Editing Finland (section)

===World War II===
{{Main|Finland in World War II}}

[[File:Kolmen valtakunnan rajapyykki 27.4.1945.png|thumb|left|Finnish troops [[Raising the Flag on the Three-Country Cairn|raise a flag on the three-country cairn]] in April 1945 at the close of the [[Military history of Finland during World War II|World War II in Finland]].]]
The [[Soviet Union]] and [[Nazi Germany]] signed the [[Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact]] on 23 August 1939, which divided Europe into spheres of influence between the two dictatorships.<ref>[https://share.america.gov/the-secret-pact-that-ushered-in-world-war-ii/ The secret pact that ushered in World War II and changed Europe] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240502061448/https://share.america.gov/the-secret-pact-that-ushered-in-world-war-ii/ |date=2 May 2024 }}. Share America, U.S. Department of State. 19 August 2022.</ref> In accordance with the pact, the Soviet Union launched the [[Winter War]] on 30 November 1939 in order to annex Finland.<ref>[[#Manninen2008|Manninen (2008)]], pp. 37, 42, 43, 46, 49</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=How Finland protected its WW2 independence during the Winter War |url=https://www.history.co.uk/articles/how-finland-protected-its-ww2-independence-during-the-winter-war |access-date=9 April 2025 |website=Sky HISTORY TV channel |language=en}}</ref> The [[Finnish Democratic Republic]] was set up by [[Joseph Stalin]] at the beginning of the war to govern Finland after Soviet conquest.<ref name=Tannerv>{{cite book |last=Tanner|first=Väinö |title=The Winter War: Finland Against Russia, 1939–1940, Volume 312 |location=Palo Alto |publisher=Stanford University Press |year=1956| page= 114 }}</ref> There was widespread international condemnation of the unprovoked attack and it led to the Soviet Union being expelled from the [[League of Nations]].<ref>History.com (2009): [https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ussr-expelled-from-the-league-of-nations USSR expelled from the League of Nations] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240314014339/https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ussr-expelled-from-the-league-of-nations |date=14 March 2024 }}. A&E Television Networks.</ref> The [[Red Army]] was defeated in numerous battles, most notably the [[Battle of Suomussalmi]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Simons |first=Paul |date=30 November 2024 |title=Winter war: Snow skills gave Finland advantage over Soviet invaders in 1939 |url=https://www.thetimes.com/comment/register/article/weather-forecast-winter-war-1939-snow-w3h528mhl?region=global |access-date=9 April 2025 |website=www.thetimes.com |language=en}}</ref> After two months of negligible progress on the battlefield, as well as heavy losses in men and material,<ref>[[#Trotter2002|Trotter (2002)]], pp. 234–235</ref> Soviet forces began to advance in February and [[Battle of Vyborg Bay (1940)|reached Vyborg]] ({{langx|fi|Viipuri}}) in March. The [[Moscow Peace Treaty]] was signed on 12 March 1940, and the war ended the following day. Finland had defended its independence, but ceded 9% of its territory to the Soviet Union.<ref>{{Cite web |title=USSR and Finland signed the Moscow Treaty |url=https://www.prlib.ru/en/history/619090 |access-date=9 April 2025 |website=Presidential Library |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":4">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Russo-Finnish War". Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 January 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/Russo-Finnish-War. Accessed 9 April 2025</ref> Between 1939 and 1944, some 400,000 people were [[Evacuation of Finnish Karelia|evacuated from Karelia]]. 

[[File:Finnish areas ceded in 1944.png|thumb|upright|Areas ceded by Finland to the [[Soviet Union]] during [[World War II]]. The [[Porkkala]] land lease was returned to Finland in 1956.]]
Hostilities resumed in June 1941 with the [[Continuation War]], when Finland allied itself with Germany following the [[Operation Barbarossa|latter's invasion of the Soviet Union]]; the main aim was to regain the territory lost to the Soviets barely a year earlier.<ref>Michael Jones (2013). "''[https://books.google.com/books?id=uGzfnIm97vQC&pg=PA38 Leningrad: State of Siege]''". Basic Books. p. 38. {{ISBN|0-7867-2177-4}}</ref> Finnish troops [[Finnish military administration in Eastern Karelia|occupied Eastern Karelia]] from 1941 to 1944 and assisted the German army in the [[Siege of Leningrad]].<ref>{{Citation |last1=Brinkley |first1=Douglas |last2=Haskew |first2=Michael E. |year=2004 |title=The World War II. Desk Reference | page=210| publisher=Grand Central Press}}</ref> The massive Soviet [[Vyborg–Petrozavodsk offensive]] in the summer of 1944 led to a breakthrough until the Finns finally repulsed it at [[Battle of Tali–Ihantala|Tali–Ihantala]]. This partial Soviet success led to a stalemate and later an [[Moscow Armistice|armistice]]. This was followed by the [[Lapland War]] of 1944–1945, when Finland fought retreating German forces in northern Finland. 

The [[Moscow Armistice|Armistice]] and [[Finno-Soviet Treaty of 1948|treaty]] signed with the Soviet Union in 1944 and 1948 included Finnish obligations, restraints, and reparations, as well as further territorial concessions. As a result of the two wars, Finland lost 12% of its land area, 20% of its industrial capacity, its second largest city, Vyborg ({{langx|fi|Viipuri}}), and the ice-free port of [[Liinakhamari]] ({{langx|fi|Liinahamari}}).<ref name=":4" /> The Finns lost around 97,000 soldiers and were forced to pay war reparations initially set at $300 million in 1938 prices, later adjusted to $226.5 million.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gamla hamn i Jakobstad |url=https://www.gamla-hamn.fi/en/vega/bordan_vi_fick_bara |access-date=9 April 2025 |website=www.gamla-hamn.fi}}</ref> However, the country avoided occupation by Soviet forces and managed to retain its independence. Along with [[Great Britain]], Finland emerged from the war as one of the only European countries to have taken part in hostilities that was never occupied and managed to preserve its democracy throughout.<ref>[https://finland.fi/life-society/defensive-victory-led-the-way-to-peace/ Defensive victory led the way to peace] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240502062222/https://finland.fi/life-society/defensive-victory-led-the-way-to-peace/ |date=2 May 2024 }} Max Jakobson, Helsingin Sanomat, 3 September 2004.</ref>

In the decades following World War II, the [[Communist Party of Finland|Communists]] were a strong political party. Furthermore, the Soviet Union persuaded Finland to refuse [[Marshall Plan]] aid. However, in the hope of preserving Finland's independence, the United States provided secret development aid and supported the [[Social Democratic Party of Finland|Social Democratic Party]].<ref>[http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Hidden+help+from+across+the+Atlantic/1135223633788 Hidden help from across the Atlantic] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070129165823/http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Hidden+help+from+across+the+Atlantic/1135223633788 |date=29 January 2007 }}, ''Helsingin Sanomat''.</ref>