Finland During World War II
Finland is a country that is located in Northern Europe. It shares a border with Sweden to the west and Russia to the east. During World War II, Finland fought valiantly against the Soviet Union, even though they were vastly outnumbered and outgunned. This blog post will take a closer look at the war history of Finland during World War II and learn about some of the amazing things that happened there.
The Winter War
One of the most incredible things about Finland during World War II is that they defeated the Soviet Union in what is known as the Winter War. This war lasted from November 1939 to March 1940, and it was fought entirely in the cold winter months. Despite being outnumbered and outgunned, the Finnish soldiers were able to use their knowledge of the terrain to their advantage, and they inflicted heavy casualties on the Soviet troops.
In the end, the Soviet Union was forced to sign a peace treaty with Finland, losing a significant amount of territory in the process.
Cooperation With Germany
During the early days of World War II, Finland tried to maintain a policy of neutrality. However, as the war progressed and it became clear that Germany was going to be a major player in the conflict, Finland began to move closer to them. In 1941, they signed a pact of friendship with Germany and began cooperating with them militarily. This cooperation continued until 1944, when Finland finally broke away from Germany and signed a peace treaty with the Soviet Union. While Finland did cooperate with Germany during World War II, they were never officially part of the Axis powers. This is because they always maintained their independent government and military. Additionally, Finland never occupied any other countries during the war.
The Postwar Period
The end of World War II brought great changes to Finland. The country had to cede territory to the Soviet Union, as stipulated in the Moscow Peace Treaty of 1940. This loss was hard for the Finns to accept, and they sought ways to regain their lost territories. In 1948, Finland joined with Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden to form the Nordic Council, a forum for promoting cooperation among the Nordic countries.
Domestic Affairs
Finland’s domestic affairs were largely overshadowed by the country’s involvement in World War II. Finland experienced several changes during the war, including a shift in power from the Finnish Parliament to the President, as well as widespread rationing and mobilization of the population. The most significant change came in June 1944, when Finland signed a peace treaty with the Soviet Union. This ended Finland’s involvement in the war and resulted in several territorial losses, including the eastern province of Karelia.
Despite these changes, Finland managed to maintain its independence and neutrality throughout the war. This was mainly due to the country’s geographic location, as well as its policy of non-alignment. Additionally, Finland’s small size and lack of natural resources made it unappealing to the major powers. As a result, Finland could stay out of the conflict for the most part and emerge relatively unscathed at the end of the war.
