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Finland Since 1939

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 August 2009

Thorsten V. Kalijarvi
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Extract

An understanding of present-day Finland is conditioned upon an understanding of Finland prior to 1939. The background for the last eight years must come from the early Middle Ages, when Finland became united with the Kingdom of Sweden and carried on more or less constant warfare on the side of that country against Russia. When, in 1809, Russia defeated Sweden in war, she forced the latter to cede Finland to her. Finland was, however, immediately granted die status of an autonomous Grand Duchy. During the century of Russian sovereignty, even though the Finns racially and linguistically differed from the Scandinavian people, they retained their old Western culture, and continued to form a part of the Scandinavian group; in short, the fact that Finland fell under Russian control for over a hundred years made very little lasting impression upon Finnish institutions and culture. In 1906, the Tsar approved the new Parliament Act whereby the old Finnish Diet of four estates was changed into a truly democratic single-chambered legislature, chosen by universal and equal suffrage.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Review of Politics , Volume 10 , Issue 2 , April 1948 , pp. 212 - 225
Copyright
Copyright © University of Notre Dame 1948

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References

1 For the most recent, authoritative, and complete discussion of the subject here under review, see Wuorinen, John H., Finland and World War II (New York: Ronald Press, 1947).Google Scholar

2 See Statement concerning Finnish-Russian relations and the circumstances leading to the invasion of Finland by the USSR on November 30, 1939 (London, Simpkin Marshall, Ltd.).Google Scholar

The Finnish artillery was too distant from the Russian border to have been able to perpetrate the acts of which it was accused at that time. Much confusion surrounds recent Finnish history as a consequence of Finland's participation in the Second World War on the side of the Axis. In 1940, Molotov issued a pamphlet entitled, Sovief Foreign Policy, ihe Meaning of the War in Finland, published by the Workers Library Publishers, Inc., New York, N. Y.Google Scholar, which attempted to establish Finland as an aggressor state which endangered the security and safety of almost 200 million Russians. This propaganda statement followed the trend of an earlier pamphlet entitled, The U.S.S.Rand Finland, published by Soviet Russia Today in 1939. Sometime in 1943, in Background, The Key to Current Events, Joachim Joesten, author of Rats in the Larder, prepared an equally misrepresenting article on recent Finnish history under the title of Finland's Road to Disaster. It was this red-slanted literature, which was widely circulated after Finland's entry in the Second World War, that caused confusion about Finnish motives and activities. It represented Finland as an aggressor state and painted everyone as fascist and reactionary who did not happen to be a communist or to possess strong leftist leanings. It was characteristic red propaganda and was not concerned with truth, equity, or a balanced treatment of the subject at hand.Google Scholar

3 See the author's chapter XXIV in Roucek, Joseph S., Contemporary Europe, (2d. ed., New York, Van Nostrand, 1947).Google Scholar

4 In an exchange of letters President Ryti had agreed with Hitler not to enter into negotiations without notifying the latter. This was the chief point made against him at the war trials subsequently mentioned in this article. Cf. Prokopé, H.; War Criminal Trials in Finland. (Zurich: St. Thomas Verlag, 1947.)Google Scholar

5 See, Making of Peace Treaties, 1941–1947 (Washington, Department of State, 02 1947)Google Scholar; and Treaties of Peace with Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary, Roumania and Finland (Washington, Department of State, 1947).Google Scholar

6 Herta Kuusinen is the wife of Yrjo Leino.

7 See the letter of Wuorinen, John H., “Finnish Reparations,” The New York Times, 06 2, 1947, p. 24Google Scholar. See also World Report, January 6, 1947, p. 17. The Control Commission has now ceased to function, the Treaty of Peace terminating its existence.Google Scholar

8 The Popular Democrats are composed of the Socialist groups and the Communists, favorable to Moscow. The leader of the party is Herta Leino, the daughter of the Communist Kuusinen.

9 Washington Star, December 27, 1947, reprint from London Observer.Google Scholar

10 See “Post-war Finland” by Pallo, A. in the Baltic Review, vol. I, no. 2–3 (03, 1946), pp. 105–110.Google Scholar