user: What were some of the major events and political developments in Finland during the 20th century, such as World War II and the Cold War?

assistant: The 20th century was a turbulent time for Finland, with the country experiencing two world wars and the Cold War. Here are some of the major events and political developments that took place during this period:

* **Finnish Civil War (1918)**: A civil war broke out in Finland between the Reds (socialists) and the Whites (conservatives) after the Russian Revolution. The Whites won the war and Finland became an independent republic.
* **Winter War (1939-1940)**: The Soviet Union invaded Finland in an attempt to gain control of the Karelian Isthmus. Finland fought a heroic defense, but was ultimately forced to cede some territory to the Soviet Union.
* **Continuation War (1941-1944)**: Finland joined Germany in the war against the Soviet Union. The war ended in a stalemate, with Finland losing even more territory to the Soviet Union.
* **Cold War (1947-1991)**: Finland was a neutral country during the Cold War, but was closely aligned with the West. The country joined the European Union in 1995.

These are just some of the major events and political developments that took place in Finland during the 20th century. The country experienced a great deal of turmoil during this time, but it also emerged as a strong and prosperous nation.

Here are some additional details about each of the events mentioned above:

* **Finnish Civil War (1918)**: The Finnish Civil War was a conflict between the Finnish Red Guards (socialists) and the White Guard (conservatives). The war began on January 27, 1918, after the Finnish Parliament was dissolved by the Social Democratic Party. The Red Guards, led by Kullervo Manner, seized control of the capital, Helsinki, and much of southern Finland. The White Guard, led by Carl Gustaf Mannerheim, launched a counter-offensive and eventually defeated the Red Guards. The war ended on May 15, 1918, with the victory of the White Guard.
* **Winter War (1939-1940)**: The Winter War was a conflict between Finland and the Soviet Union. The war began on November 30, 1939, when the Soviet Union invaded Finland. The Finns, led by Mannerheim, fought a heroic defense, but were ultimately forced to cede some territory to the Soviet Union. The war ended on March 13, 1940, with the signing of the Moscow Peace Treaty.
* **Continuation War (1941-1944)**: The Continuation War was a conflict between Finland and the Soviet Union. The war began on June 25, 1941, when Finland joined Germany in the war against the Soviet Union. The Finns, hoping to regain the territory they had lost in the Winter War, launched an offensive against the Soviet Union. However, the Finns were eventually pushed back by the Soviet forces. The war ended on September 19, 1944, with the signing of the Moscow Armistice.

The Cold War was a period of tension and rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. Finland was a neutral country during the Cold War, but was closely aligned with the West. The country joined the European Union in 1995.

These are just a few of the major events and political developments that took place in Finland during the 20th century. The country experienced a great deal of turmoil during this time, but it also emerged as a strong and prosperous nation.

user: whats finlandization?

assistant: **Finlandization** is the process by which one powerful country makes a smaller neighboring country refrain from opposing the former's foreign policy rules, while allowing it to keep its nominal independence and its own political system. The term means "to become like Finland", referring to the influence of the Soviet Union on Finland's policies during the Cold War.

user: okay, i get it now