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Indeed, the latest uninterrupted era of conscription started in 1918. And to add to that, many, if not most, men had been in the Suojeluskunnat (a sort of civil guard) prior to being conscripted, which greatly improved their skills at making it through military life and surviving during actual war. It's one of the core reasons we survived as an independent nation 1939-45.
Suojeluskunnat would not be necessary, they were 'white guards' to fight 'red guards' that were established before the civil war. Old style for old men at the end of 30s.
Just army is enough. Every citizen that is an adult, over 18, has the obligation to participate in defending the fatherland.
This wasn't a mandatory thing, but most kids in the 20s and 30s were in it, at least if their parents weren't Communists.
Originally in 1905 there had been one national guard, but it split into two guards which would eventually be succeeded by what would become the white and red guards in 1917-18.
Not at all old style or for old men, like I already pointed out with the fact that a lot kids were a part of it.
I know Estonia and Latvia had and nowadays still have similar (in fact I've read that they copied them from the Finns) national guard organizations, so if you know more about those, then you might get a better picture about the Suojeluskunnat.
The Swedish government again successfully manages to influence the corrupt leaders of the Finnish military that conscripts is the best way for an army. Something that the Finnish government doesn't believe in.
A new year comes, 1937 and the Finnish government decides it's time to move our glorious country one more step to a brighter future. In hidden moves Finland becomes more authoritarian. At the same time, the Finnish High Command fixes the faults that the Swedish influence have created. No dissent is created because only some top men knows about these moves.
At the other side of the world a new Japanese marionette state is created, called Mengkukuo or Mengjiang.
Our latest rapports from Asia also says that the Japanese Empire has taken huge land areas in China.
Mengjiang, meaning "Mongolian Territories," came from the acceptance speech of chairmanship by Demchugdongrub:
To recover the territories originally owned by the Mongolians
(收復蒙古固有疆土)
Our spies in Soviet Union reports that the high leaders of Soviet Union have started to systematic murder intellectuals and military leaders who are against Soviet.
Another new division is trained and equipped. Field Marshall Mannerheim takes the control of it. We got now totally 17 division ready to fight in case of war.
After a referendum, Austria is incorporated into Germany. The Austrian army is also incorporated into the Wehrmacht. Great Britain, France and Italy sent protests that Hitler doesn't listen to.
11. Divisioona is finally created and put in service, Field Marshall Mannerheim gets the control of the division. Finland got now 17 divisions and 1 poorer militia unit.
Finland's most know man, Carl Mannerheim gets from the Finnish government, a mission to improve our military doctrine. As Finland doesn't have the resources to convert it's army into a mobile one, we must improve what we got. And that's is the brave Finnish soldiers.
The Finnish government gets news that conflicts between Soviet Union and Japan have occurred around the lake of Chasan. After months of struggle the Red army finally takes the important hills around the lake.
A Soviet flag risen on one of the hills around Chasan lake and a Soviet officer looking towards the Japanese border.
NKVD tries to create some civil unrest in Finland but fails thanks to some brilliant counter service by the Finnish secret service. At the same time Soviet Union breaks a non-aggression pact between Finland and Soviet Union. The Finnish army is reported to not create any conflicts with the Soviet border guards.
Well my resources are at the limit, it's a hell to trade with Germany and Sweden who always after some days cancel.
But yes Finland got too little divisions, but I will do my best!
25 May 1937, somewhere outside Tampere, Finland
The sky was in a mixture of red and blue colors. The birds singing in the trees and the fresh air felt so good to breath.
Matti looked towards the little armoured car that came towards them. When it arrived, a little man walked out from it and went to a position in front of the group of new recruits. The little man wore a dark uniform, on his right chest some medals hung.
Matti himself wore a light military outfit that he had got on the second day at the camp.
"I have heard that he is commander of this camp" whispered the man on the right side of Matti.
Matti looked at him, a quite big man but in the same age as himself, Matti had seen him some times before at the camp.
"I have looked on the lists and you and me will be in the same squad" said the man besides him.
"My name is Raino" the man rose his hand.
Matti took it with a strong move and shacked it.
"Matti"
"Silence boys" the commander shouted.
"Welcome to the military training camp Tampere."
"Our government has decided to improve our army and therefore we need new soldiers and officers."
"I thank you for being so brave to take the first step to become a soldier, you are not cowards I see, I like that."
He went to the first man in the line, who maybe was the tiniest one in the line.
"Your name?"
"Pekka Koskinen, sir!"
The commander moved his head more closer towards Pekkas.
"Are you brave enough to be here?!!!" the commander shouted.
"Yeesss" the terrified man whispered.
"I can't hear you!"
The commander gave the man or who more looked as a boy, a slapp on the head.
"Are you brave enough to be here?!" the commander shouted again.
"Yesss!" the little man tried to say with a high voice but failed.
The commander punched him in the stomach and the man fell down and a smell that only can be felt near a toilet could be smelled in the air.
"Perkele! Are you kidding with me!" the commander shouted.
The commander walked towards the second man who was much more bigger then the first man.
"Your name?"
"Anterro Mäkinen, sir!"
The commander moved his head in the same move as he had done on the man before.
"Are you brave enough to be here?!!!" the commander shouted.
"Yes sir!"
"Good! I see you are not like that shit over there" he pointed at the man who still was lying down on the ground.
"Good" the commander repeated and walked now towards the third person in the line who was Matti.
With the same tone the commander asked the man in front of him, his name.
"Matti, sir!"
"You don't have a surname?"
"Virtanen" said Matti calmly.
"I see, well Matti don't play tough towards me, that's a tip from me. I have a rumour to be painful towards my recruits."
"I will serve Finland with my heart and sole!"
"Good, I like the spirit in you! But you shall answer me correctly next time, or else..."
Matti nodded.
The commander walked away from Matti and continued his asking of the men in the line.
After a half hour, the soldiers could leave the place and go back to there barracks.
The little man who was punched by the commander, Pekka Koskinen, was never seen or heard from anymore.
They are not brave enough, they are afraid of a prison sentence would they refuse the mandatory military service. Social humiliation is still an issue nowadays.
Our latest reports on the Iberian peninsula indicates to no big offensives by each sides. The situation looks more and more bad for the nationalist forces led by General Franco, the Republicans have much more industrial capacity to upgrade and reinforce its armies. Is the end near for the Spanish civil war?
The situation in the far east doesn't look neither good, the Japanese offensive in China isn't no more a rally. It seems that the Chinese forces has managed to stop the Japanese.
The majority of Germans in Czechoslovakia, lives near the border of Germany, an area called Sudetenland. British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain meets with Adolf Hitler in Berchtesgaden on 15 September and agrees to the cession of the Sudetenland. Three days later, French Prime Minister Édouard Daladier does the same. No Czechoslovak representative is invited to these discussions.
According to the February 1921 census, 3,123,000 Germans lives in whole Czechoslovakia — 23.4% of the total population. The controversies between the Czechs and the German minority lingered on throughout the 1920s, and intensified in the 1930s.
On October the 1, Hitler decided that the time has come to bring the Germans back to German land. With permission from both United Kingdom and France, German soldiers marches into Sudetenland.
Young male volunteers of the Sudeten German Free Corps (Sudetendeutsches Freikorps) receiving refreshments from the local population in the city of Cheb (Ger: Eger).
Europe in late 1938, Germany has expanded it's area quickly. The Finnish government wonders how the allies can accept this and let Germany ignore the Versailles treaty. Is this the road to another war?
Soviet movements in Leningrad, the Finnish army is alerted to be on its toes for any drastic moves by the Soviets. Our latest spy reports reports increased airforce in Leningrad, what is the Soviets trying to do?
Because the Soviet movements, the training of the new 14. Divisioona is completed faster. The division is put under command of Field Marshall Mannerheim.
NKVD tries to sabotage Mannerheims research for improving the Finnish army but fails thanks to the Finnish contra intelligence service. The latest period the NKVD has tried to create more and more sabotages. The Finnish foreign minister is sent to Moscow for negotiations.
But the trip to Moscow doesn't help, some weeks later, a Soviet spy crew are detected near the border of Karelia with equipment for stealing Finnish blueprints.
Next move of NKVD is to influence major countries that Finland tries to insult Soviet Union. The Finnish intelligence service manages to stop the propaganda by the Soviets.
Just some months it takes for Mannerheim to complete his mission. The Finnish army gets more professional and the organization values are improved. The Finnish government wonders if they should continue improve the whole army or improve the infantry.
After some hard struggle between the government, the improving of the infantry wins.
Vilho Nenonen, an artillery improver, gets the honour to research the possibilities to improve the infantry divisions.
A new year comes, 1939 and the Finnish government decides its time again to move Finland to the right direction. The Finnish army is improved with moving it into a more standing professional army. The time and cost for upgrading the infantry divisions will also be lowered, something that will be good in the future.
Finlands government sliders after the move. The government likes its progress so far.
The 15. Divisioona with artillery brigade is completed. As previous new trained divisions, this one also gets commanded by Field Marshall Mannerheim.
Another move of NKVD to steal Finnish blueprints, but they fail. The Finnish government calls for a meeting what to do with these insults from the Soviet Union.
Yes it's unique.
I want to save as much as possible supplies. Finland got only two military leaders with logistical wizard trait in WiF.
Thanks for the comments!
Is there a big difference between mountain troops and standard infantry divisions in WiF? For it would make more sense to create mountain troops for the winter combat stuff, and it adds more the flavor of the Finnish Ski Troops...but I don't know if Infantry divisions are better etc. Furthermore I am no real expert on the Finnish Army but the images of the Finnish (and Swedish volunteers) ski troops are the only ones vivid in my mind of the Winter War...
Tim
Tim
Looks like things can go bad really fast with the Soviets, good luck!
(from a fellow competitor)
(from a fellow competitor)