REWRITING THE WINTER WAR.

The article focuses on Finland's complex historical relationship with the Soviet Union, particularly during and after the Winter War (1939-1940) and the Continuation War (1941-1944). It discusses the National Memorial to the Winter War, erected in 2017, which symbolizes Finnish resilience against Soviet aggression and reflects a shift in national memory following the Cold War. The article highlights the Paasikivi–Kekkonen Doctrine, which emphasized Finland's need for neutrality and cooperation with the USSR, leading to a culture of "Finlandisation" that restricted political freedoms. After the Soviet Union's collapse, Finnish narratives began to reinterpret these conflicts, fostering a neo-patriotic sentiment and a reorientation towards the European Union and NATO, while still grappling with the implications of their wartime alliances, particularly with Nazi Germany during the Continuation War. [Extracted from the article]