Vuositasot

Vuositasot, also known as the Winter Wars, were a series of military conflicts fought between Finland and the Soviet Union from 1939 to 1944. The conflicts began with the Winter War, which lasted from November 1939 to March 1940. The Winter War was a result of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, a non-aggression pact between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, which divided Eastern Europe into spheres of influence. Finland, which had been independent since 1917, was located in the Soviet sphere and was invaded by the Soviet Union in November 1939. The Winter War ended with the Moscow Peace Treaty, which recognized Finland's independence but required it to cede approximately 10% of its territory to the Soviet Union.

The Continuation War, fought from June 1941 to September 1944, was a result of the German invasion of the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarossa. Finland, which had been neutral during the Winter War, joined the Continuation War on the side of Germany. The Continuation War ended with the Armistice of Moscow, which recognized Finland's independence but required it to cede approximately 20% of its territory to the Soviet Union.

The Lapland War, fought from September 1944 to April 1945, was a result of the Soviet Union's offensive against Finland in the Lapland region. The Lapland War ended with the Paris Peace Treaty, which recognized Finland's independence but required it to cede approximately 10% of its territory to the Soviet Union.

The Vuositasot had a significant impact on Finnish society and culture. The conflicts resulted in the deaths of approximately 100,000 Finnish soldiers and civilians, and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people. The Vuositasot also had a significant impact on Finnish politics, as the conflicts led to the establishment of the Finnish Democratic Republic in 1944, which was a communist government that lasted until 1946. The Vuositasot are considered one of the most significant events in Finnish history, and they continue to be a topic of debate and discussion in Finland today.