From: Mika Suoranta Tkkk <MSUORANTA@finabo.abo.fi>
Subject: Re: Lapland War?
Organization: Turku School of Economics, Finland
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1992 17:29:51 GMT


From Mika Suoranta Tkkk <MSUORANTA@finabo.abo.fi>

In <Bzs8pD.L7J@law7.DaytonOH.NCR.COM> 098802@adpdp2.lanl.gov writes:

>  
>  From 098802@adpdp2.lanl.gov (098802)
>  
>  In reading one of the articles discussing the "worst fighters of WW II", I note
>  that the Finns were fighting the Germans in the Lapland War. I guess I didn't
>  know that the Finns and the Germans ever fought. Would someone care to explain
>  the circumstances which resulted in this war. 

	Armistice between Finland and Soviets in September 1944 meant
	that all German troops stationed in Finland had to be withdrawn
	in 14 days or else be disarmed and turned to Soviets.

	Those German units had taken part in Hitler's campaign to attack
	USSR, especially thru Lapland towards the Murmansk railroad. They
	also helped Finnish defence forces in our effort to regain the
	territories lost to Russians in the war of 1939-40. During the
	big Soviet attack in June 1944 they gave invaluable help, and the
	Red Army couldn't break thru the defences.

	Around that time Finland realized it was fighting in the loosing
	side and it was about the time to make peace - especially after
        USSR no longer demanded unconditional surrender, something the
	red army couldn't impose upon Finland as they had just learned.

	Situation had been complicated from the very begining of the war.
	Russians were _the_ Enemy, Nazi Germany wasn't much better, and
	no help was available from the West. Anyway, in fall 1944 those
	German troops had to be pushed out or else the Soviets would have
	done it for us. Like they did in the Baltic countries - and did
	stay uninvited for the nexy fifty years!

	Germans left southern Finland without much hassle, but it was just
	impossible to move out from Lapland within 14 days. Finns and
	Germans disliked the idea of fighting, and so local commanders
	unofficially agreed how much Finns would advance and Germand
	withdraw daily. 

	Soviets didn't like this, and the occupied some parts of eastern
	Lapland, forcing the Finns push Germans northwards faster. This
	lead to fighting and all-out war. The last German units left
	the northmost Lapland in April 29, 1945.

	Soviets didn't withdraw to their side until late 1945. They had
	advanced some 20..30km, but life went on as usuall, they did not
	try to impose their "system".

	BTW, the Finnish government did not remember to declare war on
	Germany until May 1945, just few days defore V-Europe day. Almost
	too late. This was done so that war reparation payments could be
	demanded, because withdrawing German troops had destroyed much
	of Lapland, burning every single building (some civilized maners
	though, as churches were left unharmed), demolishing bridges etc.
	Natural for an army in withdrawl, but a cause for much hatred
	after so many years of fighting the common enemy side by side.

	Germas never paid the reparations, and the demand was dropped
	in 1990 after the reunification. Payments had been demanded from
	both the Federal Republic and East Germany - something the 
	Russians disliked as they considered DDR to be "good" and BRD "bad".

	Feel free to either post or e-mail should you have more queastions
	regaring this topic. HOwever, I don't promise to bother take my
	dictionary to check my spelling :)

	Mika








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 Mika Suoranta, Leirikatu 11, SF-20360 Turku, Finland,  tel. +358-21-382637
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