Finland in the Eye of the Storm. Erkki Hautamäki’s book

                                                                                           
Finnish author Erkki Hautamäki was a councillor of education and a reservist in the Finnish army, holding the rank of Major. Hautamäki has completed a lengthy process and fulfilled a historical task in his book “Finland in the Eye of the Storm”, which Marshall Mannerheim and his trusted aid Vilho Tahvanainen left for future generations. Driven by a need to bring out the historical truth for the Baltic Youth. This book is dedicated to Vilho Tahvanainen, an unrelenting patriot and aid to Field Marshall C.G.E. Mannerheim.

„Justice of the winners of the World War II was dished out at the Nurnberg trials. Not in the sense that the accusations were wrong or falsified but in the sense that the accused were not given the chance to defend themselves against false and weak accusations. The same holds true for allied actions during the war. Some of the war crimes committed by the allies were e.g. the mass murder of Polish officers by the Russians in Katyn in the spring of 1940, the horrifying terror bombings of Hamburg and Dresden by England and US in February of 1945 and the cruelty towards German POW’s by the Americans and Russians. The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in September of 1945 remains one of the worst acts of genocide to date. It then came to light that the truth of the victor had on many accounts been established by forgery, hiding documents, suppressing evidence and even lies. For over half a century we have knowingly been brainwashed into linking all the evil in the world to Hitler and the German people. The holocaust, which is continuously in the press, literature, the theatre, film, music, the radio and television has coloured our judgement as to the actual causes of the Second World War and those guilty. Larger nations displayed a ruthless disdain towards smaller nations and their right to remain neutral. In its entirety are revealed the secret agreements, political intrigue, deception and an inconceivable chain of events that led to the beginning of the Second World War and finally its end. Even Finland, a small northern republic and democracy was unwittingly drawn to this war frenzy of the lager nations. Finland was however fortunate in those years of turmoil to have as its military and political leader a figure of great foresight and determination in the form of field Marshall Mannerheim. He had a broad experience spanning many years in international politics and a network of contacts on to which Finland was able to build the military and political alliances that saved the country. During the Winter War, having received details of a secret agreement between the Western Powers and the Soviet Union to destroy Germany, Mannerheim, along with Finland’s political leaders made crucial decisions that saved the nation and possibly all the Nordic countries from becoming one large battleground. From 1932 onwards, Mannerheim kept original documents consisting of , for example, secret reports, letters, personal notes, into a file code named ”S-32”. Political reasons stopped Mannerheim from using this file as evidence after the war. I have used secret documents, which victor nations have suppressed for 50 years, in Marshall C.G.E. Mannerheim’s file ”S-32” as the basis of my research. This material can finally shed some light on the historical truth that was not published along with Mannerheim’s memoirs. I have strived to merge the dramatic content in file S-32 with other source material and to display it in chronological order to give a clear account of political and military development in Europe. We can thus follow a logical chain of historical events, which lead us on from the First World War. We will come to realise – as the Marshall used to say- that matters which were put forward to him were often so complex, unclear and even unbelievable that he had to pause to get a sense of what was actually meant. The same patience is asked of the reader. With this book I hope to prove, particularly to my Finnish countrymen along with readers from other countries that our wartime leaders were not guilty of the crimes they were blamed for or the wars Finland was dragged into between 1939-1945. Conflict was inevitable in order for us to remain independent. The crimes for which our leaders were accused and tried for were a direct result of demands from the victor nations, especially the Soviet Union. Was the non-aggression pact between the Soviet Union and Germany on 23.8.1939 just a tactical ploy to win time? Was allied aid to Finland in 1939-40 just a ruse to invade Norway and Sweden whilst giving the Soviet Union an opportunity to invade Finland and the Baltic States, creating a northern front against Germany?”- says Hautamäki.

 Erkki Hautamäki, who holds the rank of Major in the Finnish army, has at his disposal the secret files of Vilho Tahvanainen, an undercover courier and trusted aid to Marshall Mannerheim. The Tahvanainen files consist of copies of Mannerheim’s secret (S-32) files covering the years 1932-50 duplicated with the authority of the Marshall himself. The author of this book has had a unique opportunity to compare and contrast documents and files from different countries and get an idea of the behind the scenes politics of the larger nations during WW2.

“Churchill and Stalin negotiated the starting of co-operation in a war of many fronts against Germany since April 1939. In July it was agreed that when Germany and the Soviet Union attack Poland, the declaration of war of the western allies would be focused only against German actions. On the 23rd of August 1939 Stalin and Hitler signed the so called Molotov-Ribbentrop agreement. Its secret extra protocol included the so-called concept of the sphere of interest that did not mean permission to conquer the Baltic states and Finland. It meant instead the right to demand strategic bases in case of war. On the 15th of October 1939 an agreement was signed between Stalin and Churchill (the allied forces). The core of it was the plan to destroy Germany both militarily and economically. Churchill’s old plan regarding the Scandinavian operation was also accepted.
The winter war of Finland did not stop because of Stalin’s fear of a possible threat of western allies attacking to defend Finland. It ended when Hitler sent Stalin an edict that Stalin shall cease the acts of war against Finland, or Germany will bombard Soviet troops and fight for Finland unbidden. The Marshal received from Hitler information about this edict and copies of the plan of the western allies and Stalin concerning Finland. The winter war of Finland did not stop because of Stalin’s fear of a possible threat of western allies attacking to defend Finland. It ended when Hitler sent Stalin an edict that Stalin shall cease the acts of war against Finland, or Germany will bombard Soviet troops and fight for Finland unbidden. The Marshal received from Hitler information about this edict and copies of the plan of the western allies and Stalin concerning Finland. If this would have happened, the allied forces would have conquered Norway and Sweden in the name of Finnish aid. Simultaneously the Soviet Union would have conquered Finland. Finland would have drawn into war and Scandinavia would have been a front against Germany. Churchill and the allied forces thus sold Finland to the Russians. Stalin played simultaneously an ally of Germany and the western allies. His goal was to get the western allies and Germany to wear themselves down in their fighting against each other. After this he would conquer a weakened Europe. Stalin purchased first the newest mechanical weaponry from Germany. After it he obtained from the USA an immense amount of war material against Germany (and Finland) as Lend-lease aid. No final account of these possessions has yet been made. The unconditional denial of passage for allied forces through Sweden partially saved Finland. The agreement of Churchill and Stalin allowed the conquering of Scandinavia and the Baltic countries. A section was added that the conquered areas should be given their independence back after peace had come. When the general courier of Stalin was transporting the strategic war plans from Churchill, the air force of Germany compelled the airplane to land on 9 Feb. 1940. During the examination of the air crew and the passengers, all documents were photographed. Hitler received exact information about the attack plans on several fronts of the allied forces. He thus started a preventive attack plan in Norway. Stalin did not know that the plans had been revealed. The Marshal’s so called scabbard order of the day on 9 July 1941 was born after Hitler’s edict to unambiguously express the goals of Finnish warfare, or otherwise Germany starts taking Finland under its government. Marshal Mannerheim was before the continuation war compelled to accept Stalin’s demands that were secretly introduced to him: Finland shall not advance to Leningrad or over Lake Syväri and shall not disturb the railroad leading from Sorkka.

In March 1940 Sumner Welles visited Italy, Germany, France and England. The persons he met said openly that they were compelled to war, no peace propositions are accepted. Similar orders were also given to Poland. Germany was driven into a compulsory situation. The terms of World War I were already shocking”- writes Hautamäki.

Now we know Comrade Stalin planned an attack operation (Thunder) against Germany on 6 July 1941. To execute this Plans Russia had entered into Two Treaties: the first on 23 august 1939(The Molotov - Ribbentrop Pact) with Germany and the second one on 15 October 1939 - The Stalin - Churchill Pact (with England) which was more favourable.

We are asking what would it have happened if the Scandinavia plan of the allies would have come true?

- Nothing would have been left of Finland. It would have been a total collapse. According to the Marshal’s opinion the occupation of Denmark and Norway made by Germany – as regrettable as these phenomena locally were – saved partially Finland. Sweden saved Finland by denying the passage.

- It is not right to blame Swedes, for they saw the overall situation. King Gustaf  V received personally the assurance from Hitler that Germany has no claims, if Sweden stays neutral and delivers ore as before. The King also got knowledge of the plans of the allies.

“History has to change. The truth will appear undisputedly”, affirms Erkki Hautamäki, the writer of this very interesting book.