Post: #1

As today here in Finland we are celebrating the 97th anniversary of the declaration of independence from the Russian Empire. I want to tribute the man who saved Finland three times during the last century from becoming a part of the Soviet Union.
Out disputes with the Soviet Union often falls in the shadows of the other battles taking place on the European continent


   

Marshalk Mannerheim was a remarkable man in many ways.
Spoke several languages and a general liutenant in the Russian Imperial Army.
He also was a great traveller, he did a expedition with horse from
St.Petersburg through Central Asia all the way to Beijing in 1906-1908.
Fought the Japanese in Manchuria in the Russo-Japanese war.
Fought the Austriand in WW1.
He even became President in 1944.

Read more detailed information about him here
Should be interesting for everyone here interested of Military History.

But mostly he's known for keeping Finland as an independent country during three large crisis.

1918. A bloody civil war broke out between the Whites and the Red
Communists supported by Russia. After bitter and bloody fighting under Mannerheims leadership and German support the Whites came out as winners. This war cut deep scars between Finns living side by side.

1939. The Winter War.
Soviet Union attacked Finland in hope for a quick victory.
The Soviets outnumbered the Finns many times, sometimes 1-10.
Mannerheim knew Finland will have no chance of fighting this big enemy, but his plan was to delay and sabotage the Soviet forces until help from other countries would arrive. The promised help never arrives. UK backed out, France backed out, even Sweden refused to help. Finland stood alone against a far more bigger enemy.
The Finns fought a brutal guerilla war against the untrained and unprepared Russian soldiers and the Soviet losses were colossal.
After 112 days of hard fighting finally peace negotiations took place.

Finland lost 15% of their land in Eastern Karelia to the Soviets.
But still stood as an independent country.

1941-1944 The Continuation War.
As the Germans launched Operation Barbadossa, Finland also attacked Soviet Union to take back lost territory. The offensive was successful until the summer of 1944 when the Russian were pushing the Germans back in a rapid speed.
The attack on the Karelian Isthmus in early June 1944 was brutal and with a firepower the world hadn't seen before.

Things were going to hell and everybody believed that
Finland will share the same destiny as the Baltic countries.
In September 1944 Finland again by a miracle stopped the Soviet Army and harsh peace negotiatíons took place. Berlin was probably a much bigger priority than Helsinki.

Finland lost a big chunk of territory and avoided the same fate as the Baltics.

All other territories has been returned to the former countries after the breakup of the Soviet Union except, Eastern Prussia, The Kurils and Finnish Karelia.

The Karelia Question is still a sensitive subject to bring to the table in Finland.

However, none of this would have been accomplished without Marshalk Mannerheim.

Today I'm raising my toast for this man, for my grandfather and his brother and all other soldiers fighting the Soviet Union.

Post: #2

97th anniversary not 98th I think.

Post: #3

(12-06-2014 02:00 AM)Hank Wrote:  97th anniversary not 98th I think.

Corrected, typing wrong.

Post: #4

He reminds me of Ataturk, a nationalist leader who served in one army and then used his skills to save his nation.

Post: #5

Because of Mannerheim's leadership, Finland is unique in terms of countries that were aligned with Germany during WW2, yet came out of WW2 relatively intact and that includes not being turned into a vassal state of the USSR.

He's a man, a patriot and a leader that comands respect.

Post: #6

Indeed.
Not only Hitler, also Stalin had great respect for him.

When Hitler came to Finland in 1942 on a surprise visit on Mannerheims 75th birthday it was Hitler who was bowing for him and not the other way.
There exists an interesting secret recording from that visit when they are discussing this and that in a train wagon. Mannerheim spoke fluent German as Russian.

We can also see that Stalin and the Soviets had great respect for him since they didn't accuse him for war crimes as they did with President Ryti and other politicians. And of course other Axis leaders. He was not on the list.