Posted on 12/31/2012 3:51:31 PM PST by virgil283
The Finnish President had sworn to never make peace with the Soviets, at their last meeting with Hitler.
When the time came, he resigned. Mannerheim became president, and made an alliance with the Soviets.
The Germans were then followed until they left the country. If they didn’t leave fast enough they became subject to deadly force by their former allies.
Finland was the only democracy to ally with Hitler. Of course, when Hitler and Stalin were allies, They were one of the two democracies to successfully defend against the Socialist combine. The other was the United Kingdom.
The US send 4 regiments, all infantry, to guard military stores at Murmansk and Vladivostok, armed with Mosin-Nagent rifles (manufactured by Remington for the Tsar). There was concern that German forces would be able to capture the materiel, and with the Bolshies signing a treaty with the Germans, use the materiel against the Allies.
The two regiments near Murmansk were sent south, and gained a great deal of space. Their commanders took instruction from the British official on the scene, to their shame. They set up a network of interlocked fortifications that were very effective against the Red Army.
The two regiments near Vladivostok secured and operated the Trans-Siberian railroad. The Czech Legion was one unit that was able to escape from Soviet Russia.
Made this thread well worth it.
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