Leadership of IKL with their gift from Italy. OTL 1935, ATL 1932)
excerpt from the book "Independent Finland - From Folly to Tragedy" (Anthony F. Upton, Anchor Press 1973)
While Lapua Movement's goals were largely achieved in Mäntsälä Coup it was clear at the moment that something even more radical would have to be done. No more could the demands be achieved by an extraparliamentary movement which would coerce traditional parties into action. Furthermore, a formation of a new party would ensure no traditional party could act against the new direction the country was taking. Thus in 1932 a new party - of course it was not officially a party but movement - was founded. In 1932 elections which were rigged to say at very least the Movement gained 50 places and in 1935 101 seats. After the countercoup attempt of 1935 rest of the parties were banned and as a sign of further radicalization the Parliament was abolished and replaced by the Suuri Heimoneuvosto (Grand Council of Tribes) and the position of the President by Johtaja (Leader)...
Isänmaallinen Kansanliike (Patriotic People's movement) - Party platform 1932 (excerpts)
1. All Finnish Tribes must be joined as one Finland according to principles of national self determination
3. Only Finnish citizens have the right of deciding national issues. In recruiting for public positions the party issues shall not be deciding but the personal ability, skills and proven citizen conduct. We must free ourselves from party politics.
4. This organization fights against international social democracy. As it's goal is that the Social Democratic Party must be destroyed and banned as it's against the spirit of our Constitution and tries to harm the social order which we have inherited from our fathers.
6. Every Finnish citizen must perform either physical or intellectual labor. The duty of the society is to take care that everyone has a possibility to work.
8. Because agriculture is crucial to our national economy, the society must support it by performing land reforms based on common sense and by creating new, economically sustainable agricultural farms.
11. The Press and Radio must base it's publications on truth instead of attacking and slandering it's opponents.
15. This organization fights materialism, selfishness, indifference and laziness and as it's goal sets a road of complete spiritual recovery. As our motto we have "The Fatherland over group and private interests". Thus we demand that Finnish Church must be directed towards arising knowledge of life's purpose and a clear national conscience.
(Note, the program excerpts are from an OTL party platform. This is a very rough draft translation, though, with some sentences slightly polished. IKL was a fascist party of OTL which had 14 representatives out of 200 member Parliament in 1933 and 1936 elections, 8 in 1939 elections. The party program is available through this link. The Google translation is quite horrible, though.)
"As I believe in one great God I believe in one Great Finland and it's great future."Oath of the Academic Karelian Society
"What is Lapuan foreign policy? Make enemies close and friends far away."- Jahvetti, causeriee in Finnish Channel of Swedish Radio in 1935.
"Finland was not the only country to resort for authoritarianism of one sort or another during interwar Europe. After all, out of new nations of Europe which had become independent after the First World War only Ireland and Czechoslovakia were democracies in 1938. In Estonia, like in other countries, the process was gradual. Estonian Riigivanem Konstantin Päts suspended normal parliamentary elections in 1933. A counter-coup attempt was made in 1935 which was strongly supported by radical elements of IKL. While direct military conflict between Finland and Estonia was avoided the relations between nations did not recover before 1939. In Finland the episode combined with the assasination of President Svinhufvud, who had become a figurehead, and Prime Minister Kosola, truly radicalized the Finnish State. While period of 1932-1935 might be called authoritarian the 1935-1939 was truly fascist." (Interwar Baltic interlude, Tony Biggs, Penguin 1985)
"Youth has been inspired by a new, national worldview. It feels it is fighting for a national cause of Freedom. This national movement of freedom will free Finnish nation from foreign culture, parties, party leaders and of political "Streber" types. It wishes to free Finnish workers from marxism, slavery of marxist leaders, and it demands that a societal righteousness must be enabled towards workers and poor. It wishes to fight for freedom of Karelia and Ingria, in this horrible century of slavery and surrenders. This is the freedom movement of the New Finnish Youth, this is it's liberalism, righteous and noble liberalism fit for the youth."
Elias Simojoki on 8 April 1935 speech to Sinimustat youth organization (an OTL speech)
Elias Simojoki, Minister for Social Services 1935-1940, leader of Sinimustat elite youth organization
(Elias Simojoki, OTL 1899-1940, a priest who was a MP for the IKL party and the leader of the Party's youth organization Sinimustat (Blue-and-Blacks)
It's a very nice story you have going on here, Jukra. A lot of different "sources", too, to give it variance, and a lot of familiar names. Keep it going!
Jukra, can you expound here why the Finnish army did so poorly compared to the Winter War? Basically they lost in less than a month yet the Finnish air component was much better equipped to support the army. Did the Finnish army not follow through with the buildup of defenses (depth of them) as the real life Mannerheim line?