Finland WWII Three Wars History of Finland The
- Slides: 10
Finland WWII: Three Wars History of Finland The Winter War, 1939 -40 The Continuation War, 1941 -44 Lapland War, 1944 - 1945
Brief History of Finland w w w w w 1155 A. D. Finland under Kingdom of Sweden 1808 Czarist Russia invades Finland 1809 Sweden surrenders Finland “Grand Duchy of Russia” Independence declared, 1917 (Bolshevik Revolution) Civil War in Finland, 1918 Republic of Finland established, 1919 Constitution adopted
Finland: The Winter War w Soviet-German Non. Agression Pact, 1939 w Invasion by Soviet Russia w Nov 1939 -March 1940 w Valiant effort with little support w Peace treaty, Finland forced to cede territories (%10) to USSR
Aspects of The Winter War w Finnish forces were ill-equipped, but skillful w Soviet attack stalled and even thrown back in some areas w USSR used air superiority, tanks, greater, man -power to wear down Finnish defense w Winter War drew world attention
The Continuation War June 24, 1941 - September 4, 1944 w Finland “co-belligerent” of Nazi Germany in “Operation Barbarossa” (German attack on USSR) w Contested theories regarding reasons for alliance, including: w Finland’s security viewed as dependent on collaboration with Germany (distrust of USSR) w Opportunity to win back territories lost in WW w Belief that Germany would win war.
The Continuation War w Finland allowed Germans to attack via Finland w Declared war on USSR after bombing of Finnish Cities w Recaptured areas lost in Winter War w Refused to join in attack on Leningrad
The Continuation War Mannerheim President of Finland, August 1944 w War in Static phase 1941 -summer 1944 w June 9, 1944: Soviets attacked Finnish Front (Karelian Isthmus) w Nordic History’s largest battle fought June 25 July 6, 1944 w Armistice (USSR & Finland, signed Sept. 1944
The Lapland War Sept. 27, 1944 - April 27, 1945 w War fought against Germany, after signing of armistice with USSR. w Fighting in Northern Finland (Lapland) w Finland under pressure from Allies and USSR w Finns to disarm German troops and drive out of Finland w Finland required to withdraw to 1940 -lines w Finland to pay war indemnity to USSR
Results of Wars w Loss of 85, 000 Finnish lives 1939 -1945 w Finland sole country among defeated nations, not occupied by foreign troops w Finland saved its independence (the Baltic States annexed July 1940 by USSR) w Continued development under democratic government after Wars.
Väinö Linna (1920 -1992) w Self-taught factory worker w Military service in Continuation War (machinegun platoon) w Author, first work in 1947 w Unknown soldier, 1954 w Historical Epic w Leo Tolstoy (1828 -1910) w Backwoods Realism w Working man’s perspective w Regional types: Dialects
