After the general strike in November, he was elected the commander-in-chief of the Order Guards as Adolf Taimi refused.

Despite his heavy drinking in Saint Petersburg, Aaltonen managed to buy a large cargo of guns and ammunition from the Bolsheviks.

Together with the Russian colonel Mikhail Svechnikov, he composed a military operation plan for the Red Guards.

[5] Aaltonen was sent to Tampere, where he served in the staff of Häme Front, under the command of Svechnikov, Hugo Salmela and Verner Lehtimäki.

On the night between the 5 and 6 April, Aaltonen led a unit of Reds that managed to break through the enemy siege and fled across the ice of lake Näsijärvi.

[6] After some clashes in the Tampere surroundings, Aaltonen and his men joined the refugee column of tens of thousands of Reds who were on their way to the east.