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155-418: Universal male conscription is in place, under which all mentally and physically capable men serve for 165, 255, or 347 days, from the year they turn 18 until the year they turn 29. Alternative non-military service for men and voluntary service for women is available. Finland's official policy states that a wartime military strength of 280,000 personnel constitutes a sufficient deterrent. The army consists of

310-741: A White Guard 's parade on Hämeenkatu in Tampere , in which General Mannerheim was to participate. The group gathered on April 3 at the Park Café in Hämeenkatu; and at this stage, group member Karl Salo was designated as a shooter and given a Colt pistol . However, the assassination attempt failed due to Salo's hesitation. Salo's security detail in the crowd, consisting of Aleksander Weckman and Aleksanteri Suokas, who had been equipped with Walther and Colt pistols, lost sight of Salo and never had time to shoot Mannerheim either. On April 6, Weckman,

465-659: A cult of personality began to be built around Mannerheim right after the civil war. Given the broad recognition in Finland and elsewhere of his unparalleled role in establishing and later preserving Finland's independence from the Soviet Union, Mannerheim has long been referred to as the father of modern Finland, and the New York Times called the Finnish capital Helsinki 's Mannerheim Museum , memorializing

620-485: A Finland bid for membership. On 11 May 2022, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Finnish President Sauli Niinistö signed a new mutual defence agreement "to reinforce their security and fortify northern Europe's defences, in the face of renewed threats." This has helped to address concerns within Finland that the delay between application and acceptance to NATO, during which time Finland would not yet be able to invoke NATO Article 5 and may present an opportunity for

775-501: A Russian invasion. On 12 May 2022, President Sauli Niinistö and Prime Minister Sanna Marin issued a joint statement supporting Finland's application for membership of NATO, saying "As a member of NATO, Finland would strengthen the entire defence alliance. Finland must apply for NATO membership without delay." On 17 May 2022, the Parliament of Finland voted overwhelmingly to apply for membership of NATO, with 188 votes in favour of

930-506: A Soviet anti-tank gun with direct fire. One shell exploded near Mannerheim who, on varying accounts, took cover either in a trench or behind tree trunks until Finnish counter-battery fire neutralized the attacker. Captain Ahti Petramaa, section commander during the inspection, lost fingers from flying shrapnel and was escorted to an aid station where he was promoted to major by Mannerheim. Mannerheim's 75th birthday, 4 June 1942,

1085-531: A Soviet-dominated Allied Control Commission , and the task of post-war reconstruction. Before deciding to accept the Soviet demands, Mannerheim wrote a missive directly to Hitler: Our German brothers-in-arms will forever remain in our hearts. The Germans in Finland were certainly not the representatives of foreign despotism but helpers and brothers-in-arms. But even in such cases foreigners are in difficult positions requiring such tact. I can assure you that during

1240-498: A car that did not have a microphone in it. Damen acted quickly, pushing a microphone through one of the car windows onto a net shelf just above where Hitler and Mannerheim were sitting. After eleven minutes of Hitler's and Mannerheim's private conversation, Hitler's SS bodyguards spotted the cords coming out of the window and realized that the Finnish engineer was recording the conversation. They gestured to him to stop recording immediately, and he complied. The SS bodyguards demanded that

1395-514: A cigar. Mannerheim expected that Hitler would ask Finland for more help against the Soviet Union , which Mannerheim was unwilling to give. When Mannerheim lit up, all in attendance gasped, for Hitler's aversion to smoking was well known. Nevertheless, Hitler continued the conversation calmly, with no comment. By this test, Mannerheim could judge if Hitler was speaking from a position of strength or weakness. He refused Hitler, knowing that Hitler

1550-468: A crisis of conscience that prevents him from fulfilling his reserve obligations, he may ask the military regional office for acceptance into civilian service. In such a case, the person is ordered to start a supplemental service, the length of which is not more than 40 days, but usually less. After starting the supplemental service, the person is transferred to civilian reserve and cannot be ordered to serve in military duties at any time. Finnish conscription

1705-560: A crisis. The military training of the reservists is primarily the duty of the Defence Forces, but it is assisted by the National Defence Training Association of Finland ( Finnish : Maanpuolustuskoulutusyhdistys ). This association provides reservists with personal, squad, platoon and company level military training. Most of the 2,000 instructors of the association are volunteers certified by

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1860-591: A group of local bandits with whom he sought the rear of the enemy to defeat them. Mannerheim, who had a long career in the Imperial Russian army, also rose to become a courtier of Emperor of all the Russias Nicholas II . When Mannerheim returned to Saint Petersburg, he was asked to undertake a journey through Turkestan to Beijing as a secret intelligence officer. The Russian General Staff wanted accurate, on-the-ground intelligence about

2015-434: A highly mobile field army backed up by local defence units. The army defends the national territory and its military strategy employs the use of the heavily forested terrain and numerous lakes to wear down an aggressor, instead of attempting to hold the attacking army on the frontier. Finland's defence budget for 2022 equals approximately € 5.8 billion. The voluntary overseas service is highly popular and troops serve around

2170-410: A human life requires the order. If the emergency cannot be otherwise controlled, a career rescue authority official may order any person inside the municipality to immediately arrive at the place of operation to assist in the operation. The general work duty is applicable only during a severe crisis which involves a war, a foreign aggression, a heightened international tension causing a danger of war,

2325-458: A large conscript-based reserve army. As a Swedish report stated: "The reason why the FDF chose to maintain this model while its Nordic neighbors jumped on the expeditionary bandwagon is not hard to see. Sharing a 1340km border with Russia, the need for large ground forces is self-explanatory. Furthermore, memories of World War II – in which over 2 percent of the population perished in two brutal wars with

2480-665: A large portrait of Emperor Nicholas II in the living room of his house in Helsinki right up to his death, and when asked after the overthrow of the House of Romanov why he kept the portrait up, he always answered: "He was my emperor". In 1892, he married a wealthy noble of Russian-Serbian heritage, Anastasia Arapova (1872–1936). They had two daughters, Anastasie "Stasie" (1893–1978) and Sofia "Sophy" (1895–1963). The couple separated in 1902 and divorced in 1919. In December 1917 , Finland declared independence from Soviet Russia which

2635-507: A military committee was charged with bolstering the Finnish army, then not much more than some locally organised White Guards . Mannerheim was appointed to the committee, but soon resigned to protest its indecision. On 13 January, he was given command of the army. He had only 24,000 newly enlisted, mostly untrained men. The Finnish Red Guard , led by communist leader Kullervo Manner and backed by Soviet Russia, had 30,000 men; and there were 70,000 Red Russian troops in Finland. Mannerheim's army

2790-472: A military emergency, the work may consist of any duties that are necessary to secure the livelihood of the population and the national economy, to maintain legal order and constitutional and human rights, and to safeguard the territorial integrity and independence of Finland in emergency conditions. However, the work must be such that the person obligated to work can carry it out within their skills and strength. The order to work suspends, but does not terminate,

2945-471: A military person on the hour stated in the order even if he is absent from service. Not reporting to the service is prosecuted as an absence without leave or as desertion. The basic training takes place during the first eight weeks. At the end of the basic training, the actual training specialty and, consequently, the service time, are decided by the brigade commander on the recommendation of the company commander. Those ordered for leadership training attend next

3100-578: A part of the 800 million euro savings the Finnish Defence Forces had to carry out. Their duties are now carried out by regional offices ( Finnish : aluetoimisto ). The Navy consists of headquarters and four brigade-level units: Coastal Fleet ( Finnish : Rannikkolaivasto ), Coastal Brigade ( Finnish : Rannikkoprikaati ), Nyland Brigade ( Finnish : Uudenmaan Prikaati , Swedish : Nylands Brigad ), and Naval Academy ( Finnish : Merisotakoulu ). The Coastal Fleet includes all

3255-634: A penalty of 173 days in prison, minus any served days. Such sentences are usually served fully in prison, with no parole . Jehovah's Witnesses are no longer exempted from service as of February 27, 2019. The inhabitants of demilitarized Åland are exempt from military service. By the Conscription Act of 1951, they are, however, required to serve a time at a local institution, like the coast guard . However, until such service has been arranged, they are freed from service obligation. The non-military service of Åland islands has not been arranged since

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3410-562: A severe disruption of international economy or a large-scale disaster. In the case of such emergency, the Government may, using the powers given by the Emergency Powers Act, introduce a general work duty, pertaining to all Finnish citizens between 16 and 65 years of age. In the case of non-military emergency, a person may only be ordered to perform work pertaining to health care, civil defense or rescue operations. In case of

3565-547: A triumphal victory parade in Helsinki in May. After spending some time abroad, he was invited back to Finland to serve as the country's second regent, or head of state, from December 1918 to July 1919. Despite being a monarchist , he formally ratified the republican Constitution of Finland . He then ran against K. J. Ståhlberg in the first Finnish presidential elections in 1919 but lost and quit politics. Mannerheim helped found

3720-706: A voluntary basis and pursue careers in the military after their initial voluntary military service. The military service takes place in Finnish Defence Forces or in the Finnish Border Guard . All services of the Finnish Defence Forces train conscripts. However, the Border Guard trains conscripts only in land-based units, not in coast guard detachments or in the Border Guard Air Wing. Civilian service may take place in

3875-440: Is 165 days, 255 days, or 347 days for the rank and file conscripts and 347 days for conscripts trained as non-commissioned officers or reserve officers. The length of civilian service is always twelve months. Those electing to serve unarmed in duties where unarmed service is possible serve either nine or twelve months, depending on their training. Any Finnish citizen who refuses to perform both military and civilian service faces

4030-410: Is absent, the service place is obligated to inform the civilian service center, which carries out an investigation. For minor infractions, the serviceman may be punished administratively. The punishment consists of a written warning, extra work (maximum 4 hours/day for five days), or the loss of daily allowance for a maximum of 30 days. If the infractions are continuous, the civilian service center reports

4185-423: Is based on the general duty of national defense, which applies to all citizens, regardless of their age or sex. The other forms of the fulfillment of this duty are: The duty to partake in civil defense training is applicable to those persons who have been designated as civil defense personnel by a competent authority. Such persons may be called up to civil defense training for a maximum of ten days per year. During

4340-480: Is below a certain, rather low, limit. It is illegal to fire an employee due to absence due military service or due to a refresher exercise or activation. Voluntary females in military service receive the same benefits as males and a small additional benefit, because they are expected to provide their own underwear and other personal items. Military service consists of lessons, practical training, various cleaning and maintenance duties and field exercises. The wake-up call

4495-413: Is delegated to commanders of battalion -sized units. A citizen's initiative on abolition of conscription in Finland started collecting names on 2 September 2013. The initiative proposed that men who refuse service should no longer be sentenced to prison. According to the initiative, conscription is an expensive, sexist, and out-dated solution for combating any realistic threat scenarios of today. However,

4650-482: Is kept in readiness on weekends to aid civil agencies in various types of emergency situations, to guard the premises and to maintain defense in case of a sudden military emergency. Field exercises can go on regardless of the time of day or day of week. An average conscript spends 40–60 nights outdoors during field exercises, depending on his unit. The training of conscripts is based on the joukkotuotanto principle (lit. English troop production ). In this system, 80% of

4805-439: Is not, he is exempted completely or temporarily. Those fit for service are given an order of induction that determines their place of service and time of induction, or if necessary, a letter of delayed service. It is also possible for the youth to elect national service in front of the draft board. The decision of the draft board to give an induction order or to give a declaration of unfitness for service can be appealed against to

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4960-598: Is part of a general compulsion for national military service for all adult males ( Finnish : Asevelvollisuus ; Swedish : Värnplikt ) defined in the section 127 of the Constitution of Finland . Conscription can take the form of military or of civilian service. According to Finnish Defence Forces 2011 data, slightly under 65% of Finnish males turned 30 had entered and finished the military service. The number of female volunteers to annually enter armed service had stabilized at approximately 300. The service period

5115-424: Is prosecuted as an absence without leave or as desertion, depending on the length of absence. Military service can be started after turning 18, but can be delayed due to studies, work or other personal reasons until the age of 28. In addition to lodging, food, clothes and health care the conscripts receive a tax-free allowance between €5.10 and €11.90 per day, depending on the time they have served. In addition to

5270-402: Is usually at 05:30 and a day's typical duty lasts for twelve hours, including meals and some breaks. In the evening there are a few hours of free time. Roll call is at 21:00, and at 22:00 silence is announced, after which no noise is to be made. On a majority of weekends conscripts can leave the barracks on Friday and are expected to return by midnight on Sunday evening. A small force of conscripts

5425-604: The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine , Finnish government officials began voicing increasingly strong support for joining NATO, buttressed by polls showing a rapid increase in Finnish citizens' willingness to join NATO. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg voiced his support in April 2022 for the inclusion of Finland into the Euro-Atlantic defence alliance and stated that NATO member countries would likely enthusiastically support

5580-771: The Bolshevik coup of November 1917 in Russia, Finland declared its independence on 6 December, but soon became embroiled in the 1918 Finnish Civil War between the " Whites ", who were the troops of the Senate of Finland , supported by troops of the German Empire , and the pro- Bolshevik " Reds ". A Finnish delegation appointed Mannerheim as the military chief of the Whites in January 1918; and he led them to victory, holding

5735-721: The British Empire , going by ship from London to Bombay. From there he travelled to Lucknow , Delhi , and Calcutta in the British India . From there he travelled overland to Burma , where he spent a month at Rangoon and Mandalay . He then went on to Sikkim and returned to Finland by car and aeroplane. In his second voyage, in 1936, he went by ship from Aden (a British territory in Southern Arabia ) to Bombay . During his travels and hunting expeditions, he visited Madras , Delhi and Nepal , where he

5890-543: The Civilian Service Center in Lapinjärvi or in an accepted non-profit organization of educational, social or medical nature. The Finnish Defence Forces are based on a universal male conscription . All men above 18 years of age are liable to serve either 165, 255 or 347 days. Yearly, about 27,000 conscripts are trained. About 80% of Finnish male citizens complete the service. Thus, Finland has one of

6045-592: The Commandant Johan Augustin Mannerheim , became the first head of the executive of the newly-autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland , an office that preceded that of the contemporary Prime Minister . His grandfather, Carl Gustaf Mannerheim (1797–1854), was an entomologist and jurist. His father, Carl Robert, Count Mannerheim (1835–1914), was both a playwright and industrialist, with modest success in both endeavours. Mannerheim's mother, Hedvig Charlotta Helena von Julin (1842–1881),

6200-797: The Finnish Civil War (or War of Liberty, as it was known among the "Whites"). Other officers were Finns who had been trained by the Germans as a Jäger Battalion . In March 1918 they were aided by German troops landing in Finland and occupying Helsinki . After the Whites' victory in the bitterly fought civil war , during which both sides employed ruthless terror tactics, Mannerheim resigned as commander-in-chief. He left Finland in June 1918 to visit relatives in Sweden. In Stockholm, Mannerheim conferred with Allied diplomats, emphasizing his opposition to

6355-699: The Finnish Navy ( Finnish : Merivoimat , Swedish : Marinen ) and the Finnish Air Force ( Finnish : Ilmavoimat , Swedish : Flygvapnet ). The Border Guard ( Finnish : Rajavartiolaitos , Swedish : Gränsbevakningsväsendet ) (including the coast guard ) is under the authority of the Ministry of the Interior , but can be incorporated fully or in part into the defence forces when required by defence readiness. All logistical duties of

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6510-712: The Grand Duchy of Finland during Mannerheim's childhood, and Mannerheim made a career in the Imperial Russian Army , serving in the Russo-Japanese War and the Eastern Front of World War I and rising by 1917 to the rank of lieutenant general . He had a prominent place in the 1896 coronation ceremonies for Emperor Nicholas II and later had several private meetings with the Tsar. After

6665-730: The HX Fighter Program . The Finnish Defence Forces cooperate closely with the Finnish Border Guard. The Finnish Border Guard has its own yearly and long-term investment budget. After Finland's declaration of independence on 6 December 1917, the Civic Guards were proclaimed the troops of the government on 25 January 1918 and then Lieutenant General of the Russian Imperial Army Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim

6820-691: The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare in 1920 and headed the Finnish Red Cross from 1922 to his death. He was restored to a central role in national defence policy when President Svinhufvud appointed him as the Chairman of the Finnish Defence Council in 1931, tasked with making preparations for a potential war with the Soviet Union . It was also agreed that he would temporarily take over as commander-in-chief of

6975-826: The President of the Republic in matters related to the military command. Decisions concerning military orders are made by the President of the Republic in consultation with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence . Apart from the Defence Command ( Finnish : Pääesikunta , Swedish : Huvudstaben ), the military branches are the Finnish Army ( Finnish : Maavoimat , Swedish : Armén ),

7130-589: The Soviet Union with their two assistants but were arrested on the Helsinki- Vyborg train the night of April 21. Salo was arrested in Espoo on April 23. When negotiations with the Soviet Union failed in 1939, and aware of the imminent war and deploring the lack of equipment and preparation of the army, Mannerheim resigned once again from the military council on 17 October 1939, declaring that he would agree to return to business only as Commander-in-Chief of

7285-604: The Volunteer Campaigns that came to an end in 1920 with the signing of the Treaty of Tartu , which ended the state of war between Finland and Soviet Russia and defined the internationally recognized borders of Finland. After winning the Civil War, the Finnish peacetime army was organized as three divisions and a brigade by professional German officers. It became the basic structure for the next 20 years. The coast

7440-579: The Army is planning to complement the modernized Patria Pasi armoured vehicles with the Finnish Patria 6×6 . The standard issue assault rifle RK 62 is also being upgraded to a new variant. A new high altitude air defence missile system was selected in April 2023, Rafael's David's Sling system. The Finnish Defence Forces are under the command of the Chief of Defence , who is directly subordinate to

7595-608: The Bank of Helsinki, the chairman of the supervisory board of that bank until 1934, and was a member of the board of Nokia Corporation . He offered to serve the French Foreign Legion in the Rif War (1925–1926), but was turned down. In the 1920s and 1930s, Mannerheim returned to Asia , where he travelled and hunted extensively. On his first trip in 1927, to avoid going through the Soviet Union , he travelled through

7750-528: The Central Draft Board which has five legally trained members and two members who have a minimum rank of lieutenant colonel. The decision of the Central Draft Board is final. The draft board uses a system of six grades (only five of which are in active use) to determine the draftee's fitness for duty: Those who fail to report to the drafting event are fetched to the event by the police. If they are not found, they are given an order to report to

7905-434: The Civil War and also introduced a mobilization system and compulsory refresher courses for reservists. An academy providing basic officer training ( Kadettikoulu ) was established in 1919, the founding of a General Staff College ( Sotakorkeakoulu ) followed in 1924, and in 1927 a tactical training school ( Taistelukoulu ) for company-grade and junior officers and NCOs was set up. The requirement of one year of compulsory service

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8060-615: The Defence Forces are carried out by the Defence Forces Logistics Command ( Finnish : Puolustusvoimien logistiikkalaitos ), which includes three logistics regiments. The Army is divided into eight brigade-level units ( Finnish : joukko-osasto ). Under the brigades, there were 12 military districts, which were responsible for carrying out the draft, training and crisis-time activation of reservists and for planning and executing territorial defence of their areas. The military districts were disbanded in 2014, as

8215-505: The Defence Forces, but when Defence Forces materiel is used, the training always takes place under the supervision of career military personnel. Annually, the Defence Forces requests the Association to run specialized exercises for some 8,500 personnel placed in reserve units, and an additional 16,500 reservists participate in military courses where the participants are not directly selected by the Defence Forces. The legislation concerning

8370-834: The Finnish Army Lieutenant General Pasi Välimäki Chief of Staff, Army Major General Jukka Jokinen Chief of Operations, Army Command Brigadier General Sami-Antti Takamaa Commander of Karelia Brigade Brigadier General Jyri Raitasalo Commander of Kainuu Brigade Brigadier General Ari Laaksonen Commander of Pori Brigade Brigadier General Vesa Valtonen Commander of the Finnish Navy Rear Admiral Jori Harju Chief of Staff, Navy Commodore Jukka Anteroinen Conscription in Finland Conscription in Finland

8525-558: The Finnish Army. He officially became the supreme commander of the armies, at the age of 72, after the Soviet attack, the November 30, 1939. In a letter to his daughter Sophie, he stated, "I had not wanted to undertake the responsibility of commander-in-chief, as my age and my health entitled me, but I had to yield to appeals from the President of the Republic and the government, and now for the fourth time I am at war." He addressed

8680-666: The Finnish Defence Forces in an invasion of the Soviet Union alongside Nazi Germany known as the Continuation War (1941–1944). In 1944, when the prospect of Nazi Germany's defeat in World War II became clear, the Finnish Parliament appointed Mannerheim as President of Finland, and he oversaw peace negotiations with the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom . Already in declining health, he resigned

8835-537: The Finnish army and forcing Finland's unconditional surrender, forced Finland out of the war . The Finns were able to preserve their independence with key defensive victories over the Red Army, the Battle of Tali-Ihantala being very significant. These conflicts involving Finland had a significant impact on the modern Finnish defense force. While other European militaries have reduced their forces, Finland has maintained

8990-742: The Finnish army did not occur as swiftly or as well as he hoped, and he was not enthusiastic about a war. He had many disagreements with various Cabinets, and signed many letters of resignation. After their defeat in the Civil War, some Reds Guards attempted to assassinate Mannerheim. One of the would-be assassins, Eino Rahja , was in charge of the Saint Petersburg International School of Red Officers. He began planning an assassination by assembling eight groups of Finnish Red Guards in Saint Petersburg for this purpose. The attempt happened in April 1920 during

9145-704: The Finnish government's policy; Finnish leaders were confident the Germans would win the war, and had declared the Kaiser's brother-in-law, Frederick Charles of Hesse , to be the King of Finland. In the meantime Svinhufvud served as the first Regent of the nascent kingdom. Mannerheim's rapport with the Allies was recognized in October 1918 when the Finnish government sent him to Britain and France to attempt to gain Britain's and

9300-408: The Finnish language. Mannerheim disliked his last Christian name, Emil, and wrote his signature as C. G. Mannerheim, or simply Mannerheim. Among his relatives and close friends Mannerheim was called Gustaf. Mannerheim secured recognition of Finnish independence from Britain and the United States. In July 1919, after he had confirmed a new, republican constitution, Mannerheim stood as a candidate in

9455-431: The June agreement with the Germans, Finland's leaders saw a chance to reach a peace with the Soviet Union. At first, attempts were made to persuade Mannerheim to become prime minister, but he rejected them because of his age and lack of experience running a civil government. The next suggestion was to elect him head of state . Risto Ryti would resign as president, and parliament would appoint Mannerheim as regent. The use of

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9610-466: The NCO course. After the seven-week phase I of the course, a portion of the students are sent to Reserve Officer School or an equivalent institution for officer training, while the remaining NCO students complete the 12-week phase II of the NCO course. At the same time, the rank and file receive the specialized training of their branch, often at the same company as they underwent their basic training. After completion of their NCO or reserve officer training,

9765-401: The Russian army as one of his official duties. In 1903, he was put in charge of the model squadron in the Imperial Chevalier Guard and became a member of the equestrian training board of the cavalry regiments. Mannerheim volunteered for active service with the Imperial Russian Army in the Russo-Japanese War in 1904. He was transferred to the 52nd Nezhin Dragoon Regiment in Manchuria , with

9920-448: The Separate Guards Cavalry Brigade (the 23rd Army Corps), and fought on the Austro-Hungarian and Romanian fronts . In December 1914, after distinguishing himself in combat against the Austro-Hungarian forces , Mannerheim was awarded the Order of St. George , 4th class. In March 1915, Mannerheim was appointed to command the 12th Cavalry Division. Mannerheim received leave to visit Finland and Saint Petersburg in early 1917 and witnessed

10075-620: The Soviet Union – are very much alive in Finland". This same aspect has been highlighted even more strongly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Finland's decision to join NATO. With quotes like; "After World War II, having thwarted the advance of the mighty Red Army in the Winter War of 1939-40 and then seeking to recapture the territory the Soviets eventually claimed, Finland had to settle for neutrality imposed by Moscow. But to almost everyone's surprise, it succeeded in this degrading task, too, building up armed forces that were highly capable and were energetically supported by civil society—while at

10230-451: The Soviet threat. In July 1941 the Finnish Army of Karelia was strengthened by the German 163rd Infantry Division . They retook the Finnish territories annexed by the Soviet Union after the Winter War, and went further, occupying East Karelia . Finnish troops took part in the Siege of Leningrad , which lasted 872 days. On 20 June 1942, Mannerheim was inspecting Finnish front line troops in Poventsa when he and his staff were engaged by

10385-442: The United States's recognition of Finland's independence. In December, he was summoned back to Finland; Frederick Charles had renounced the throne, and in his stead, Mannerheim had been elected Regent. As Regent, Mannerheim often signed official documents using Kustaa , the Finnish form of his Christian name, to emphasize his Finnishness to those who were suspicious of his background in the Russian armed forces and his difficulties with

10540-453: The actual service. The basic training takes place in the Lapinjärvi Civilian Service Center and lasts 28 days. During basic training, the serviceman is given instruction in first aid, peace education, internationalism, and non-violent resistance. In addition, some trainees receive an anti-oil leak or non-violent activity training. During the basic training, the civilian servicemen have training during weekdays from 08:00 until 16:00. On Fridays,

10695-492: The annual NATO summit in Madrid as guest nations. Finland became a full NATO member on 4 April 2023. The Defence Forces are currently undergoing key procurement programmes for all the three branches. The Navy is scheduled to get its largest vessels since the WW2-era Väinämöinen class with the new Pohjanmaa class . The Air Force has made the decision to acquire the Lockheed Martin F-35A to replace all McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets for €10 billion. Meanwhile,

10850-402: The application of motti tactics . Finland successfully defended its independence but ceded 9% of its territory per the Moscow Peace Treaty . During the war, the Finns lost 25,904 men, while the Soviet losses were 167,976 dead. Finland fought in the Continuation War alongside Germany from 1941 to 1944. Thanks to Nazi-German aid, the army was much better equipped, and the period of conscription

11005-422: The arms which you have so liberally supplied us against Germans. I harbour the hope that you, even if you disapprove of my attitude, will wish and endeavour like myself and all other Finns to terminate our former relations without increasing the gravity of the situation. Mannerheim's term as president was difficult for him. Although he was elected for a full six-year term, he was 77 years old in 1944 and had accepted

11160-1216: The association will require that the chairman and the majority of the members of its board are chosen by the Finnish Government . The other board members are chosen by NGOs active in the national defence. Chief of Defence General Janne Jaakkola Chief of Defence Command Finland Lieutenant General Vesa Virtanen Deputy Chief of Staff, Logistics and Armaments Lieutenant General Mikko Heiskanen Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategy Major General Sami Nurmi Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations Major General Kari Nisula Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel Major General Rami Saari Chief of Planning Brigadier General Tero Ylitalo Assistant Chief of Staff Operations Commodore Janne Huusko Defence Command Chief of C5 Brigadier General Jarmo Vähätiitto Chief of Personnel (J1) Commodore Tuomas Tiilikainen Chief of Logistics Brigadier General Timo Saarinen Assistant Chief of Staff, Training (J7) Brigadier General Manu Tuominen Defence Command Chief of Intelligence Brigadier General Pekka Turunen Chief Surgeon Commodore Medical Juha-Petri Ruohola Field Bishop Jukka Pekka Asikainen Commander of

11315-416: The basic allowance, conscripts serving as parachutists, divers or pilots receive danger bonuses of 10-20 euros per jump or day of diving or, for pilots, 182 euros per month. The state pays the conscript's rent and electricity bills. If the conscripts have families, they are entitled to benefits as well. Reservists are eligible for similar support only if the total income of reservist's family from all sources

11470-431: The civilian service on grounds of conscience must demonstrate their personal, non-violent conviction to an investigation board. The board would consist of three professional judges, a psychologist selected by the civilian service center, an officer selected by the Finnish Defence Forces and a priest or a religious scholar. Only those who could prove their conviction would be given the right to civilian service. Persons failing

11625-540: The civilian servicemen belong to the civil reserve ( siviilivaranto ) until the end of their 50th life year. After this, they belong to the civil militia ( lisävaranto ) until the end of their 60th life year. During this time, they may be activated for extra training, if the international tension rises to the level where military reserves are activated. During a mobilization, the civilian servicemen may be mobilized and assigned duties in civil defense, rescue authorities or environmental authorities. In case of general mobilization,

11780-535: The conditions of the peace treaty did not include prohibitions on reserves or mobilization made it possible to contemplate an adequate defense establishment within the prescribed limits. The reorganization resulted in the adoption of the brigade -in place of the division- as the standard formation. For the first two decades after the Second World War, the Finnish Defence Forces relied largely on obsolete wartime material. Defence spending remained minimal until

11935-418: The conscript's lowest allowance. The reservists who have been activated mandatorily for any reason receive a taxable pay of 58.85–64.50 euros per diem, based on their rank and a taxfree allowance corresponding to the lowest conscript's allowance. Similarly to the induction, an activated reservist becomes a military person at the moment when he was ordered to report to service. Disobeying an activation order

12090-468: The conscripts train to fulfill a specific role in a specific wartime military unit. Each brigade-level unit has a responsibility of producing specified reserve units from the conscripts it has been allocated. As the reservists are discharged, they receive a specific wartime placement in the unit with which they have trained during their conscription. As the conscripts age, their unit is given new, different tasks and materiel. Typically, reservists are placed for

12245-405: The coronation of Emperor Nicholas II, standing for four hours in his full-dress Imperial Chevalier Guard uniform at the bottom of the steps leading up to the imperial throne. Mannerheim always considered the coronation a high-point of his life, recalling with pride his role in what he called an "indescribably magnificent" coronation. An expert rider and trained horseman, Mannerheim bought horses for

12400-552: The country's armed forces should there be a war. Accordingly, after the Soviets invaded Finland in November 1939 in what became the Winter War , Mannerheim replaced President Kyösti Kallio as commander-in-chief, and occupied the post for the next five years. He became a unifying symbol of the war effort and part of the core leadership of the country. He personally participated in the planning of Operation Barbarossa and led

12555-403: The drafting event, the male is required to visit a municipal doctor for a physical examination. The drafting event is held simultaneously for all males of the age cohort of the municipality. In cities where this would be unfeasible, the age cohort is divided to different days based on the first letters of surname. The drafting event consists of a number of lectures, after which a doctor appointed by

12710-462: The early 1960s. During the peak of the Cold War , the Finnish government made a conscious effort to increase defence capability. This resulted in the commissioning of several new weapons systems and the strengthening of the defence of Finnish Lapland by the establishment of new garrisons in the area. From 1968 onwards, the Finnish government adopted the doctrine of territorial defence, which requires

12865-576: The economical effects of conscription. The commanders of the Defence Forces have repeatedly claimed that conscription is a cost-effective method to defend the country. Professor of Economics Roope Uusitalo says that the claim is not supported by economic research. Professor of Economics Panu Poutvaara has stated that an all-volunteer army would produce a stronger army using fewer resources. Marshal Mannerheim Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim ( Finland Swedish: [(kɑːrl) ˈɡʉstɑːf (ˈeːmil) ˈmɑnːærˌheim] , 4 June 1867 – 27 January 1951)

13020-465: The end of their service, officer candidates are promoted to second lieutenants (in the navy, sublieutenants). Privates have a possibility of being promoted to lance corporal (in the navy, seaman) for extraordinarily good service. The service times are determined so that the conscript leaders are demobilized with the rank and file of that cohort. After discharge, the conscripts retain their ranks as inactive reserve ranks After their military service,

13175-620: The events of 2022 all this has received attention internationally as well. The demobilization and regrouping of the Finnish Defence Forces were carried out in late 1944 under the supervision of the Soviet-dominated Allied Control Commission . Following the Treaty of Paris in 1947, which imposed restrictions on the size and equipment of the armed forces and required disbandment of the Civic Guard, Finland reorganized its defense forces. The fact that

13330-403: The examination would be liable for military service. However, those who have already served their civilian or supplemental service are ensured of their right to non-military duties at all times. In addition, any conscript or activated reservist always has the right to be transferred to non-armed military service, regardless of eventual crisis. If, after his military service, a person experiences

13485-748: The fatherland's interests were too often sacrificed by the democratic politicians for partisan benefit. He kept busy heading the Finnish Red Cross (Chairman 1919–1951), was a member of the board of the International Red Cross, and founded the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare ( Mannerheimin Lastensuojeluliitto ). He was also the chairman of the supervisory board of a commercial bank, the Liittopankki-Unionsbanken, and after its merger with

13640-433: The first five years in first-line units, then moved to military formations with less demanding tasks, while the reservists unable to serve in the unit are substituted with reservists from the reserve without specific placement. In refresher exercises, the unit is then given new training for these duties, if the defense budget permits this. Non-military service has a fixed length of 347 days and consists of basic training and

13795-469: The first of his often controversial orders of the day to the Defence Forces on the day the war began: The President of the Republic has appointed me on 30 November 1939 as Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the country. Brave soldiers of Finland! I enter on this task at a time when our hereditary enemy is once again attacking our country. Confidence in one's commander is the first condition for success. You know me and I know you and know that everyone in

13950-777: The first presidential election , with parliament as the electors. He was supported by the National Coalition Party and the Swedish People's Party . He finished second to Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg , and withdrew from public life. Mannerheim's mother tongue was Swedish . He spoke fluent German , French , and Russian , the last of which he learned in the forces of the Russian Imperial Army . He also spoke some English, Polish , Portuguese , Latin , and Chinese . He did not start learning Finnish properly until after Finland's independence . In

14105-528: The following year. Mannerheim's maternal uncle, Albert von Julin (1846–1906), then became his legal guardian and financier of his later schooling. The third child of the family, Mannerheim inherited the title of Baron . Mannerheim was sent to the Hamina Cadet School , a state school educating aristocrats for the Imperial Russian Army , in 1882. The handsome young Baron towered over his classmates, standing 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m). He

14260-428: The former conscripts are placed in reserve until the age of 50 or 60, depending on their military rank. During their time in reserve, the reservists are liable for activation for five types of duty: The males who do not belong to the reserve may only be activated in case of a full mobilization, and those rank-and-file personnel who have fulfilled 50 years of age only with a specific parliamentary decision. In addition to

14415-434: The government of Czechoslovakia in 1968. In an all-out confrontation between the two major blocs, Finnish objective would have been to prevent any military incursions to Finnish territory and thereby keep Finland outside the war. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 did not eliminate the military threat perceived by the government, but the nature of the threat had changed. While the concept of total, territorial defence

14570-587: The greater part of the expedition on his own. With a small caravan, including a Cossack guide, Chinese interpreter, and Uyghur cook, Mannerheim first trekked to Khotan in search of British and Japanese spies. After returning to Kashgar , he headed north into the Tian Shan range, surveying passes and gauging the stances of the tribes towards the Han Chinese. Mannerheim arrived in the provincial capital of Urumqi , and then headed east into Gansu province. At

14725-406: The highest rates of conscription, along with such countries as Singapore , Israel , Armenia , South Korea , Turkey , Estonia , and North Korea . The conscripts first receive basic training (8 weeks), after which they are assigned to various units for special training. Privates who are trained for tasks not requiring special skills serve for five and a half months. In technically demanding tasks,

14880-542: The initiative gained little public support and failed to reach the hurdle of 50,000 signatories needed for bringing the initiative to parliamentary process. The military is a strong part of Finnish society and culture. Before the 1990s, national service was regarded as a rite of passage for young men. This was especially true for the rural Finnish population. Often, before the 1990s, a lot of private companies were hesitant to hire 20-year-olds if they had neither military service nor education to show for what they were doing during

15035-729: The interwar years, Mannerheim held no public office, mainly because he was viewed by many politicians of the centre and left as a controversial figure for his ruthless battle with the Bolsheviks , his supposed desire for Finnish intervention on the side of the Whites during the Russian Civil War , and the Finnish socialists' antipathy toward him. They saw him as the bourgeois "White General". Mannerheim doubted that modern party-based politics would produce principled and high-quality leaders in Finland or elsewhere. In his gloomy opinion,

15190-459: The introduction of the act, and there are no plans to institute it. The inhabitants of Åland islands can also volunteer for military service on the mainland. Dual nationals of Finland and another country can also be exempted if they either complete at least 4 months of military service in another country, or have resided overseas for at least 7 years and do not move back to Finland before the age of 29. As of 1995, women are permitted to serve on

15345-501: The leader's life and times, "the closest thing there is to a [Finnish] national shrine". The Mannerheims , originally from Germany as Marhein , became Swedish noblemen in 1693. In the latter part of the 18th century, they moved to Finland, which was then an integral part of Sweden . After Sweden lost Finland to the Russian Empire in 1809, Mannerheim's great-grandfather, Count Carl Erik Mannerheim (1759–1837), son of

15500-436: The mandatory refresher exercises, the reservist may be activated for voluntary exercises, but participation in these is, as name suggests, voluntary. However, when the reservist answers affirmatively to a voluntary activation request, he becomes an active member of the military for the duration of the exercise, with same rights and obligations as a mandatorily activated reservist, though with only an allowance corresponding only to

15655-478: The military regional office and, if necessary, brought there for an examination and drafting by the police. In addition, they will be prosecuted and sentenced to a fine. Those residing abroad can report to the nearest Finnish embassy for medical examination and drafting. The conscripts are inducted twice a year, in January and in July. The order of induction received from the draft board is binding: The conscript becomes

15810-418: The motion and 8 against. The following morning, the Finnish ambassador to NATO, Klaus Korhonen, formally submitted Finland's application to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg . Sweden also submitted its application at the same time. On 29 June 2022, 30 NATO countries extended a formal invitation for Finland along with Sweden to join NATO. Both nations received the status of aspiring members while attending

15965-421: The municipality gives each male a physical examination. After the check-up, the youth meets the draft board in person. The draft board consists of two officers from the military regional office and of one civilian appointed by the municipality. The youth can express his wishes for a service location, branch of service and the time of induction. After this, the board decides whether the youth is fit for service. If he

16120-474: The new conscript leaders are sent to normal units to serve as the leaders for the next incoming conscript cohort. The NCOs serve as corporals (in the Navy, petty officers 3rd class), with the possibility of promotion to sergeant (petty officer 2nd class). Those who have graduated Reserve Officer School or equivalent serve as officer candidates, ranking junior to career personnel but outranking conscript sergeants. At

16275-495: The office reluctantly after being urged to do so. The situation was exacerbated by frequent periods of ill-health, the demands of the Allied Control Commission, and the war responsibility trials . He was afraid throughout most of his presidency that the commission would request his prosecution for crimes against peace . This never happened. One of the reasons for this was Stalin's respect for and admiration of

16430-560: The operation leader, threatened to kill Salo if he had not assassinated either Mannerheim or the Minister of War and Uusimaa County Governor within a week. Bruno Jalander . This attempt was also unsuccessful, as Mannerheim and Jalander did not come to the Helsinki Conservation Party celebration after the authorities received a tip. Salo returned his pistol and escaped afterwards. Weckman and Suokas tried to escape to

16585-471: The other states bordering the Soviet Union . Finland retained its sovereignty, its parliamentary democracy, and its market economy. Territorial losses were considerable; a portion of Karelia and all Petsamo were lost. Numerous Karelian refugees needed to be relocated. The war reparations were very heavy. Finland also had to fight the Lapland War against withdrawing German troops in the north, and at

16740-511: The outbreak of the February Revolution . After returning to the front, he was promoted to lieutenant general in April 1917 (the promotion was backdated to February 1915), and took command of the 6th Cavalry Corps in the summer of 1917. However, Mannerheim fell out of favour with the new government , who regarded him as not supporting the revolution, and was relieved of his duties. He retired and returned to Finland. Mannerheim kept

16895-556: The pact, and it fell to President Risto Ryti to sign it, so it came to be known as the Ryti-Ribbentrop Agreement . This allowed Mannerheim to revoke the agreement upon the resignation of President Ryti at the start of August 1944. Mannerheim succeeded Ryti as president. When Germany was deemed sufficiently weakened, and the USSR 's summer offensive was fought to a standstill (see Battle of Tali-Ihantala ) thanks to

17050-414: The parliament may give permission to activate even the civil militia. The "total objectors", who have served a prison term for refusing civilian service, receive no exceptions. The activated or mobilized servicemen receive the same pay as rank-and-file reservists. In case of a crisis where reserve is partially activated, the automatic acceptance into civilian service is suspended. Instead, those applying to

17205-515: The past years nothing whatsoever happened that could have induced us to consider the German troops intruders or oppressors. I believe that the attitude of the German Army in northern Finland towards the local population and authorities will enter our history as a unique example of a correct and cordial relationship ... I deem it my duty to lead my people out of the war. I cannot and I will not turn

17360-408: The place of service is responsible for the health care and maintenance of the serviceman. The serviceman is obligated to work for 40 hours a week at times prescribed by the place of service. He has the right to enjoy a continuous daily rest period hours of 8 hours, however. The work is carried out according to the usual civilian OSHA regulations. During his free time, the serviceman is allowed to leave

17515-696: The point when Mannerheim's visit to Germany made him realize what kind of "ideal state" Hitler was building; he compared Hitler's rise in Germany to the 1917 rise of the Bolshevists in Russia. Before the Continuation War, the Germans offered Mannerheim command over 80,000 German troops in Finland. Mannerheim declined so as to not tie himself and Finland to Nazi war aims; Mannerheim was ready for cooperation and fraternity with Hitler's Germany, but for practical rather than ideological reasons because of

17670-425: The possibility of a Russian invasion of Xinjiang, and Xinjiang's possible role as a bargaining chip in a putative future war with China. His trip through Asia left him with a lifelong love of Asian art, which he thereafter collected. After returning to Russia in 1909, Mannerheim presented results of the expedition to Emperor Nicholas II. There are many artifacts still on display in the museum. After that, Mannerheim

17825-421: The premises of the service place freely. During the service and basic training, the serviceman receives the same daily allowance as the conscript. During the service, the serviceman is entitled to receive 18 days of leave, in addition to his free time. In addition to this leave, he may receive a maximum of 20 days of leave for good performance. If the serviceman does not comply with his duties and obligations or

17980-426: The presence of security guards, because mainly as a fatalist , he firmly believed in fate, if it had to happen in the form of an untimely death, and in addition, he also strongly trusted his own authority. In 1929, Mannerheim refused the right-wing radicals ' plea to become a de facto military dictator, although he did express some support for the right-wing Lapua Movement . After President Pehr Evind Svinhufvud

18135-732: The present employment. The work carried out by the obligated person is regulated under the usual conditions of the field of employment and the standard union wages are paid for it. During a war or an armed crisis, the military has the power to order persons present in the area which is exposed to enemy attack to perform such work as is necessary for the maintenance of the troops or for the defense preparations. A person given such an order may not be obligated to work for longer than 12, or in special circumstances, 24 days. Anyone between 15 and 65 years of age may be drafted for such work, regardless of nationality, occupation or obligation to perform general work duty. The right to draft civilians for necessary work

18290-489: The presidency in 1946 and spent much of his remaining life in a sanatorium in Switzerland , where he wrote his memoirs, and where he died in 1951. Participants in a Finnish survey taken 53 years after his death voted Mannerheim the greatest Finn of all time. During his own lifetime he became, alongside Jean Sibelius , the best-known Finnish personage at home and abroad. According to Finnish historian Tuomas Tepora,

18445-424: The previous two years. According to Yle , the Finnish Army has joined a battle on mandatory military service. Numerous pro-conscription letters and columns by officers and regional army heads were published in the summer of 2013 praising the benefits of military service, although political activism is not one of the army's official tasks. The Defence Forces has been accused of providing misleading information on

18600-450: The public, including some former socialists, less as a "White General" and more as a nonpartisan figure, enhanced by his public statements urging reconciliation between the opposing sides in the Civil War and the need to focus on national unity and defence: "we need not ask where a man stood fifteen years ago". Mannerheim supported Finland's military industry and sought in vain to obtain a military defence union with Sweden . However, rearming

18755-413: The rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. During a reconnaissance patrol on the plains of Manchuria, he first saw action in a skirmish and had his horse shot out from under him. He was promoted to Colonel for bravery in the Battle of Mukden in 1905 and briefly commanded an irregular unit of Hong Huzi , a local militia, on an exploratory mission into Inner Mongolia. During the war, Mannerheim also managed to lead

18910-587: The ranks is ready to do his duty even to death. This war is nothing other than the continuation and final act of our War of Independence. We are fighting for our homes, our faith, and our country. The defensive field fortifications they manned became known as the Mannerheim Line . Field Marshal Mannerheim quickly organised his headquarters in Mikkeli . His chief of staff was Lieutenant General Aksel Airo , while his close friend, General Rudolf Walden ,

19065-787: The reforms and activities by the Qing dynasty , as well as the military feasibility of invading Western China : a possible move in their struggle with Britain for control of inner Asia . Disguised as an ethnographic collector, he joined the French archeologist Paul Pelliot 's expedition at Samarkand in Russian Turkestan (now Uzbekistan ). They started from the terminus of the Trans-Caspian Railway in Andijan in July 1906, but Mannerheim quarreled with Pelliot, so he made

19220-646: The sacred Buddhist mountain of Mount Wutai in Shanxi province , Mannerheim met the 13th Dalai Lama of Tibet. He showed the Dalai Lama how to use a pistol. He followed the Great Wall of China , and investigated a mysterious tribe known as Yugurs . From Lanzhou, the provincial capital, Mannerheim headed south into Tibetan territory and visited the lamasery of Labrang , where he was stoned by xenophobic monks. During his trip to Tibet in 1908 Mannerheim became

19375-407: The same time demobilize its own army, making it harder to expel the Germans; Mannerheim appointed Lieutenant General Hjalmar Siilasvuo as the high commander of the army to take this action. It is widely agreed that only Mannerheim could have guided Finland through these difficult times, when the Finnish people had to come to terms with the severe conditions of the armistice, their implementation by

19530-499: The same time managing to maintain dialogue with Moscow.", "Finland still has compulsory military service. Finland would be in a position to mobilize an army of 280,000 soldiers. That's quite a big army in modern Europe,", with similar views being expressed elsewhere as well, often referring to the fact that Finland has kept its conscript-based armed force or other readiness-related units, contrasting with other European countries that now have to re-arm, such as Germany as an example. During

19685-402: The service usually ends before noon, while weekends are off. The servicemen are allowed to leave the service center freely during their free time, and may, if they wish, live at their homes during the basic training. For the actual service period, the serviceman is required to obtain a service place, which must have an agreement with the civilian service center. During the actual service period,

19840-453: The serviceman to the police and discharges him. After this, the serviceman is usually convicted of civilian service crime to prison for a time that corresponds half of his remaining term of service. No parole is available. The same punishment applies to those who make a written denunciation of their service obligation. After serving the prison term, the former inmate is freed of his remaining peacetime service obligations. After their service,

19995-439: The surface combatants of the Navy, while Coastal Brigade and Nyland Brigade train coastal troops. The Air Force consists of headquarters and four brigade-level units: Satakunta , Lapland and Karelian Air Wings ( Finnish : lennosto ) and Air Force Academy ( Finnish : Ilmasotakoulu ). They are responsible for securing the integrity of the Finnish airspace during peace and for conducting aerial warfare independently during

20150-438: The tape be destroyed, but Yleisradio was allowed to keep the reel after promising to keep it in a sealed container. It was given to Kustaa Vilkuna , head of the state censors' office, and in 1957 returned to Yleisradio. It was released to the public a few years later. It is the only known recording of Hitler speaking outside of a formal occasion. There is an unsubstantiated story that while conversing with Hitler, Mannerheim lit

20305-542: The third European who had met with the Dalai Lama. Mannerheim arrived in Beijing in July 1908, returning to Saint Petersburg via Japan and the Trans-Siberian Express . His report gave a detailed account of Chinese modernization, covering education, military reforms, colonization of ethnic borderlands, mining and industry, railway construction, the influence of Japan, and opium smoking. He also discussed

20460-433: The time of service is eight and a half months or (in some cases, such as those selected for NCO or officer training) eleven and a half months. All males are liable to report at the drafting event ( Finnish : kutsunnat , Swedish : uppbåd ) of their municipality in the autumn of the year they turn 18. The Finnish Defence Forces sends the youth an official invitation to the event along with an information package. Prior to

20615-479: The title regent would have reflected the exceptional circumstances of Mannerheim's election. Mannerheim and Ryti both agreed, and Ryti submitted a notice of resignation on 1 August. The Parliament of Finland passed a special act conferring the presidency on Mannerheim on 4 August 1944. He took the oath of office the same day. A month after Mannerheim took office, the Continuation War was concluded on harsh terms, but ultimately far less harsh than those imposed on

20770-503: The training, they enjoy the same benefits and pay as activated reservists. The duty to partake in rescue operations is applicable to anyone near a fire or an accident. Everyone is required to report the accident or fire and to immediately start such rescue and fire-fighting they are capable of. After the arrival of the rescue crew, the chief of the rescue operation may order anyone who is nearby to help in rescue operation in such manner as they are capable, if preventing an accident or saving

20925-413: The use of large land areas to delay and wear out a potential aggressor. The doctrine was complemented by the concept of total defence which calls for the use of all resources of society for national defence in case of a crisis. From the mid-1960s onwards the Finnish Defence Forces also began to specifically prepare to defeat a strategic strike, the kind which the Soviet Union employed successfully to topple

21080-459: The visit, an engineer of the Finnish broadcasting company Yleisradio , Thor Damen, succeeded in recording the first eleven minutes of Hitler's and Mannerheim's private conversation . This had to be done secretly, as Hitler never allowed off-guard recordings. Damen was assigned to record the official birthday speeches and Mannerheim's response and therefore placed microphones in some of the railway cars. However, Mannerheim and his guests chose to go to

21235-426: The will of the soldiers to fight. He was famed for this quote: Forts, cannons and foreign aid will not help unless every man himself knows that he is the guard of his country. Mannerheim kept relations with Adolf Hitler 's government as formal as possible. Mannerheim did not really appreciate Hitler, even though he initially expressed an interest in his rise to power; his attitude towards Hitler turned negative at

21390-504: The world in UN , NATO , and EU missions. With an arsenal of 700 howitzers, 700 heavy mortars and 100 multiple rocket launchers, Finland has the largest artillery capability in western Europe. Homeland defence willingness against a superior enemy is at 83%, one of the highest rates in Europe. The air force has 62 F/A-18 combat aircraft from 1995, to be replaced with 64 F-35 aircraft in 2026 by

21545-488: Was a Finnish military commander, aristocrat, and statesman. He served as the military leader of the Whites in the Finnish Civil War (1918), as Regent of Finland (1918–1919), as commander-in-chief of the Finnish Defence Forces during the period of World War II (1939–1945), and as the sixth president of Finland (1944–1946). He became Finland's only field marshal in 1933 and was appointed honorary Marshal of Finland in 1942. The Russian Empire still dominated

21700-611: Was a national celebration. The government granted him the unique title of Marshal of Finland ( Suomen Marsalkka in Finnish, Marskalk av Finland in Swedish). So far he is the only person to receive the title. A surprise birthday visit by Hitler occurred on the day as he wished to visit the "brave Finns ( die tapferen Finnen )" and their leader Mannerheim. Mannerheim did not want to meet him at his headquarters or in Helsinki, as then it would seem like an official state visit. The meeting took place near Imatra , in south-eastern Finland, and

21855-751: Was appointed as Commander-in-Chief of these forces the next day. Fighting between the White Guards (as the Civic Guards were commonly known) and the Red Guards had already broken out about a week before around Viipuri , in what became known as the Finnish Civil War . In the war, the Whites were victorious in large part thanks to the leadership of General Mannerheim and the lead by example offensive mindedness of 1,800 German-trained Finnish Jägers , who brought with them German tactical doctrine and military culture. The post-war years were characterized by

22010-680: Was appointed to command the 13th Vladimir Uhlan Regiment in the Congress Kingdom of Poland . The following year, he was promoted to major general and was posted as the commander of the Life Guard Uhlan Regiment of His Imperial Majesty in Warsaw . Next Mannerheim became part of the Imperial entourage and was appointed to command a cavalry brigade. At the beginning of World War I , Mannerheim served as commander of

22165-494: Was arranged in secrecy. From Immola Airfield , Hitler, accompanied by President Ryti, was driven to where Baron Mannerheim was waiting at a railway siding. A speech from Hitler was followed by a birthday meal and negotiations between him and Mannerheim. Overall, Hitler spent about five hours in Finland; he reportedly asked the Finns to step up military operations against the Soviets, but apparently made no specific demands. During

22320-481: Was elected in 1931, he appointed Mannerheim as chairman of Finland's Defence Council and gave him a written promise that in the event of war he would become the Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish Army. (Svinhufvud's successor Kyösti Kallio renewed this promise in 1937). In 1933, Mannerheim received the rank of Field Marshal ( sotamarsalkka , fältmarskalk ). By this time, Mannerheim had come to be seen by

22475-801: Was expelled in 1886 when he left without permission. Next he attended the Helsinki Private Lyceum, where he passed the university entrance examinations in June 1887. From 1887 to 1889, Mannerheim attended the Nicholas Cavalry College in Saint Petersburg . In January 1891, he joined the Chevalier Guard Regiment in Saint Petersburg. Mannerheim served in the Imperial Chevalier Guard until 1904. In 1896, he took part in

22630-525: Was financed by a fifteen million mark line of credit provided by the bankers. His raw recruits had few arms. Nonetheless, he marched them to Vaasa , which was garrisoned by 42,500 Red Russians. He surrounded the Russian garrison with a mass of men; the defenders could not see that only the front rank was armed, so they surrendered, providing badly needed arms. Further weapons were purchased from Germany. Eighty-four Swedish officers and 200 Swedish NCOs served in

22785-479: Was greater than that imposed by any other Scandinavian country in the 1920s and the 1930s, but political opposition to defense spending left the military badly equipped to resist an attack by the Soviet Union, the only security threat in Finnish eyes. When the Soviets invaded in November 1939 , the Finns, led by Marshal Mannerheim , defeated the Red Army on numerous occasions, including at the crucial Battle of Suomussalmi . These successes were in large part thanks to

22940-563: Was guarded by former czarist coastal fortifications and ships taken as prizes of war. The Air Force had already been formed in March 1918, but remained a part of the Army and did not become a fully independent fighting force until 1928. The White Guard ( Suojeluskunta ) played a key role in interwar Finnish defence policy, as they essentially served as local/territorial militia forces, and some had higher readiness and training for quick mobilization. The new government instituted conscription after

23095-593: Was in a weak position, and could not dictate to him. Shortly thereafter, Mannerheim returned the visit, traveling to Hitler's headquarters in East Prussia. In June 1944, Baron Gustaf Mannerheim, to ensure German support while a major Soviet offensive was threatening Finland, thought that it was necessary to agree to the pact the German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop demanded. But even then Mannerheim distanced himself from

23250-599: Was increased to two years, making possible the formation of sixteen infantry divisions. Having initially deployed on the defensive, the Finns took advantage of the weakened Soviet positions as a consequence of Operation Barbarossa , swiftly recovering their lost territories and invading Soviet territory in Karelia, after settling into defensive positions in December 1941. The Soviet offensive of June 1944 undid these Finnish gains and, while failing in its objective of destroying

23405-539: Was invited by the Rana Prime Minister Tin Maharaja Sir Joodha Shumser Jung Bahadur Rana to join a tiger hunt. In the same year, Mannerheim made a private visit to the United Kingdom , where he was accompanied for the first time by security guards , who Prime Minister Winston Churchill himself had given Mannerheim to use during the trip. However, Mannerheim is known to have been bothered by

23560-671: Was not dropped, military planning has moved towards the capability to prevent and frustrate a strategic attack toward the vital regions of the country. The end of the Cold War also allowed new opportunities which would have previously been seen as breaking Finland's stance of neutrality, such as participation in the War in Afghanistan and the Nordic Battlegroup . With the change in the European security environment brought by

23715-592: Was ruled by the Bolsheviks after they overthrew the Provisional Government in the October Revolution . The Soviets accepted the secession for a variety of reasons, mostly because they could not control Finland; also, they hoped they could inspire a communist revolution there modeled after the Russian one. The Finnish parliament appointed P. E. Svinhufvud to lead the newly independent grand duchy's interregnum government. In January 1918,

23870-426: Was sent as a representative of the headquarters to the cabinet from 3 December 1939 until 27 March 1940, after which he became defence minister. Mannerheim spent most of the Winter War and Continuation War in his Mikkeli headquarters but made many visits to the front. Between the wars, he remained commander-in-chief. Although Mannerheim's main task was to lead the war, he also knew how to strengthen and maintain

24025-557: Was the daughter of a wealthy industrialist, John von Julin (1787–1853). Gustaf Mannerheim was born in the Louhisaari Manor of the Askainen parish (current Masku ) on June 4, 1867. After Mannerheim's father left the family in 1880 for his mistress, a daughter of Baron and General Johan Mauritz Nordenstam , the young Mannerheim's mother and her seven children went to live with her aunt Louise; but Mannerheim's mother died

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