▁the ▁Finn ish ▁Civil ▁War ▁between ▁ 1 0 A pril ▁and ▁ 5 May ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁at ▁Ah ven k os ki ▁( ; ▁), ▁Finland ▁between ▁the ▁German ▁Empire ▁and ▁the ▁Red ▁Gu ards ▁() ▁of ▁the ▁Finn ish ▁Social ist ▁Work ers ' ▁Republic , ▁more ▁commonly ▁known ▁as ▁Red ▁Finland . ▁For ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁battle ▁both ▁sides ▁occupied ▁tren ches ▁along ▁the ▁K ymi ▁river . ▁Ah ven k os ki ▁and ▁the ▁surrounding ▁K ymi ▁valley ▁region ▁were ▁the ▁last ▁strong holds ▁of ▁the ▁Red s . ▁The ▁battle ▁ended ▁with ▁the ▁surrender ▁of ▁the ▁last ▁of ▁the ▁Red ▁Gu ards ▁on ▁ 5 ▁May , ▁which ▁ended ▁the ▁war ▁with ▁White ▁Finland ▁and ▁Germany ▁defe ating ▁Red ▁Finland . ▁ ▁German ▁campaign ▁begins ▁ ▁The ▁German ▁Empire ▁supported ▁White ▁Finland , ▁the ▁prec ursor ▁of ▁the ▁modern ▁Finn ish ▁state , ▁during ▁the ▁civil ▁war ▁against ▁Red ▁Finland ▁and ▁its ▁par amil it ary ▁army , ▁the ▁Red ▁Gu ards . ▁Thus , ▁Germany ▁launched ▁a ▁military ▁campaign ▁in ▁sout heast ▁Finland ▁on ▁ 7 A pril ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁with ▁the ▁landing ▁of ▁Det achment ▁Br anden stein ▁() ▁in ▁L ovi isa . ▁Their ▁goal ▁was ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁coast al ▁town ▁of ▁Kot ka ▁situated ▁ ▁east ▁of ▁L ovi isa , ▁then ▁move ▁north ▁along ▁the ▁vital ▁Saint ▁Petersburg ▁railway ▁to ▁the ▁railway ▁j unction ▁of ▁K ou vol a . ▁The ▁next ▁morning , ▁a ▁