ABSTRACT
Northern Finland has a stark, rugged beauty all its own. In central and northern Finland the graceful birch trees are overpowered by the more study evergreens, but in the farthest north all trees dwindle in size and number as the arctic tundra takes over. The country gave the northern Finn a stolid, rocklike obstinacy, patient endurance, and dogged courage, closely akin to the ancient formations on which he lived. Talvela's troops were older reservists and although most of them came from the cities, they were accustomed to the terrain of the wilderness and could handle themselves well in difficult situations. Aaro Pajari, who was enroute from division headquarters, discovered the Finn's predicament and immediately decided to counterattack with a hastily assembled force of 100 artillerymen and troops from headquarters. On December 12 Pajari and his troops shouldered their way across the icy fields to capture Kotisaari.
