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Finnish Defence Forces
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==History== {{See also|Military history of Finland|List of wars involving Finland}} ===Civil War=== [[File:Establishment of the Finnish Defence Forces with day order no 1.jpg|left|thumb|Establishment of the first headquarters of the Finnish Defence Forces on 2 February 1918]] After [[Finnish Declaration of Independence|Finland's declaration of independence]] on 6 December 1917, the [[White Guard (Finland)|Civil Guards]] were proclaimed the troops of the government on 25 January 1918 and then [[Lieutenant general|Lieutenant General]] of the Russian Imperial Army [[Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim]] was appointed as Commander-in-Chief of these forces the next day.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Lehtinen<br />Volanen |first=Lasse<br />Risto |title=1918: Kuinka vallankumous levisi Suomeen |publisher=Seven |year=2018 |isbn=978-951-1-33597-9 |edition=1st |pages=13 |language=Finnish}}</ref> Fighting between the White Guards (as the Civil Guards were commonly known) and the [[Red Guards (Finland)|Red Guards]] had already broken out about a week before around [[Vyborg|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 [[Jäger Movement|Finnish Jägers]], who brought with them German tactical doctrine and military culture. The post-war years were characterized by the [[Heimosodat|Volunteer Campaigns]] that came to an end in 1920 with the signing of the [[Treaty of Tartu (Russian–Finnish)|Treaty of Tartu]], which ended the state of war between Finland and [[Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic|Soviet Russia]] and defined the internationally recognized borders of Finland. ===Interwar years=== 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 was guarded by former czarist coastal fortifications and ships taken as prizes of war. The [[Finnish Air Force|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 (Finland)|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.<ref name=":0" /> The new government instituted conscription after 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 was greater than that imposed by any other Scandinavian country in the 1920s and the 1930s, but political opposition to defence spending left the military badly equipped to resist an attack by the Soviet Union, the only security threat in Finnish eyes. ===World War II=== [[File:Lahti-Saloranta M-26 in position.jpg|thumb|225px|left|Finnish soldier equipped with [[Lahti-Saloranta M-26]] during the [[Winter War]]]] When the Soviets [[Winter War|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 the application of [[Pocket (military)#Motti|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.<ref name=Eastern>{{cite journal|last=Ruha|first=Anna|title=Tapaus nimeltä talvisota|date=1 January 2014|journal=Idäntutkimus|volume=21|number=1|publisher=University of Helsinki|access-date=21 May 2015|url=https://journal.fi/idantutkimus/article/view/79406|language=fi}}</ref> [[File:Tali-Ihantala.jpg|thumb|225px|left|Finnish troops equipped with [[Panzerfaust]] antitank weapons walk past a destroyed Soviet [[T-34 tank]] during the [[Battle of Tali-Ihantala]]. The lead soldier is also armed with a [[Suomi KP/-31]].]] 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 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 [[Vyborg–Petrozavodsk Offensive|Soviet offensive]] of June 1944 undid these Finnish gains and, while failing in its objective of destroying the Finnish army and forcing Finland's unconditional surrender, [[Moscow Armistice|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 defence force. While other European militaries have reduced their forces, Finland has maintained 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 the Soviet Union – are very much alive in Finland".<ref>Guardians of the North: The Finnish Army Improves Readiness and Mobility to Counter Hybrid Threats, by Dr. Michael Jonsson & Dr. Johan Engvall</ref> 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 the same time managing to maintain dialogue with Moscow.",<ref>{{cite web | url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/04/14/what-finland-can-offer-nato/ | title=What Finland Can Offer NATO }}</ref> "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,",<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.dw.com/en/will-finland-and-sweden-join-nato/a-61480612 | title=Will Finland and Sweden join NATO? | DW | 14.04.2022 | website=[[Deutsche Welle]] }}</ref> 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]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/germany-announces-it-will-rearm/ | title=Germany Announces It Will Rearm | website=[[National Review]] | date=27 February 2022 }}</ref> as an example. During the events of 2022, all this has received attention internationally as well.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/18468/finland-will-strengthen-nato | title=Finland Will Strengthen NATO | date=27 April 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/finland-in-nato-would-bring-the-spirit-of-sisu-to-the-defence-of-democratic-ideals-harry-nimmo-3693384 | title=Finland in Nato would bring the spirit of 'sisu' to the defence of democratic ideals – Harry Nimmo }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/finland-gears-up-for-historic-nato-decision/ar-AAW3aT4 | title=Finland gears up for historic NATO decision | website=[[MSN]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/finland-is-ready-fight-russia-if-attacked-defence-chief-2022-06-22/ | title=Finland is ready to fight Russia if attacked - defence chief | newspaper=Reuters | date=22 June 2022 | last1=Kauranen | first1=Anne }}</ref> ===Cold War=== The demobilization and regrouping of the Finnish Defence Forces were carried out in late 1944 under the supervision of the Soviet-dominated [[Allied Commission|Allied Control Commission]]. Following the [[Paris Peace Treaties, 1947|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 defence forces. The fact that the conditions of the peace treaty did not include prohibitions on reserves or mobilization made it possible to contemplate an adequate defence establishment within the prescribed limits. The reorganization resulted in the adoption of the brigade -in place of the division- as the standard formation.<ref name="LOC">Text from PD source: US Library of Congress: ''[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/fitoc.html A Country Study: Finland]'', Library of Congress Call Number DL1012.A74 1990.</ref> 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 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 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 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. ===Recent history=== {{See also|Finland–NATO relations}} The [[Dissolution of the Soviet Union|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 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 (2001–2021)|War in Afghanistan]] and the [[Nordic Battlegroup]]. With the change in the European security environment brought by 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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-22 |title=Eva poll: 60% back Finland joining Nato |url=https://yle.fi/news/3-12369943 |access-date=2022-04-08 |website=News |language=en}}</ref> 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 a Finland bid for membership.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-04-05 |title=If Finland and Sweden apply to join NATO, they would be welcomed, Stoltenberg says |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/if-finland-sweden-apply-join-nato-they-would-be-welcomed-stoltenberg-says-2022-04-05/ |access-date=2022-04-08}}</ref> 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."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Prime Minister signs new assurances to bolster European security: 11 May 2022 |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-signs-new-assurances-to-bolster-european-security-11-may-2022 |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}</ref> 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 a Russian invasion.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-05-05 |title=Finland and Sweden face security dilemma ahead of Nato decisions |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/dee57930-13f8-4603-ad53-2070b0ee78fb |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/dee57930-13f8-4603-ad53-2070b0ee78fb |archive-date=2022-12-10 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=2022-05-12}}</ref> On 12 May 2022, 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."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-12 |title=Finnish leaders confirm support for Nato application |url=https://yle.fi/news/3-12442140 |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=News |language=en}}</ref> On 17 May 2022, the [[Parliament of Finland]] voted overwhelmingly to apply for membership of NATO, with 188 votes in favour of the motion and 8 against.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-05-17 |title=Finland's parliament votes yes to NATO |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/finlands-parliament-likely-vote-nato-application-tuesday-2022-05-17/ |access-date=2022-05-18}}</ref> The following morning, the Finnish ambassador to NATO, Klaus Korhonen, formally submitted Finland's application to NATO Secretary General [[Jens Stoltenberg]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-18 |title=Sweden and Finland formally apply to join Nato |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/18/sweden-and-finland-formally-apply-to-join-nato |access-date=2022-05-18 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref> 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 the annual NATO summit in [[Madrid]] as guest nations.<ref>{{Cite web |last=NATO |title=Madrid Summit Declaration issued by NATO Heads of State and Government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Madrid 29 June 2022 |url=https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/official_texts_196951.htm |access-date=2022-06-30 |website=NATO |language=en}}</ref> Finland became a full NATO member on 4 April 2023.
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