Post by 575 on Apr 11, 2021 17:50:04 GMT
Finland
As the Tsar of Russia Nicolas II abdicated during February (Western Calender March 15.) the Swedish King Gustavus 5. had his government approach Finn rightwing politicians regarding Swedens concerns of the fate of Finland with the removing of its head of State and to guard the Finnish Nation from subjugation by Russian Revolutionaries.
Rightwing politician Svinhufvud was very positive towards the Swedish proposal which soon on his request entailed the Swedish Prince Carl as pretender to the Finnish throne.
With the Provisional Government of Russia continuing war against the Central Powers and with calm descending upon the north the Finn Parliament headed by the Socialdemocratic Party made a proposal of transfer of power from the Head of State Tsar Nicolas II to Finnish Parliament. The proposat was during July rejected by the Provisional Government of Russia.
Socialdemocrats and the rightwing Parties soon were at loggerheads at what to do and Svinhufvud decided to contact King Gustavus 5. regarding his proposal of guarding the Finnish Nation.
King Gustavus hadn't been wasting time or rather time had been on his side; the Swedish Armed Forces were eager to avenge themselves of the defeat of 1905, Government as well as the Swedish peoples resenting the situation of the country since the arrival of the British Submarines to the Baltic further enabling the sinking of ore shipping and pushing the Swedish Navy around during its upholding neutrality and prevent intrusion on territorial waters by the bellingerent parties - the King had little opposition to his scheme.
The real problem would be the Swedes risking throwing in their lot with the Central Powers thus losing its status of neutrality in regard to the Entente; this had the Swedish Ministers to Copenhagen and Oslo contact the Governments of Denmark and Norway though in this case the important one being Denmarks as Sweden wanted to secure the supply of agricultural produce in case the Entende should declare war upon it.
Denmark and Norway were opposed to the plans though the position of both mostly Denmarks eroded when the Swedes replied with the proposal of Swedish Prince Carl as future King of Finland – the Prince being married to Danish Princes Ingeborg daughter of the previous Danish King Frederik 8. sister to ruling King Christian10. of Denmark and King Haakon 7. of Norway. Both Kings were elated Christian the most at the prospect of their sisters future as Queen of Finland which would serve to tie the Northern Countries even closer.
Both Kings decided to talk to their Primeministers on the matter.
During November a general strike engineered by the Finn Communists occurred in Finland though the Socialdemocratic Party was adverse to it due to its insistence on Parliamentary procedure.
In this climate Svinhufvud decided, being influenced by King Gustavus proposal and the responses from the Scandinavian countries, to discussing his plan of a Swedish Prince on the Finn throne as a constitutional Monarch to the Socialdemocrats – the Prince secured by accompanying 20,000 Swedish troops to protect the country from outside (Soviet) interference and to secure order within the country as well as the proposal would secure agricultural products supplied from Denmark to avert possible starvation of the peoples.
Much to Svinhufuds surprise after thinking the matter over for 24 hours the Socialdemocratic Party agreed to the proposal as it would sideline the Communists.
When revealed to the Entende the British were not elated but happy that the spread of Communism wouldn't affect Scandinavia and also that the new King and Queen would have close relations to the Royal House. The French were just happy to not worry about Scandinavia as some rumour of a German pretender had circulated. Italy had more than enough worries to even think of Scandinavia and President Wilson were happy that the Soviets had acknowleged the principle of peoples right to selfdetermination.
When the reactions reached Stockholm King Gustavus and his Premier drew breaths of release.
Sweden had gotten its buffer in the East with a son of Gustavus as King. No declarations of war against Sweden!
In early December Svinhufvud declared Finland independent revealing that the Swedish King had accepted his son Prince Carl as King of Finland. Also Denmark had agreed to deliver agricultural produce to counter any prospect of famine which were ravishing many lands among these Germany and Austria as well as Russia.
With Socialdemocratic backing Svinhufvud had a secure Parliamentary majority and even though the Communists rejected the declaration Lenin accepted the Finnish independence and publicly declared no interference in Finnish internal affairs.
Betrayed by the Soviets the Finnish Communists decided not oppose the matter though some strikes did happen as well as a few armed incidents.
The arrival of Swedish troops during the second half of december did something to put a lid on the political violence as these were quite willing and effective in responding to any such.
As the Tsar of Russia Nicolas II abdicated during February (Western Calender March 15.) the Swedish King Gustavus 5. had his government approach Finn rightwing politicians regarding Swedens concerns of the fate of Finland with the removing of its head of State and to guard the Finnish Nation from subjugation by Russian Revolutionaries.
Rightwing politician Svinhufvud was very positive towards the Swedish proposal which soon on his request entailed the Swedish Prince Carl as pretender to the Finnish throne.
With the Provisional Government of Russia continuing war against the Central Powers and with calm descending upon the north the Finn Parliament headed by the Socialdemocratic Party made a proposal of transfer of power from the Head of State Tsar Nicolas II to Finnish Parliament. The proposat was during July rejected by the Provisional Government of Russia.
Socialdemocrats and the rightwing Parties soon were at loggerheads at what to do and Svinhufvud decided to contact King Gustavus 5. regarding his proposal of guarding the Finnish Nation.
King Gustavus hadn't been wasting time or rather time had been on his side; the Swedish Armed Forces were eager to avenge themselves of the defeat of 1905, Government as well as the Swedish peoples resenting the situation of the country since the arrival of the British Submarines to the Baltic further enabling the sinking of ore shipping and pushing the Swedish Navy around during its upholding neutrality and prevent intrusion on territorial waters by the bellingerent parties - the King had little opposition to his scheme.
The real problem would be the Swedes risking throwing in their lot with the Central Powers thus losing its status of neutrality in regard to the Entente; this had the Swedish Ministers to Copenhagen and Oslo contact the Governments of Denmark and Norway though in this case the important one being Denmarks as Sweden wanted to secure the supply of agricultural produce in case the Entende should declare war upon it.
Denmark and Norway were opposed to the plans though the position of both mostly Denmarks eroded when the Swedes replied with the proposal of Swedish Prince Carl as future King of Finland – the Prince being married to Danish Princes Ingeborg daughter of the previous Danish King Frederik 8. sister to ruling King Christian10. of Denmark and King Haakon 7. of Norway. Both Kings were elated Christian the most at the prospect of their sisters future as Queen of Finland which would serve to tie the Northern Countries even closer.
Both Kings decided to talk to their Primeministers on the matter.
During November a general strike engineered by the Finn Communists occurred in Finland though the Socialdemocratic Party was adverse to it due to its insistence on Parliamentary procedure.
In this climate Svinhufvud decided, being influenced by King Gustavus proposal and the responses from the Scandinavian countries, to discussing his plan of a Swedish Prince on the Finn throne as a constitutional Monarch to the Socialdemocrats – the Prince secured by accompanying 20,000 Swedish troops to protect the country from outside (Soviet) interference and to secure order within the country as well as the proposal would secure agricultural products supplied from Denmark to avert possible starvation of the peoples.
Much to Svinhufuds surprise after thinking the matter over for 24 hours the Socialdemocratic Party agreed to the proposal as it would sideline the Communists.
When revealed to the Entende the British were not elated but happy that the spread of Communism wouldn't affect Scandinavia and also that the new King and Queen would have close relations to the Royal House. The French were just happy to not worry about Scandinavia as some rumour of a German pretender had circulated. Italy had more than enough worries to even think of Scandinavia and President Wilson were happy that the Soviets had acknowleged the principle of peoples right to selfdetermination.
When the reactions reached Stockholm King Gustavus and his Premier drew breaths of release.
Sweden had gotten its buffer in the East with a son of Gustavus as King. No declarations of war against Sweden!
In early December Svinhufvud declared Finland independent revealing that the Swedish King had accepted his son Prince Carl as King of Finland. Also Denmark had agreed to deliver agricultural produce to counter any prospect of famine which were ravishing many lands among these Germany and Austria as well as Russia.
With Socialdemocratic backing Svinhufvud had a secure Parliamentary majority and even though the Communists rejected the declaration Lenin accepted the Finnish independence and publicly declared no interference in Finnish internal affairs.
Betrayed by the Soviets the Finnish Communists decided not oppose the matter though some strikes did happen as well as a few armed incidents.
The arrival of Swedish troops during the second half of december did something to put a lid on the political violence as these were quite willing and effective in responding to any such.
