Sweden, Finland, Russia at War, 1700 to 1947

Sweden, Finland, Russia at War, 1700 to 1947

https://willempost.substack.com/p/how-ukraine-was-created

By Willem Post

The Great Northern War (1700–1721), a 21-y conflict primarily around the Baltic Sea. A coalition led by Peter the Great of Russia dismantled the Swedish Empire and permanently shifted the balance of power in Europe. The Kingdom of Sweden had controlled Finland for over 600 years, from the 12th century until 1809. After Russia won the war, Sweden ceded Livonia, Estonia, Ingria, and parts of East Karelia, per Treaty of Nystad 1721, which increased Russia’s control over the Baltic Sea, and gave it better trade outlets for St Petersburg, founded in 1703. NOTE: Livonia was absorbed by Estonia and Latvian during 1918-1920.  St. Petersburg was built on Ingria starting in 1703, while the war went on.

Finnish War, 1808-1809: Sweden ceded Finland to Russia, per Treaty of Frederikshavn 1809. Russia renamed Finland the Grand Duchy of Finland and made it a part of Russia.

Finland declared independence in 1917. In 1918 and 1921, Finnish “volunteer” militias invaded Russia to support local populations to recover parts of East Karelia.

Finland fought two major wars against Russia: 

1) The Winter War (1939-1940): After a Russian invasion, Finland ceding the Karelian Isthmus and Ladoga Karelia.

Sweden, a neutral country, was doing business with Nazi Germany before and during WW II. It had iron ore and armament supply contracts with Germany. It declared itself a non-Belligerent regarding Finland and provided to Finland significant material aid:135,000 rifles; artillery; ammo, etc.; up to 8900 military “volunteers”; a small, but effective air unit, F19, with about two dozen aircraft. In 1943, when Germany was losing, Sweden began aiding the West to be on the winning side.

2) The Continuation War (1941-1944), where Finland, allied with Nazi Germany, participated in the 872-day siege of Leningrad, with up to 1.5 million Russian dead. Finland forces, under Mannerheim, marched southeast from Finland to about 20 miles from St. Petersburg, built defensive works so women, children, old age, sick people, etc., could not escape the killing fields and Russian troops could not be resupplied from the north, all this with near-zero Finnish casualties and other losses.

Finland, if victorious, aimed to regain territories during the Winter War, and acquire East Karelia and Kola Peninsula, as part of a peace agreement. Because Germany was losing, Finland was forced to sign an Armistice Agreement with Russia on September 19, 1944, to end the Continuation War, which imposed the following terms, including:

• War reparations (300 million gold dollars),
• Territory losses; see brown areas in second image,
• Allow a Soviet Control Commissionin Helsinki, setting Finland on a path of neutrality, known as “Finlandization” during the Cold War.

If Finland had successfully pursued its "Greater Finland" (Suur-Suomi) vision during the early 20th century—and acquired East Karelia (now Republic of Karelia) and Kola Peninsula (now part of Murmansk Oblast)—Finland would be larger by 94%, i.e., slightly smaller than France.

“Greater Finland” Aspirations:

• Finland's baseline area: ~338,455 square kilometers.
• Republic of Karelia (East Karelia): Adds ~172,400 square kilometers (dark gray)
• Murmansk Oblast (Kola Peninsula): Adds ~144,900 square kilometers (purple)
• Combined expansion: ~317,300 square kilometers of new territory.

Karelia, Salia, Petsamo were ceded to Russia, as part of the Paris Peace Treaty in 1947. See URL 

https://willempost.substack.com/p/how-ukraine-was-created