Zaloga, Steven J./Chasemore, Richard (Illustr.) T-34 vs StuG III. Finland 1944

Written by a noted authority, this fully illustrated book pits the StuG III assault gun in Finnish hands against the Soviet T-34-85 tank in the bitter armored clashes in Finland at the height of World War II. Featuring specially commissioned artwork and an array of archive photographs, T-34 vs StuG III is the absorbing story of the parts played by Soviet and Finnish armor in the epic battles in Finland during June and July 1944. In the summer of 1944, the Red Army staged a massive armored assault up the Karelian Isthmus with the intent of eliminating any remaining German and Finnish forces facing the Leningrad region. Most of the Soviet units sent into Finland were new to the region, moving mainly from the fighting in the Leningrad area. As a result, they had the latest types of Soviet equipment including the new T-34-85 tank. Germany refused to sell the Finns new tanks without a reinforced military alliance, but in 1943 began selling them a few dozen StuG III assault guns. This made the StuG III battalion the most modern and powerful element of the Finnish armored division, and it saw very extensive combat in the June?July summer battles.

The Soviet army carried out a massive armoured assault on the Karelian Isthmus with the intention of eliminating all remaining German and Finnish forces still in the Leningrad area at that time. Most of the Soviet units sent to Finland were new to the region, mainly from the fighting in the Leningrad area. As a result, they had the latest types of Soviet equipment, including the latest version of the already proven T-34, the T-34/85. The German Reich refused to sell the Finns more modern tanks without a closer military alliance, but in 1943 it did sell a few dozen assault guns. This made the assault gun battalion the most modern and powerful element of the Finnish armoured division. In the battles from June to July, there were fierce battles with the Red Army's main battle tanks.