page_title: Finnish Defence Forces
section_title: Civil War
hierarchical_section_title: Finnish Defence Forces / History / Civil War
caption_attribution_description: English: A copy of day order no 1 (päiväkäsky n:o 1) by General Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim that established the first headquarters of the Finnish Defence Forces and thus, the military of modern Finland. The document was issued on 2 February 1918 at Vaasa, Finland, a week after the Finnish Civil War began. Suomi: Jäljennös Suomen tasavallan joukkojen ylipäällikön, kenraali Mannerheimin, päiväkäskystä n:o 1, jolla perustettiin tasavallan joukkojen esikunta ja Suomen puolustusvoimat ensimmäisessä muodossaan Vaasassa 2. helmikuuta 1918 viikko sisällissodan alkamisen jälkeen.
context_page_description: The Finnish Defence Forces are responsible for the defence of Finland. Universal male conscription is in place, under which all men above 18 years of age serve for 165, 255, or 347 days. Alternative non-military service for men and voluntary service for women is available.
  Finland is the only non-NATO European Union state bordering Russia. Finland's official policy states that a wartime military strength of 280,000 personnel constitutes a sufficient deterrent. The army consists of 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 equals approximately €3.2 billion or 1.3% of GDP. The voluntary overseas service is highly popular and troops serve around the world in UN, NATO and EU missions. Homeland defence willingness against a superior enemy is at 76%, one of the highest rates in Europe.
  In wartime the Finnish Border Guard becomes part of the Finnish Defence Forces.
context_section_description: 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 C.G.E Mannerheim 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 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 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.
caption: Establishment of the first headquarters of the Finnish Defence Forces on 2 February 1918
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