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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFinnish Defense Forces post 160,000 WWII era photos online:
Link: http://sa-kuva.fi/neo?tem=webneoeng
Fascinating!!
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Finnish Defense Forces post 160,000 WWII era photos online: (Original Post)
Are_grits_groceries
Jun 2013
OP
Interesting pics. Finland's role in WWII seems to have been limited to it's own self interests.
geckosfeet
Jun 2013
#5
And remember they'd only clawed back their independence after the First World War, too. (nt)
Posteritatis
Jun 2013
#8
Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)1. Cool! Thanks for Posting!
dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)2. Weather conditions don't look too enthralling.
As far as I'm aware Germany invaded in the early part of WW2 followed by the Russians later on.
Posteritatis
(18,807 posts)3. Other way around
The Soviets invaded right at the start (and very nearly lost!), then the Finns allied with the Germans, then the Soviets invaded again. Towards the end they switched sides again to remove the remaining German forces on Finnish soil.
dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)4. Thanks for the explanation.
geckosfeet
(9,644 posts)5. Interesting pics. Finland's role in WWII seems to have been limited to it's own self interests.
They did align with Germany to fight off the Russians, but later struggled to evict Germany.
Military history of Finland during World War II
The involvement of Finland in World War II was confined to the country's own defensive wars opposing aggression from the Soviet Union, except for the conquest of East Karelia in the Soviet Union by a combination of Finnish and German troops. In late 1944, after agreeing to do so in a peace treaty with the Soviet Union, Finland moved to expel German forces from Finland. Finns consider Finnish participation in World War II to be an extension of the Finnish wars for independence. From 1939 to 1945, Finland fought three wars: the Winter War alone against the Soviet Union, the Continuation War with Germany against the Soviet Union, and the Lapland War against Germany. In the end, Finland managed to defend its independence but had to cede nearly 10% of its territory, including one of its oldest cities, which was also its second largest city, Viipuri (from 1944 Vyborg), to the USSR. As a result of this territorial loss to the Soviets, many Finnish Karelians fled or were evacuated from their homes, relocating to areas that remained within the borders of Finland.
This is interesting in that Finland seems to have focused on it's own self interests during a time we generally think of countries joining with one of two global alignments - the allies or the axis. Finland appears to have acted independently of the goals and aims of both the allies and axis powers. It also sounds like they took the opportunity to align with Germany to ward of the Russians - an enemy they had in common. I am no expert on Finland's role in WWII but that is is how I read this short Wikipedia chronicle.
Are_grits_groceries
(17,111 posts)7. Don't blame them at all
When you live in an area like that, you have to change allies quickly to survive. It is much easier to live in an area that is not prone to invasion.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Posteritatis
(18,807 posts)8. And remember they'd only clawed back their independence after the First World War, too. (nt)
corkhead
(6,119 posts)6. wow, thats a new time-burner
thanks for posting it.