Finnish Forces

Mannerheim & Talvela

Storm

Field Marshal Mannerheim with Lt.General Paavo Talvela. This man received artillery training in England, and sailed to Australia 'ound the Cape Horn. In 1916 he received jäeger training in Germany and fought in ww1 on the Ostfront. After the war he commanded troops in the Finnish Civil War, then in the Russian Civil War in Karelia during the 20s, followed by the Winter and Continuation War. He was one of the most important commanders in both the Winter and Continuation War. A man known for taking risks, but that made him the best General in the Finnish ranks to lead offensives. During 42-44 he acted as a Finnish representative for the German High Command, taking care of Finnish-German cooperation. However a man like Talvela didn't enjoy sitting around as a mere diplomat. In 1942 he requested transfer to the Karelian Front from Mannerheim. In 1944 he finally received his transfer and was just in time to contribute to stopping the Soviet July offensive of 1944. As the front stabilized, he had to return once again to Germany. Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler proposed that Talvela would be the leader of the Finnish Government in Exile, in case Finland fell. Talvela responded by saying that he only takes orders from Field Marshal Mannerheim. After the war Talvela avoided any Soviet-pressured war trials. He participated in local council politics, and became a successful businessman in the paper industry. Talvela retired in 1962. On the Finnish day of independence in 1966 President Urho Kekkonen promoted him to an Infantry General. Unfortunately the next year Talvela suffered a (brain?) stroke (-67 and -69). The Great Man to whom this country owes so much passed away on 30th September 1973. May he rest in peace, for without him the odds for the Finnish struggle for independence would have been ever so low. ...Cheers, Storm