The War for World Power by Strategicus

Author:Strategicus [Strategicus]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Military, United States, Europe, General, Germany, Special Forces
ISBN: 9781787204485
Google: LxokDwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Pickle Partners Publishing
Published: 2017-04-07T03:03:52+00:00

CHAPTER 8—FINLAND’S FIGHT FOR FREEDOM

The war had not been in progress long before the world was confronted with some of the effects of the Russo-German pact. Britain could not agree to barter away the freedom of the Baltic States in order to safeguard freedom elsewhere; but to Hitler this was a mere matter of expediency. The Baltic States had been no bulwark in the Great War, and he saw no reason why they should give Russia any protection now. So Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were all compelled to cede to Russia powers over their territory which put their independence in so strait a jacket that in a short time it must succumb.

But the Baltic States excited little interest outside Scandinavia. It was far otherwise when Russia began to make demands on Finland. This lovely country was widely known beyond its borders. It had a flourishing community in the United States; and all who were conversant with its mode of life knew it to be facing the social problems which were creating strains everywhere with enlightened intelligence.

M. Molotoff in a speech on October the 31st made public his version of the Russian Demands on Finland. He denied that they were demanding the Aaland Islands. What they wanted was a ‘mutual assistance pact’. They had asked Finland to move back some kilometres in the Leningrad area and take part of Karelia in exchange. They had also sought to rent some islands and create naval bases in the northern part of the Gulf of Finland. He criticized the intervention of President Roosevelt as un-neutral.

Russia’s demands, in fact, raised, much earlier than Hitler’s action, the critical question of whether the totalitarian rulers recognized the right of small nations to their independence. For, admitting that Russia had a case in the matter of the Karelian Isthmus, the Finnish case was much stronger. Finland could never think of attacking Russia, even if Leningrad was less than 20 miles from her frontier. The lamb does not attack the bear. But Russia was sufficiently powerful to devour twenty Finlands if her size, resources and armaments meant anything. The Russian claims could not reasonably be urged against Finland, and the only enemy against whom she might be expected to build a defence would as soon march across the Karelian Isthmus as he would across the Caucasus. The Germans certainly do not create obstacles for themselves. Granting Russian nervousness in the Gulf of Finland, in spite of its irrationality, was Finland to remove the one strong door it possessed in order that Russia should feel more secure?

The discussions between Finland and Russia continued throughout November; but the temperature was rising. There were attacks upon Finland in the Soviet press and towards the end of the month Russia protested to Finland about her forces having fired into Soviet territory. The shots had taken place in Russia. But the Soviet would not hear the explanation and the Communist Party in Moscow began to hold demonstrations. The Finnish Government were described as the ‘bandits of capitalism’, etc.

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