Case Study: Finland. Competing Narratives of War
Case Study: Finland. Competing Narratives of War

Author(s): Kati Mari Johanna Parppei
Subject(s): Government/Political systems, International relations/trade, Fascism, Nazism and WW II, Politics of History/Memory
Published by: NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence
Keywords: Finland; history; politics of history; Russia; falsifying history; alternative truth; World War II; war history;
Summary/Abstract: Compared to many other East European countries, the issue of history – or the history politics – in relation to Russia has never been such a central or openly disputed one in Finland. This is the case for obvious historical reasons. Russians have not openly accused Finnish historians for falsifying history, either; however, this does not mean that Russian attempts to control or use the past have not been a concern in Finland. Rather, such attempts have been quite subtle, playing with strong mental images favourable to Russia and offering competing narratives, or ‘alternative truths’, to the Russian audience, which has been their main target (presumably including the Russian minority in Finland). In this article, two recent or on-going cases of such falsifications of history, having taking place between 2016 and 2019, are briefly examined and contextualised. Both are connected to the Second World War and the hostilities between Russia and Finland. The first is the case of the shelling of Mainila. In this context, we are referring to the Russian attempts to challenge the established view of the Soviet Union having started the war against Finland on 30 November 1939, and arguing that, instead, it was a Finnish provocation, influenced and encouraged by Germany.

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