Winter War and the Moscow Peace Treaty
The relations between Finland and the Soviet Union tighten in autumn 1939. Earlier made Molotov-Ribbentrop pact leaves Finland without allies. The Soviet Union demands that Finland lease the Hanko Peninsula to the Soviet Union and permit the Soviets to establish a naval military base there. The Finns turn down the demand.
The Soviet Union stages the Shelling of Mainila, and the Winter War starts on 30 November 1939.
The war is short and ends in March 1940. As part of the peace treaty, Finland signs an agreement to lease the Hanko Peninsula to the Soviet Union for 30 years. About 8 000 Finns lose their homes. The Hanko Peninsula and the surrounding archipelago are made into a naval military base.
The inhabitants of Hanko tell dramatic stories of their last minute escape on the ice to the north. The evacuees hide under trees when the Russian occupiers arrive in their aeroplanes. The carrots and potatoes that the evacuees have taken along are thrown into the snow.
The first Soviet convoy arrives at the western harbour of Hanko on 22 April 1940. The Soviet Union brings 28 000 people to the area, which has never before or after been so densely populated. Also civilians, men, women and children settle in the area.
During the Winter War, the Soviet Union makes plans to occupy the Åland Islands. The plan is to transport 20 000 men there via the Estonian islands and Latvia. The invasion of the Åland Islands is part of the Soviet plan to divide Finland into two at the level of the city of Oulu and cut off Finland’s merchant shipping routes in the Baltic Sea.
According to the plan, the Red Fleet protects the coast and sea transport between Kronstadt and Hanko, and cuts off Finland’s sea transport in all sea areas. The fleet also supports the Soviet army with its gun batteriess, performs small scale invasions, and cuts off and destroys the Finnish fleet in Turku.
On 10 September 1940 during the Interim Peace, the invasion targets are Mariehamn and Eckerö. The Russians also develop a hoax plan according to which a naval division leaving Liepaja seems to make an attempt to invade Gotland.
The main function of the naval military base in Hanko is to protect the Gulf of Finland blockade line between Hanko and the island of Osmussaari. Hanko also serves as the naval military base for the Northern Baltic Fleet and submarines.
The Soviet Union also makes plans for an invasion of Helsinki or Turku via Hanko. This plan requires the support of the whole Baltic Fleet of the Soviet Union.
Rescue for Finland arrives from a surprising direction. Germany’s Seelöwe Operation, which is the code name for the plan for the invasion of Britain, falls through because the Germans fail to reach air supremacy. Hitler turns his attention to the east. The resources reserved for the invasion of Britain are now available for an attack on the Soviet Union.
On 20 May 1941, the Germans contact the Finns and suggest negotiations on military cooperation. The negotiations start a week later. The agreement, which is concluded on 4 June 1941, also includes naval cooperation: mine-laying and safe havens for German vessels in the Finnish archipelago.
The Germans reveal to the Finns the goals of Operation Barbarossa, the full-scale invasion of the Soviet Union. Finland promises to participate in the invasion alongside Germany.
