Bless Ukrainian Soldiers With the Spirit That Once Defined the Celebrated Finnish Veterans

During the Second World War, Finland fought three separate wars. The first of these was the legendary Winter War, in which a nation of just 3.7 million people fought virtually alone against the Soviet Union, which was indirectly supported by Germany. Despite overwhelming odds, Finland managed to preserve its independence, though it had to cede one-tenth of its territory.

This loss fostered a spirit of revenge, leading Finland to attempt to reclaim its lost lands — and to conquer Eastern Karelia, home to related Finno-Ugric peoples — when Germany attacked the Soviet Union in 1941. In this Continuation War, too, the Soviet Union was the first to initiate hostilities. Unlike Germany, however, Finland managed to halt the Soviet Red Army’s major offensives toward the end of the Continuation War and preserved its independence, with borders roughly similar to those agreed after the Winter War.

The two wars mentioned above are relatively well known even outside Finland. However, few have even heard of the Lapland War. It broke out on September 15, 1944, because the Soviet Union made the rapid expulsion of German troops from Finland one of the conditions of the Continuation War’s armistice.

At that time, northern Finland was a major base for a very large number of German troops — over 200,000 men — who had fought alongside Finland during the Continuation War and now had to be expelled swiftly according to the peace terms. If the Finns failed to do so, Stalin threatened that the Soviet Union would "send assistance" — effectively meaning a renewed attack on Finland, which was simultaneously required to demobilize most of its own army.

Due to this situation, and the relatively small size of the Finnish forces in Lapland — at most about 75,000 soldiers — the Finns were forced to attack the Germans first by surprise, without a formal declaration of war, and later with increasing but often tactically unwise aggressiveness. As a result, Finnish casualties were very high, and the surprised German troops retaliated for what they saw as betrayal by burning almost every building in northern Finland to the ground. Fortunately, most of the civilian population had been evacuated across the border into Sweden.

Moreover, the Germans scattered anti-personnel mines from their depots throughout the region, causing deaths and injuries well into the 1960s, during my own childhood. It is no wonder, then, that until the collapse of the Soviet Union — and the inflow of money brought by East German tourists that followed — the people of northern Finland harbored a deep hatred toward the Germans.

Through great sacrifice, Finland managed to satisfy Stalin and avoid a new Soviet invasion. This was achieved even though the Finnish army ultimately failed to capture the narrow northwesternmost corner of Finland, where German forces held strong positions in extraordinarily defensible — virtually unconquerable — terrain. They abandoned these only when the broader situation of the ongoing world war forced them to.

Today marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Lapland War. It is also the Finnish Veterans’ Day, when we honor the memory of those men who defended our country in their youth. 

At the same time, I extend my heartfelt wishes to all the soldiers fighting for Ukraine, hoping they may be blessed with the same skill, valor, courage, resilience, and unwavering determination that the Finnish veterans so nobly displayed during the Second World War.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
A Different Kind of Christmas
Finns - Among the World’s Best
Ukraine’s Situation Mirrors Finland in 1944

Putin's Threat Bolsters European Border States' Defense Against Russia

The defense ministers of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland have recommended in a joint statement to withdraw from the Ottawa Treaty, which bans anti-personnel mines. The reason cited is the increasing security threat posed by Russia.

Finland is also expected to join this group soon, as discussions have been ongoing about reintroducing anti-personnel mines. According to Jukka Kopra (National Coalition Party), chairman of the Defense Committee, Finland could withdraw from the Ottawa Treaty within the next few months.

This would enable the eastern border states of Russia, from Lapland to the Belarusian border, to defend themselves better against potential Russian aggression. And considering Belarus as a puppet state of Russia, this extends further down to Ukraine’s border.

Finland and Poland, in particular, have strong and well-equipped armies, which are undoubtedly capable of independent defense long enough for other NATO countries to come to their aid. If necessary, they can also help counter an attack against the Baltic states.

Since this text may be read in Putin’s dictatorship, it is important to state that none of the aforementioned NATO countries—let alone NATO as a whole—are planning any military operation on Russian soil. Any claims by Putin’s administration suggesting otherwise, now or in the future, are nothing but attempts to mislead ordinary Russians, much like Stalin’s administration did in 1939–40 when it ordered its army to occupy Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and eastern Poland, as well as launch an unsuccessful invasion to occupy Finland, which resulted in approximately 350,000 casualties for the Red Army in just three months.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finland Boosts Military Self-Sufficiency and Support for Ukraine
Are We on the Brink of World War III?
Will Finland Withdraw from the Ottawa Treaty?

Questionable Achievements of Donald Trump's Foreign Policy

Donald Trump's foreign policy has led to questionable achievements. One of them relates to Finland: according to a survey conducted by the country's largest newspaper, nearly half of Finns do not believe that the U.S. would defend Finland in the event of a Russian attack.

This is despite the fact that Finland is a member of NATO and has a bilateral Defense Cooperation Agreement with the U.S., both of which obligate Trump to act in a real-life situation. Additionally, Finland has met NATO's requirement of allocating more than two percent of its GDP to defense spending.

Moreover, American troops have actively trained in winter warfare in Finland. For instance, during the recently concluded Arctic Forge exercise, Lieutenant Colonel Dan Ludwig, who led the American soldiers, stated that the exercise had improved his troops' Arctic combat readiness to such an extent that it would be great to continue training in Finnish Lapland in the future.

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Given that NATO allies' faith in the U.S.'s adherence to agreements in a crisis situation has weakened in this manner, one can only hope that Trump's foreign policy regarding Ukraine proves effective. In other words, that the war would end with a peace that Ukrainians can genuinely accept, and that the Russians would not be left with the impression that they could gain any advantages through aggression against neighboring countries.

At this very moment, it is clear that Putin is not yielding to Trump's will. Therefore, the U.S. president should make the Russian counterpart an offer he cannot refuse.

After all, he previously made such an offer to Ukraine, which understood the situation and complied with Trump's conditions. It would be truly strange if the U.S. demanded greater submission from a friendly nation like Ukraine than from an openly hostile and imperialistic Russia.

* * *

Just a while ago, President Trump wrote on social media: "We had very good and productive discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia yesterday, and there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end — BUT, AT THIS VERY MOMENT, THOUSANDS OF UKRAINIAN TROOPS ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY, AND IN A VERY BAD AND VULNERABLE POSITION. I have strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared. This would be a horrible massacre, one not seen since World War II. God bless them all!!!"

This does not sound very promising to me. Therefore, I regret to point out that failure in dealing with Russia would fuel suspicions that President Putin somehow possesses the means to force his American counterpart to prioritize Russia's interests in all actions. This is a message no one would want to hear — at least not outside Russia and its satellite states.

Postscript: "The White House has just announced that Trump did not speak with Putin yesterday."

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finland's Stance on NATO Defense Spending Is Linked to the Geopolitical Threat from Russia
Now It's Putin's Turn to Show His Hand
Trump's Indecision Benefits Putin – Deadly Consequences for Ukraine

Rediscovered Relics: The Story Behind Finland's WWII Weapon Caches

Yesterday, approximately 200 old military rifles were found buried in Finland. They had already decayed beyond use, but they served as a reminder of the post-World War II situation.

In 1944, Finland had succeeded in halting the large-scale Russian offensive and subsequently signed an armistice, after which German soldiers were driven out of the country during the Lapland War, which destroyed the entire northernmost Finnish settlement. Although the peace thus achieved was welcome to the ordinary people, there was a fear that the Russians would continue their military actions and ultimately subjugate the Finns under their own control.

In preparation for this situation, caches were established across the country, where weapons were stored for guerrilla operations. The project was, of course, eventually revealed, and its scale is evidenced by the fact that a total of 1,488 people were convicted in court in connection with it.

However, many officers who led the arms caches fled to the West, including Alpo Marttinen, who had distinguished himself as the right hand man of Hjalmar Siilasvuo in the Battle of Raate Road by destroying a Soviet division, and Lauri Törni, who ultimately died in Vietnam under the name Larry A. Thorne. Both of whom embarked on new military careers in the United States.

The recently discovered military rifles are one of these caches, whose existence sent a strong message to the Russians that the Finns were still ready to defend their homeland. This perhaps influenced the fact that Finland was not annexed by the Soviet Union or subjected to its vassal state, as happened to other Eastern European countries.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finns Feel Sympathy for Ukrainians Because They Share a Similar Experience
Finnish weapons are being tested against the Russians in Ukraine
History of Finland XIV: The end of the first Finnish Republic