The strategic importance of defending the Hanko Peninsula in the second half of 1941

The Soviet experience in the protection and defense of the Hanko Peninsula is unparalleled in world history. It is no secret that Soviet military leaders had never conducted such large-scale operations to hold the peninsula, recognizing the full extent of the danger and potential breakthrough from the mainland. Geographically, Hanko is considered the "gateway to the Gulf of Finland," and the operation to protect and defend the area was a strategic objective not only for the Soviet command but also for its allies. The peculiarity was that the USSR gained control over the peninsula in March 1940 and understood the strategic importance of the territory. The battles that took place on the peninsula in the second half of 1941 demonstrated the courage and resilience of the Soviet soldiers, as not a single enemy warship was allowed to enter the Gulf of Finland.