▁known ▁as ▁the ▁M anner heim ▁Line . ▁ ▁Field ▁Marsh al ▁M anner heim ▁quickly ▁organ ised ▁his ▁headquarters ▁in ▁Mik k eli . ▁His ▁chief ▁of ▁staff ▁was ▁Lieutenant ▁General ▁A ks el ▁A iro , ▁while ▁his ▁close ▁friend , ▁General ▁Rudolf ▁Wal den , ▁was ▁sent ▁as ▁a ▁representative ▁of ▁the ▁headquarters ▁to ▁the ▁cabinet ▁from ▁ 3 ▁December ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁until ▁ 2 7 ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁after ▁which ▁he ▁became ▁defence ▁minister . ▁ ▁M anner heim ▁spent ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁Winter ▁War ▁and ▁Cont inu ation ▁War ▁in ▁his ▁Mik k eli ▁headquarters ▁but ▁made ▁many ▁vis its ▁to ▁the ▁front . ▁Between ▁the ▁wars , ▁he ▁remained ▁commander - in - ch ief . ▁ ▁M anner heim ▁kept ▁relations ▁with ▁Adolf ▁Hitler ' s ▁government ▁as ▁formal ▁as ▁possible . ▁Before ▁the ▁Cont inu ation ▁War , ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁offered ▁M anner heim ▁command ▁over ▁ 8 0 , 0 0 0 ▁German ▁troops ▁in ▁Finland . ▁M anner heim ▁decl ined ▁so ▁as ▁to ▁not ▁tie ▁himself ▁and ▁Finland ▁to ▁Naz i ▁war ▁a ims . ▁In ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁the ▁Finn ish ▁Army ▁of ▁K are lia ▁was ▁strength ened ▁by ▁the ▁German ▁ 1 6 3 rd ▁Infantry ▁Division . ▁They ▁re to ok ▁the ▁Finn ish ▁territ ories ▁an nex ed ▁by ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁after ▁the ▁Winter ▁War , ▁and ▁went ▁further ▁occup ying ▁East ▁K are lia