Finnish Forces

"The rival of Mannerheim"

Aarne Sihvo(1889–1963) was Finnish Jäger General, commander of the Finnish Defence Forces 1926–1933 and 1946–1953 and Chief of Civilian Protection 1938–1946. He started his military career in the "Königlich Preussisches Jägerbataillon Nr. 27" of the German army, serving 1915-1918 and participated in battles on the eastern front but spent lot of the time on the trips to Finland, recruiting more volunteers to the Finnish battalion. He fought in the Finnish Civil War of 1918 and led the "Group Karelia" which later changed to "Group Sihvo". His extraordinary leadership in several battles brought him many promotions within months and already in May 3, 1918, the 29-year-old Sihvo had the rank of colonel. After the Finnish Civil War had ended, he was much more known in Karelia than General Mannerheim himself. Sihvo is often seen as rival of Mannerheim and it was very typical that the top moments of Sihvo's career happened during the quiet moments of Mannerheim's career. Sihvo was the commander of the defence forces in 1926-1933 and during his command happened the failed fascist rebellion(Mäntsälä rebellion) of 1932. Unlike his brother Major General Jussi Sihvo, and despite of his great leadership skills he wasn't put to command frontline units during whole WWII. It is speculated that Mannerheim would have intentionally kept his rival in homefront duty during WWII, as a chief of the civilian protection. In 1941 Aarne Sihvo's only son was killed in action near Viipuri. After WWII in 1946 Sihvo was again made the commander of the defence forces and promoted as General of the Infantry in the same year. During his command happened the riot of Kemi and then the defence forces' state of emergency in 1948, for possible communist coup attempt. Sihvo retired in 1953 and died 10 years later, on June 12, 1963. Promotions: # Hilfsgruppenführer - September 2, 1915 # Guppenführer - November 6, 1915 # Zugführer - March 1, 1916 # Captain - January 12, 1918 # Major - March 15, 1918 # Lieutenant Colonel - April 6, 1918 # Colonel - May 3, 1918 # Major General - December 5, 1925 # Lieutenant General - August 14, 1930 # General of the Infantry - September 20, 1946 Some of his decorations: Grand Cross of the Order of the Cross of Liberty Cross of Liberty 2nd and 1st class(with star) Grand Cross of the White Rose of Finland German Iron Cross 2nd class (World War I) Order of the German Eagle(with Star) Grand Cross of the Order of Dannebrog(Denmark) Order of the Cross of the Eagle, 1st Class(Estonia) Order of Lāčplēsis, 2nd class(Latvia) Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav(Norway) Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta(Poland)