I was not aware of the peace treaty between Finland and Soviet Union and British rule.
From this site: http://www.flamesofwar.com/hobby.aspx?art_id=586, Stalin originally wanted unconditional surrender, started a major offensive (two tank divisions)there in june of 44, stalin needed to free up his forces. That is a lot happening is just a few months.
Surprising that Kruchev gave up the negotiated base in 56 and the fins paid the soviets off early, suspect a NATO role in this?
Soviets didn’t like the coordinated German withdrawl.
.....................while the Soviets and British are negotiating what kind of conditions shall be presented (British actually manage to persuade the Soviets to halve the amount of reparations demanded).
........On the evening of 18 Sept Molotov presents an ultimatum: Finns has to accept the Soviet demands by the noon of 19th, or the hostilities would be started again.
The main points of the treaty are:
- ...................... The peninsula of Porkkala (uncomfortably near to Helsinki!) is leased to Soviet Union for 50 years as a naval base (Khrustsev gives it back in 1956)
- Finland pays US $300 million as war reparations - that is in uninflated 1938 US dollars (”We have no intention of letting you to gain any benefit of the war.” comments Molotov; the reparations are paid by 1952)
- Finland agrees to banish all German troops from the country
- Finland agrees to prosecute all war-criminals and those deemed guilty of initiating the war and allying Finland with Germany.
There’s also many minor points, like freeing the political prisoners, disbanding all “hitlerite” organisations, limiting the size of the armed forces etc. A Soviet-dominated Allied Supervisory Committee is situated at Helsinki to ensure that Finland will comply with the treaty.
The so-called Autumn Manoeuvres, the orchestrated German withdrawal and Finnish advance in northern Finland, begin. The advance is arranged in such a way that Finns arrive always one day after Germans have left. This phase of the Lappland War will be short, however. The Soviets soon smell the rat and demand real action. Meanwhile the civilian population in the areas manned by Germans are being evacuated to Sweden.
The Finns were tough, and smart.