In the end, however, he recommended accepting the peace terms laid down by the Soviet Union, and began to take measures to strengthen the defence of the new eastern border. As the World War was still continuing, Mannerheim remained Commander-in-Chief after the end of the Winter War, although this duty normally belonged to the president in the time of peace. General Rudolf Walden, an industrial businessman, acted as an intermediary between Mannerheim and the government. Walden became Minister of Defence after the Winter War.
The events of the Winter War had increased Mannerheim’s fame abroad. Foreign powers, such as Germany for example, contacted him also in political questions. In the Continuation War, the Finnish army reoccupied the territories Finland had lost through the peace treaty of the Winter War, and most of eastern Karelia. When the aggressions started Mannerheim sent his troops the famous Order of the Day of the Sword Scabbard on 10 July, 1941.
From his headquarters, Mannerheim conducted the war within the framework of the resources available to a small country, i.e.with caution. Afterwards he was applauded for not leading the Finnish army against Leningrad and for not cutting the Murmansk railway line. On the other hand, he was blamed for giving England grounds for declaring war against Finland on 6 December, 1941, as the attacks of the Finnish army were still continuing.
Mannerheim’s influence and authority gave rise to suspicions among the political circles that Mikkeli was the second capital of the country and that Mannerheim, in fact, was the leader of Finland. The problems concerning the mutual power relations between the government, parliament and the Commander-in-Chief during the wars have been a subject of dispute for decades.
Mannerheim was wary of giving the government political advice,
but his opinions still had considerable weight also in questions of foreign policy. The
formal responsibility lay in the hands of the civil administration. Nevertheless,
Mannerheim could still have, with his authority, led the Finnish foreign policy in a
totally different direction during the fateful years, and he had great moral
responsibility of all the decisions made at the time. Under Mannerheim’s command, the
Finnish army was able to halt the large-scale Russian offensive operation in June and July
1944.
World War II | Pacific War | Winter War | Headquarters | Mannerheim Line | Vilho Petter Nenonen | K.L. Oesch | Harald Öhquist | Paavo Talvela | Continuation War |Transit Pact | Risto Ryti | Order of the Day of the Sword Scabbard | Erik Heinrichs | A.F. Airo | Hugo Österman | Marshal's Drink | Mannerheim Cross | Title of Marshal of Finland | Air War - Air Forces
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