Finland joins forces
In the complex web of World War II alliances and rivalries, Finland's cooperation with Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union stands as a unique case of strategic alignment driven not by ideology, but by necessity and national survival. This relationship culminated in what is commonly known as the Continuation War, fought from 1941 to 1944, during which Finnish and German forces coordinated military efforts primarily against the USSR.
To understand Finland's decision to side with Germany, one must look back to the Winter War of 1939–1940. In that conflict, the Soviet Union invaded Finland, seeking territorial concessions and strategic control. Although the Finns fought with remarkable tenacity, they were eventually forced to sign the Moscow Peace Treaty, ceding large swaths of territory including the Karelian Isthmus and the city of Viipuri. The treaty displaced approximately 400,000 Finns and left deep scars on the national psyche. For many in Finland, the Continuation War offered a chance to regain those lost territories and assert their independence once again.
When Germany launched Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, the Finns saw an opportunity. Although Finland never formally joined the Axis powers, it entered the war as a co-belligerent aligned with Germany, sharing a common enemy in the Soviet Union. Finland maintained its political independence throughout, never adopting the Nazi ideological framework nor participating in atrocities carried out elsewhere. Nevertheless, the military partnership was close, and German troops were stationed in northern Finland to protect strategic interests, such as the nickel mines in Petsamo and critical supply routes near the Arctic.
At the height of the Continuation War, Finland mobilized nearly half a million troops—an enormous effort for a small nation. The Finnish Army, structured into 14 divisions and three brigades, was deployed along a vast front stretching from the Karelian Isthmus in the south to the tundra near Murmansk in the north. In addition to defending their own positions, Finnish troops participated in coordinated offensives with German forces. One of the earliest joint operations was Operation Silver Fox, a German-Finnish effort to sever the Murmansk railway and capture the Soviet Arctic port of Murmansk. While the Finns made gains and recaptured the town of Salla, the operation ultimately failed to achieve its broader objectives.
Another significant Finnish contribution came in the pressure exerted on the Soviet city of Leningrad from the north. While the Germans laid siege to the city from the south and west, Finnish forces advanced to the outskirts of Lake Ladoga, controlling key positions north of Leningrad. Importantly, however, Finland chose not to participate directly in the siege. This restraint was indicative of Finland’s strategic autonomy and desire to avoid becoming too entangled in Hitler’s broader plans, especially those targeting civilian populations.
The tide of war shifted dramatically in 1944 when the Soviet Union launched a massive summer offensive on the Karelian Isthmus. Finnish defenses were overwhelmed, and the Red Army recaptured Viipuri. The Finnish military, with German support in the form of weapons, aircraft, and anti-tank equipment, managed to regroup and deliver a stunning counter-defense at the Battle of Tali-Ihantala. This battle, the largest in Nordic history, saw intense fighting and marked the high-water mark of the Soviet advance. The successful defense allowed Finland to stabilize its front lines and opened the door to negotiating peace.
By September 1944, Finland had signed an armistice with the Soviet Union. Among its terms was the requirement that Finland expel all German troops from its territory. This led to the Lapland War, a bitter campaign fought in northern Finland as former co-belligerents turned against one another. Finnish forces engaged in a series of battles, including at Tornio and Rovaniemi, to push the Germans out. In retaliation, German troops employed scorched-earth tactics, devastating towns and infrastructure across Lapland before withdrawing fully in April 1945.
In the end, Finland’s cooperation with Germany during World War II was driven by a need to restore its territorial integrity and secure its independence. Although it fought alongside German troops, Finland always maintained its own war aims and avoided deeper ideological or political entanglement with the Nazi regime. The nation’s wartime path was fraught with moral and strategic complexities, but Finland’s careful balancing act allowed it to emerge from the conflict battered but sovereign—a rare outcome in a continent engulfed by total war.
