2-WWII+Finland+HF


 * How may the Home Front’s awareness of the war’s objectives and nature be characterized?**

Despite Finland’s original alliance with Germany, it was never considered an official Axis power and Finland was not included in the Tripartite Pact. Finland’s previous experience with Russian control, made them sensitive to occupation. Finland’s support of Hitler and the Nazi party can be explained by fear of annexation. After declaring independence in 1917, Finland hoped to maintain sovereignty and the people of Finland did not support the ideology of Nazi Germany. In August 1939 the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact between Germany and Russia was signed. In addition to stipulations of non-aggression, the treaty included a secret protocol that divided territories of Romania, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland into Nazi and Soviet Spheres of Influence. Finland was defined as a Soviet Sphere. The objective of Finland was independence and the nature was at first support of Nazi Germany followed by war against Soviet invaders.

**How did propaganda affect the mindset at home?**
 * There was propaganda produced on both sides of this conflict
 * Finnish propaganda was directed to the Soviet Union to discourage attack
 * Propaganda produced by the Soviet Union urged the Finish military to surrender.
 * This propaganda fostered confusion, anxiety, and desperation.
 * Finnish people were largely unconvinced by Soviet propaganda, but these posters and photos heightened fear.

**What were the direct contributions of t** ** he Home Front to the war effort? This needs to go beyond a cursory statement of, “They supplied soldiers, grew food, made armaments, etc.” You shoul **** d consider support not only in patriotic or industrial terms, but also political, social, economic, cultural/intellectual, moral/religious, emotional, etc., terms. **
 * Men flocked to Karelia to combat the Soviet invasion, meanwhile women were left toreplace the men in the workforce and developed many new skills.
 * Women helped craft clothing for the soldiers including sweaters, socks, and scarves.
 * They also helped to produce ammunition and weaponry for the war. Their lives were completely overtaken by the way- so much so that it was almost like they were actually fighting it.
 * The Lotta Svärd was a group developed during the Finish Civil war in 1918 that was utilized again during World War II. This group’s organizational structure and values exemplified the mindset of the homefront
 * The Lottas were built around the fear of God, patriotism, temperance, goodness, loyalty and self-control and were ruled by a set of Golden Rules.
 * These women became pillars of strength and stability on which even the soldiers relied. T
 * Lotta Svärd promoted an ideology of home and fatherland, and greatly contributed to national defense moral.

**What were the costs & benefits of the war to the Home Front, to include but not limited to goods/services/resources? Use a case study to illustrate.**

**How can life for women & youth on the Home Front be characterized? Use case studies to illustrate**
 * The Finish Economy took a major hit following the war. The country not only had to fund their expansive troops and war effort, but were also mandated to pay steep reparations to Russia.
 * There was a restructuring of labor in Finland during and following World War II. One benefit of the war was an increase in employment among women. Ladies we able to pick up new skills and abilities that they profited from even after the war ended.
 * Conversely one major cost of the war was the loss of life. Around 84,000 soldiers and civilians died during the war, and a large chunk of them were the young to middle age men who made up the driving work force in Finland.
 * About 19,000 Soviet prisoners of war died in Finnish prison camps during the Continuation War, which means that about 30% of Soviet POWs taken by the Finns did not survive.
 * Before the war, Finland had been a leading producer of high quality pulp, which was an important raw material for explosives. Including the Enso factories, the Soviet Union captured 80% of Finland's production capacity.
 * Finland hadto cede 1/3 of its hydroelectric power plants in River Vuoksi and the industry suffered a 20% shortage.
 * Women were the cornerstone of the home front in Finland during World War II. Children assisted their mothers and in some instances joined groups such as the Little Lottas, but it was Women who were most affected by the war.
 * Women(the Lotta Svard movement especially) banded together and sacrificed in order to help their nation maintain independence.
 * Finland was the only European country bordering the Soviet Union in 1939 which was still unoccupied by 1945 and the only co-belligerent of Germany that remained a democracy throughout the war- this was thanks to support by Germany and to the hard work and determination of the Finnish People during combat and on the home front.

Works Cited

Bell, Morgan. "World War II Database." //WW2DB RSS//. N.p., 2004. Web. 22 Nov. 2013. < [] >. Cook, David. "The Review of Economics and Statistics." //World War II and Convergence//84.1 (2002): 131-38. //JSTOR//. Web. 20 Nov. 2013. < [] >. Kregel, Marshell. "Finnish Home Front during WWII." //Finnish Home Front during WWII//. N.p., 2007. Web. 22 Nov. 2013. < [] >. Simkin, John. "Finland and the Second World War." //Spartacus Educational//. N.p., 2013. Web. 22 Nov. 2013.