The Nazi-Finnish Alliance: How A Desperate Nation Sought Hitler's Help

Sep 6, 2025 | Finland's collaboration with Nazi Germany during World War II was a complex and controversial strategy driven by the threat of Soviet Russia. Led by Carl Gustaf Mannerheim, Finland sought an ally after the 1939 Winter War to reclaim lost territory and secure its independence. While initially defining themselves as "co-belligerents," Finland's cooperation with the Nazis deepened, including the recruitment of volunteers for the Waffen SS. However, Mannerheim's decision to later distance his country from the Nazis and his cunning political maneuvers ultimately allowed Finland to negotiate a separate peace, ensuring its survival and avoiding a Soviet occupation. This unique history raises the question of whether it's possible to be a "good collaborator" when the alternative is annihilation.