
1176:Mann & Jörgensen (2002), pp. 86–87.
1164:Mann & Jörgensen (2002), pp. 85–86.
1047:Mann & Jörgensen (2002), pp. 83–84.
1043:
1041:
1037:
780:specially trained to operate above the
719:and had the objective of capturing the
661:British occupation of the Faroe Islands
1392:
1382:
1300:
1290:
1112:
1110:
1064:
1062:
1489:Military operations involving Finland
1408:. United States Government Printing.
1226:
967:Finnish Separate Detachment (Petsamo)
493:Military operations, Arctic 1941–1945
7:
1363:Militärgeschichtliches Forschungsamt
1433:Finland and World War II, 1939–1944
1140:Mann & Jörgensen (2002), p. 85.
1116:Mann & Jörgensen (2002), p. 82.
1077:Mann & Jörgensen (2002), p. 87.
1068:Mann & Jörgensen (2002), p. 81.
792:). The other assault was an attack
711:military offensive launched during
1479:Battles involving the Soviet Union
14:
1009:Several non assigned ad-hoc units
715:. Platinum Fox took place on the
148:
136:
116:
103:
90:
1431:Wuorinen, John H. (1948), ed.,
975:(Jalkaväkirykmentti 14 (JR 14))
1359:The Attack on the Soviet Union
973:14th Finnish Infantry Regiment
176:Finnish 14th Infantry Regiment
1:
1217:, pp. 944–945, 960–966.
969:(Erillinen Osasto (Petsamo))
957:German 3rd Mountain Division
952:German 2nd Mountain Division
833:German 3rd Mountain Division
829:German 2nd Mountain Division
44:29 June – 21 September 1941
1056:Nenye et al. (2016); p. 14.
1020:
1505:
1435:, New York: Roland Press.
1273:Sharp, Charles C. (1995).
854:, which were commanded by
835:together with the Finnish
666:Petsamo–Kirkenes offensive
1484:Battles involving Finland
499:
261:
205:
174:2 additional SS regiments
160:
129:
82:
36:
28:
1404:Ziemke, Earl F. (1959).
1104:, pp. 941–942, 944.
758:Nikolaus von Falkenhorst
693:Unternehmen Platinfuchs
1260:Ziemke (1959), p. 181.
983:Border Guard Battalion
900:
840:Border Guard Battalion
736:
701:operaatio Platinakettu
700:
692:
685:Operation Platinum Fox
671:Liberation of Finnmark
184:27,500 men (initially)
182:Border Guard Battalion
130:Commanders and leaders
24:Operation Platinum Fox
1335:. Osprey Publishing.
898:
886:6th Mountain Division
874:Soviet Northern Fleet
820:under the command of
818:Mountain Corps Norway
206:Casualties and losses
200:Soviet Northern Fleet
171:3rd Mountain Division
167:2nd Mountain Division
1464:Operation Barbarossa
1089:, pp. 941, 945.
1027:186th Rifle Division
827:, consisting of the
802:Operation Arctic Fox
750:Operation Barbarossa
748:At the beginning of
728:Operation Silver Fox
31:Operation Silver Fox
1351:Ueberschär, Gerd R.
1314:Hitler's Arctic War
1191:, pp. 943–944.
1000:52nd Rifle Division
995:14th Rifle Division
932:port of Arkhangelsk
852:52nd Rifle Division
655:Associated articles
370:Vyborg–Petrozavodsk
192:52nd Rifle Division
188:14th Rifle Division
1005:1st Polar Division
901:
856:Valerian A. Frolov
770:Operation Reindeer
385:Beryozovye Islands
196:1st Polar Division
155:Valerian A. Frolov
1449:Conflicts in 1941
1342:978-1-4728-1526-2
1239:Rzeszy, Dookoła.
1215:Ueberschär (1998)
1189:Ueberschär (1998)
1153:Ueberschär (1998)
1129:Ueberschär (1998)
1102:Ueberschär (1998)
1087:Ueberschär (1998)
867:Rybachy Peninsula
760:, attacked from
679:
678:
459:
458:
420:Svir–Petrozavodsk
218:
217:
78:
77:
64:Rybachy Peninsula
1496:
1419:
1400:
1394:
1390:
1388:
1380:
1346:
1327:
1308:
1302:
1298:
1296:
1288:
1261:
1258:
1252:
1251:
1249:
1248:
1236:
1230:
1224:
1218:
1212:
1206:
1203:
1192:
1186:
1177:
1174:
1165:
1162:
1156:
1150:
1141:
1138:
1132:
1126:
1117:
1114:
1105:
1099:
1090:
1084:
1078:
1075:
1069:
1066:
1057:
1054:
1048:
1045:
1024:
941:Orders of battle
844:Soviet 14th Army
752:German units of
739:
724:port of Murmansk
503:Continuation War
494:
486:
479:
472:
463:
276:Karelian Isthmus
256:
254:
253:Continuation War
244:
237:
230:
221:
153:
152:
141:
140:
122:
120:
119:
109:
107:
106:
100:
96:
94:
93:
38:
37:
21:
1504:
1503:
1499:
1498:
1497:
1495:
1494:
1493:
1454:1941 in Finland
1439:
1438:
1428:
1426:Further reading
1416:
1403:
1391:
1381:
1377:
1355:Förster, Jürgen
1349:
1343:
1330:
1324:
1311:
1299:
1289:
1285:
1272:
1269:
1264:
1259:
1255:
1246:
1244:
1238:
1237:
1233:
1225:
1221:
1213:
1209:
1204:
1195:
1187:
1180:
1175:
1168:
1163:
1159:
1151:
1144:
1139:
1135:
1127:
1120:
1115:
1108:
1100:
1093:
1085:
1081:
1076:
1072:
1067:
1060:
1055:
1051:
1046:
1039:
1035:
1019:
1016:
991:
948:
943:
928:Lend-Lease pact
923:
822:Generalleutnant
814:
774:mountain troops
756:, commanded by
746:
682:
681:
680:
675:
652:
495:
492:
490:
460:
455:
405:Gulf of Finland
257:
252:
250:
248:
198:
194:
190:
183:
177:
175:
173:
169:
147:
135:
117:
115:
104:
102:
101:
91:
89:
88:
66:
45:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1502:
1500:
1492:
1491:
1486:
1481:
1476:
1471:
1466:
1461:
1456:
1451:
1441:
1440:
1437:
1436:
1427:
1424:
1421:
1420:
1414:
1401:
1375:
1347:
1341:
1328:
1322:
1309:
1283:
1268:
1265:
1263:
1262:
1253:
1231:
1219:
1207:
1193:
1178:
1166:
1157:
1155:, p. 943.
1142:
1133:
1131:, p. 942.
1118:
1106:
1091:
1079:
1070:
1058:
1049:
1036:
1034:
1031:
1030:
1029:
1015:
1012:
1011:
1010:
1007:
1002:
997:
990:
987:
986:
985:
976:
970:
960:
959:
954:
947:
944:
942:
939:
922:
919:
863:Titovka Valley
813:
810:
754:Army of Norway
745:
742:
677:
676:
674:
673:
668:
663:
651:
650:
643:
628:
627:
620:
613:
606:
599:
592:
576:
575:
568:
561:
538:
537:
536:
535:
528:
521:
500:
497:
496:
491:
489:
488:
481:
474:
466:
457:
456:
454:
453:
447:
446:
445:
444:
437:
432:
427:
422:
417:
412:
407:
402:
397:
392:
387:
382:
377:
366:
365:
361:
360:
355:
349:
348:
344:
343:
338:
333:
328:
323:
318:
317:
316:
309:
302:
288:
283:
278:
273:
271:Ladoga Karelia
267:
266:
262:
259:
258:
249:
247:
246:
239:
232:
224:
216:
215:
212:
211:10,300 overall
208:
207:
203:
202:
185:
163:
162:
158:
157:
145:
132:
131:
127:
126:
113:
85:
84:
80:
79:
76:
75:
74:Soviet victory
72:
68:
67:
54:
52:
48:
47:
42:
34:
33:
26:
25:
19:
18:
16:Soviet victory
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1501:
1490:
1487:
1485:
1482:
1480:
1477:
1475:
1472:
1470:
1467:
1465:
1462:
1460:
1457:
1455:
1452:
1450:
1447:
1446:
1444:
1434:
1430:
1429:
1425:
1423:
1417:
1415:0-16-001996-6
1411:
1407:
1402:
1398:
1386:
1378:
1376:0-19-822886-4
1372:
1368:
1364:
1360:
1356:
1352:
1348:
1344:
1338:
1334:
1329:
1325:
1323:0-7110-2899-0
1319:
1315:
1310:
1306:
1294:
1286:
1280:
1276:
1271:
1270:
1266:
1257:
1254:
1242:
1235:
1232:
1229:, p. 46.
1228:
1223:
1220:
1216:
1211:
1208:
1202:
1200:
1198:
1194:
1190:
1185:
1183:
1179:
1173:
1171:
1167:
1161:
1158:
1154:
1149:
1147:
1143:
1137:
1134:
1130:
1125:
1123:
1119:
1113:
1111:
1107:
1103:
1098:
1096:
1092:
1088:
1083:
1080:
1074:
1071:
1065:
1063:
1059:
1053:
1050:
1044:
1042:
1038:
1032:
1028:
1023:
1022:
1018:
1017:
1013:
1008:
1006:
1003:
1001:
998:
996:
993:
992:
988:
984:
982:
977:
974:
971:
968:
965:
964:
963:
958:
955:
953:
950:
949:
945:
940:
938:
935:
933:
929:
920:
918:
914:
911:
905:
897:
893:
891:
887:
881:
879:
875:
870:
868:
864:
859:
857:
853:
849:
846:, namely the
845:
841:
839:
834:
830:
826:
823:
819:
811:
809:
807:
803:
799:
795:
791:
787:
783:
782:Arctic Circle
779:
775:
771:
767:
763:
759:
755:
751:
743:
741:
738:
733:
729:
725:
722:
718:
717:Eastern Front
714:
710:
706:
702:
698:
694:
690:
686:
672:
669:
667:
664:
662:
659:
658:
657:
656:
649:
648:
644:
642:
641:
637:
636:
635:
634:
633:
626:
625:
621:
619:
618:
614:
612:
611:
607:
605:
604:
600:
598:
597:
593:
591:
590:
586:
585:
584:
583:
581:
574:
573:
569:
567:
566:
562:
560:
559:
555:
554:
553:
552:
551:
550:Fleet Air Arm
547:
543:
534:
533:
529:
527:
526:
522:
520:
519:
515:
514:
513:
512:
508:
507:
506:
504:
498:
487:
482:
480:
475:
473:
468:
467:
464:
452:
449:
448:
443:
442:
438:
436:
433:
431:
428:
426:
423:
421:
418:
416:
413:
411:
408:
406:
403:
401:
400:Tali-Ihantala
398:
396:
393:
391:
388:
386:
383:
381:
378:
376:
373:
372:
371:
368:
367:
363:
362:
359:
356:
354:
351:
350:
346:
345:
342:
339:
337:
334:
332:
329:
327:
324:
322:
319:
315:
314:
310:
308:
307:
303:
301:
300:
296:
295:
294:
293:
289:
287:
284:
282:
279:
277:
274:
272:
269:
268:
264:
263:
260:
255:
245:
240:
238:
233:
231:
226:
225:
222:
213:
210:
209:
204:
201:
197:
193:
189:
186:
181:
172:
168:
165:
164:
159:
156:
151:
146:
144:
139:
134:
133:
128:
125:
114:
112:
99:
87:
86:
81:
73:
70:
69:
65:
61:
57:
53:
50:
49:
43:
40:
39:
35:
32:
27:
22:
1432:
1422:
1405:
1362:
1358:
1332:
1313:
1274:
1267:Bibliography
1256:
1245:. Retrieved
1234:
1227:Sharp (1995)
1222:
1210:
1160:
1136:
1082:
1073:
1052:
1021:
980:
961:
936:
924:
915:
906:
902:
882:
871:
860:
837:
825:Eduard Dietl
821:
815:
812:Platinum Fox
805:
789:
785:
776:mostly from
747:
731:
713:World War II
684:
683:
654:
653:
646:
639:
630:
629:
623:
616:
609:
602:
595:
588:
578:
577:
571:
564:
557:
540:
539:
531:
524:
523:
517:
510:
501:
440:
410:Narvi Island
312:
306:Platinum Fox
305:
304:
298:
291:
281:East Karelia
179:
143:Eduard Dietl
124:Soviet Union
83:Belligerents
1393:|work=
1301:|work=
1243:(in Polish)
878:Litsa River
794:Kandalaksha
790:Platinfuchs
786:Silberfuchs
732:Silberfuchs
721:Barents Sea
632:Lapland War
582:(1941–1945)
525:Platinfuchs
511:Silberfuchs
505:(1941–1944)
380:Kuuterselkä
60:Litsa River
1443:Categories
1284:1585450340
1247:2021-01-08
1033:References
921:Conclusion
910:North Cape
806:Polarfuchs
764:to secure
744:Background
737:Hopeakettu
617:Zitronella
610:Gearbox II
532:Polarfuchs
451:Baltic Sea
415:Vyborg Bay
313:Arctic Fox
292:Silver Fox
1395:ignored (
1385:cite book
1303:ignored (
1293:cite book
647:Nordlicht
435:Ilomantsi
430:Nietjärvi
395:Tienhaara
353:Suursaari
331:Bengtskär
979:Finnish
703:) was a
624:Haudegen
589:Gauntlet
580:Svalbard
558:Benedict
425:Vuosalmi
390:Kaprolat
336:Porlampi
299:Reindeer
178:Finnish
161:Strength
51:Location
29:Part of
908:of the
778:Austria
766:Petsamo
709:Finnish
697:Finnish
603:Gearbox
596:Fritham
518:Rentier
321:Petsamo
214:Unknown
111:Finland
98:Germany
56:Petsamo
1412:
1373:
1339:
1320:
1281:
989:Soviet
946:German
890:Greece
762:Norway
705:German
689:German
572:Orator
375:Vyborg
358:Someri
341:Tuulos
286:Vyborg
121:
108:
95:
71:Result
1014:Notes
981:Ivalo
888:from
838:Ivalo
798:Salla
796:from
640:Birke
441:Hokki
326:Hanko
180:Ivalo
1410:ISBN
1397:help
1371:ISBN
1337:ISBN
1318:ISBN
1305:help
1279:ISBN
850:and
848:14th
831:and
707:and
364:1944
347:1942
265:1941
41:Date
808:).
740:).
542:RAF
1445::
1389::
1387:}}
1383:{{
1297::
1295:}}
1291:{{
1196:^
1181:^
1169:^
1145:^
1121:^
1109:^
1094:^
1061:^
1040:^
869:.
734:;
699::
695:;
691::
565:EF
548:,
546:RN
544:,
62:,
58:,
1418:.
1399:)
1379:.
1365:(
1345:.
1326:.
1307:)
1287:.
1250:.
804:(
730:(
687:(
485:e
478:t
471:v
243:e
236:t
229:v
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
