Continuation War

The Continuation War was fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II, from the Soviet bombing attacks on June 25, 1941, to cease-fire September 4, 1944 (on the Finnish side) and September 5 (on the Soviet side). The United Kingdom declared war on Finland on December 6, 1941, but did not participate actively. Material support from, and military cooperation with, Nazi Germany was critical for Finland's struggle with its larger neighbour. The war was formally concluded by the Paris peace treaty of 1947.

Background

Before World War II

Although East Karelia has never been part of Finland, a majority of its inhabitants were Finnic people; and cultural ties, trade, and cross-border marriages were common before World War I and Finnish independence. Indicative of this is that the majority of poems in the Kalevala were collected from the backwaters of East Karelia where Swedish and Slavic influences have been lowest. So it was no surprise that after independence was declared, voices arose advocating the annexation of East Karelia in order to rescue its inhabitants from Bolshevist oppression.

Related Topics:
East Karelia - Kalevala - Bolshevist

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Immediately after the Civil War in Finland a group of enthusiasts formed two military expeditions, the Aunus and Viena expeditions, to drive the Bolshevist Russian army from East Karelia, but they were defeated and had to return to Finland. Thus in the Treaty of Tartu, the Petsamo region was incorporated into Finland instead of East Karelia. The idea lived still in the Akateeminen Karjala-Seura (Academic Karelia Society, AKS), the most influential university student organization before World War II, in which numerous contemporary and future political and economic figures participated. Official Finland raised the question of East Karelia several times in the League of Nations, demanding a referendum for the future of the area similar to those arranged in Saarland, Silesia and Schleswig. The Soviet Union countered these demands by forming the autonomous Karelian Soviet Socialist Republic 1923.

Related Topics:
Civil War in Finland - Aunus - Viena - Bolshevist Russia - Treaty of Tartu - Petsamo - Academic Karelia Society - League of Nations - Saarland - Silesia - Schleswig - Soviet Union - Karelian Soviet Socialist Republic - 1923

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In non-leftist circles, Imperial Germany's role in the "White" government's victory over rebellious Socialists during the Civil War in Finland was celebrated, although most preferred British or Scandinavian support over that of Germany. The extremist right Lapua Movement was created to make a final end of the communists; it saw the contemporary European democracy as too soft on Communism, and considered Fascist Italy as a model of how left extremism should be eradicated. The Lapua Movement lost its support base through the illegal methods it employed against moderate politicians, and it was banned in 1932 after a failed coup in Mäntsälä. Right-wing extremism nevertheless continued to live in Isänmaallinen Kansanliike (the Patriotic People's Movement, or IKL) which had 14 out of the 200 seats in the Finnish parliament. After the Nazi Party took power in Germany, IKL became a strong supporter of an alliance with the "New Germany", and admired the suppression of all open Communist activity in Germany.

Related Topics:
Imperial Germany - White - Socialist - Civil War in Finland - Lapua Movement - Fascist - Italy - 1932 - Coup in Mäntsälä - Patriotic People's Movement - Parliament - Nazi Party

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The security policy of independent Finland turned first towards a cordon sanitaire, whereby the newly independent nations of Poland, the Baltic Republics and Finland would form a defensive alliance against Russia, but after negotiations collapsed Finland turned to the League of Nations for security. Contacts with the Scandinavian countries were also nurtured, but questions about the control of Ahvenanmaa (Åland) and minority languages in Finland and northern Scandinavia prevented their success. In 1932, Finland and the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression pact, but even contemporary analysts considered it worthless.

Related Topics:
Cordon sanitaire - Ahvenanmaa - Non-aggression pact

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The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and the Winter War

The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact clarified Soviet–German relations and enabled the Soviet Union to bring pressure to bear on the small Baltic republics and Finland, perhaps in order to better her strategic position in Eastern Europe in case of a widening of the war. The Baltic republics soon gave in to Soviet demands for bases and troop transfer rights, but Finland continued to refuse. As diplomatic pressure had failed, arms were resorted to, and on November 30, 1939, the Soviet Union began an invasion of Finland — the Winter War.

Related Topics:
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact - Eastern Europe - Gave in - November 30 - Winter War

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The Winter War produced in Finns a rude awakening to international politics. Condemnation by the League of Nations and by countries all over the world seemed to have no effect on Soviet policy. Sweden allowed volunteers to join the Finnish army, but did not send military support, and refused passage to French or British troops — which were in any event made ready in lower numbers than promised. Even right wing extremists were shocked to find that Nazi Germany did not help at all, and also blocked material help from other countries.

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The Moscow Peace Treaty, which ended the Winter War, was perceived as a great injustice. It seemed as if the losses at the negotiation table, including Finland's second largest city, Viipuri (Vyborg), had been worse than on the battlefield.http://www.winterwar.com/War%27sEnd.htm A fifth of the country's industrial capacity and 11% of agricultural land were lost (the latter made more serious since it was the highest in quality). Of the 12% of Finland's population who lived in the lost territories, only a few hundred stayed, the remaining 420,000 moving to the Finnish side of the border.

Related Topics:
Moscow Peace Treaty - Vyborg

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