Day of memory Leningrad.

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by kranz

I don't get it.
So, were the Finns the good guys when they fought against the Soviets during the Winter War?
Or, were they the good guys when they refused to help Hitler and to help the Soviets?

Of course, my view will be somewhat biased, but here's how I see it:

Winter War: We were the good guys, Soviet Union attacked because we didn't
give them the territory they wanted. It was purely an defensive war from our POV.

Continuation War: Here things get more complex. Finland has always tried to
stay out of offensive war and just defend itself. But, during the CW, Finland
did indeed attack, first to take back the territory we had lost in the peace treaty
after Winter War and then the order was to go a bit further, into Soviet territory
to do what Soviet Union did in WW; establish a buffer zone.

The offensive beyond the territory lost after WW was seen by many as war
of aggression even then and it has been talked a lot in our history ever since.
As for Leningrad, IIRC, the plan was for Germany to secure the southern
area and Finns to secure the northern area, thus making the siege complete.
But Finland refused to continue the offensive war and so the siege was never
complete.

Were we the good guys in CW? Guess that depends on who you ask. If you ask
me, I say yes. We were, like in WW, drawn into the conflict and had no choice,
but to defend ourselves. Keep in mind, Stalin was seeking after conquering
whole of Finland and our fate would have been the same as the Baltian countries.

Anywho, like I said, this might be a biased view point, but that's how I see it.