Monday, October 15, 2007

Historian Heikki Ylikangas Challenges Finnish National Mythology

This is not a man who is afraid of being right - or of being alone. Last Tuesday, Heikki Ylikangas published the book Romahtaako rintama? ("Is the Front Collapsing?") whose basic thesis is that the Finns executed more of their own soldiers for desertion during the final phases of the continuation War than had been previously disclosed.

http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Historian+Heikki+Ylikangas+challenges+Finnish+national+mythology/1135230912991

1 comment:

student said...

When many soldiers had been fighting for years, some over 4 years and seen so many killings, maybe also taken part in shootings of prisoners, then the way to shooting your own comerades is short. Desertion was seen as a major crime. No symphaties here for soldiers who kill their brothers or prisoners of war that should have lived until returned home.
Bad news from Finland - have you learned a lesson? Roses for professor Ylikangas and for your blog.