- The reason why the Continuation War toke
place, can be seen through the fact, that Finland was alone and was rejected in the world
that was preparing itself to a world war. Sweden remained the only country, that
showed some sympathy towards Finland. The Soviet Union pressured Finland all the time and
Germany didn't seem to give much of attention to the Finnish problems.
- Not until January 1941, did Germany start to pay attention to Finland, when their own politics changed and they decided to start an attack against Soviet Union. Germany needed Finland to join into the attack with them. For Finland, the Continuation War was just a sequel to the Winter War. Finland just wanted to get back what was taken away from them. Without any justice to do so, as it was thought.
- The first six months of the war, Finland participate actively to the attack, but when they reached far enough across the old border, the high command in Finland, decided to stop the attack and start to wait for a political resolution to the war. This waiting lasted two and a half years and ended to the Soviet summer offensive, in 1944.
- Finnish troops were able to stop the attack, but finally, like in the Winter War, the sheer weight of number, forced them back, step by step. Again Finland was forced to make a peace with the Soviet Union. Peace conditions were again hard to accept. The German troops in Lapland, needed to be driven away, the old border which was valid, before the Continuation War, went in effect again, Petsamo had to be given to the Soviet Union, Porkkala was also to be rented for Soviet Union, for 50 years and Finland had to pay reparations, total worth being 300 million US dollars, in goods. Also Finland was forced to arrest all war criminals and judge them. In order to supervise these conditions, the Allies sent an supervising committee to Finland.
- Finland lost in these years, 1941 to 1944, 65 000 men in killed and missing. 145 000 were wounded.
- Finnish officials, have estimated that the Soviet Union lost on the front against Finland, about 305 000 men in killed and missing.
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