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Mannerheim: The Finnish Years
As soldier and statesman, Carl Gustaf Mannerheim (1867-1951) occupies a unique place in the history of Finland. He served as Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish Army in 1918 and again from 1939-1944. He was Regent of Finland in 1919 and President of the Republic from 1944-1946. In 1918 he suppressed an attempted revolution against the democratically elected Finnish Government which followed the Bolshevik revolution in Russia.
The passage of time turned him from a hero of the Right into a trusted national figure, while his leadership of Finnish resistance to Soviet aggression in the Winter War of 1939-40 won him international fame. He led the Finnish Army in the Continuation War of 1941-44, in which Finland fought as a co-belligerent with Germany, and took over as President in 1944, after which he ensured Finland negotiated an armistice with the Soviet Union, albeit with harsh terms for Finland. Under his leadership, Helsinki was one of only three wartime European capital cities that was not occupied. And only Mannerheim's authority held the nation together as it adjusted to a new relationship with the Soviet Union. This revised paperback edition describes his transformation from a Tsarist Russian General into a Finnish statesman and patriot. It sets his career in its historical context, examines his character and sums up his legacy.
The passage of time turned him from a hero of the Right into a trusted national figure, while his leadership of Finnish resistance to Soviet aggression in the Winter War of 1939-40 won him international fame. He led the Finnish Army in the Continuation War of 1941-44, in which Finland fought as a co-belligerent with Germany, and took over as President in 1944, after which he ensured Finland negotiated an armistice with the Soviet Union, albeit with harsh terms for Finland. Under his leadership, Helsinki was one of only three wartime European capital cities that was not occupied. And only Mannerheim's authority held the nation together as it adjusted to a new relationship with the Soviet Union. This revised paperback edition describes his transformation from a Tsarist Russian General into a Finnish statesman and patriot. It sets his career in its historical context, examines his character and sums up his legacy.
290 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
About the author
J.E.O. Screen
10 booksJohn E. O. Screen was Librarian of the School of Slavonic and East European Studies at the University of London from 1972 to 1998. He was the author of several books and articles on Finnish military history, including Mannerheim: The Years of Preparation.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 19, 2022
If Lee was the Marble Man, Mannerheim was the Iron Man., November 2, 2015
This review is from: Mannerheim: The Finnish Years (Hardcover)
Of the Mannerheim biographies available in English as of Nov. 2, 2015, the two volumes by J. E. O. Screen, MANNERHEIM: THE FINNISH YEARS and MANNERHEIM: THE YEARS OF PREPARATION are the best I have read. It is a shame that his entire biography of Mannerheim has not, to my knowledge, been translated into English. In addition to being outstanding research and history, both of Screen's books are well written. No dry as dust research papers here. Mannerheim and his age come alive in the pages of this volume which traces his life from Imperial Russian general to Marshal of Finland and finally to president.
Throughout his Finnish years he was statesman and diplomat in addition to military commander. If General Robert E. Lee was the Marble Man, Marshal C.G.E. Mannerheim was the Iron Man. The similarities in character between these two complex men are striking. Even their military situations were similar. Both brilliantly led their nations' armies against incredible odds.
At some point after or during the Finnish Independence/Civil War Mannerheim seems to have made a conscious decision to be what he believed Finland needed. If Mannerheim was not the man he appeared to be, Mannerheim would do his best to make himself into that man for the sake of his country and perhaps, a little, for the sake of posterity. I admit that this thought was not mine alone. While in Finland, several students of Marshal Mannerheim's life expressed similar views. In fact, I was told that a book had just been published referring to "Mannerheim the play actor," as it was translated to me. The thesis being not that the Marshal was a fraud but that he was cognizant of, not his importance, but the importance of both his position and image to Finland and behaved accordingly. A few people actually lowered their voices to tell me that the Marshal was not really the austere, iron man that he appeared. That he actually enjoyed parties, laughter and women but he lived in such a way as to allow no scandal to attach itself to his name in Finland. They said that when he traveled outside of Finland he enjoyed these things discretely in an age of limited communication and foreign press scrutiny. Which, if true, and it apparently is, makes him an even more remarkable hero than he appears at first glance. Screen's book recognizes the complexity of Mannerheim's life and character as well as the extraordinary demands placed upon him by the extraordinary times in which he lived. The Mannerheim in Screen's pages is a great man, a hero but not a god. He was, arguably, the greatest Scandinavian statesman since Gustav Vasa. This review is from the hardcover first edition published in July 2001.
This review is from: Mannerheim: The Finnish Years (Hardcover)
Of the Mannerheim biographies available in English as of Nov. 2, 2015, the two volumes by J. E. O. Screen, MANNERHEIM: THE FINNISH YEARS and MANNERHEIM: THE YEARS OF PREPARATION are the best I have read. It is a shame that his entire biography of Mannerheim has not, to my knowledge, been translated into English. In addition to being outstanding research and history, both of Screen's books are well written. No dry as dust research papers here. Mannerheim and his age come alive in the pages of this volume which traces his life from Imperial Russian general to Marshal of Finland and finally to president.
Throughout his Finnish years he was statesman and diplomat in addition to military commander. If General Robert E. Lee was the Marble Man, Marshal C.G.E. Mannerheim was the Iron Man. The similarities in character between these two complex men are striking. Even their military situations were similar. Both brilliantly led their nations' armies against incredible odds.
At some point after or during the Finnish Independence/Civil War Mannerheim seems to have made a conscious decision to be what he believed Finland needed. If Mannerheim was not the man he appeared to be, Mannerheim would do his best to make himself into that man for the sake of his country and perhaps, a little, for the sake of posterity. I admit that this thought was not mine alone. While in Finland, several students of Marshal Mannerheim's life expressed similar views. In fact, I was told that a book had just been published referring to "Mannerheim the play actor," as it was translated to me. The thesis being not that the Marshal was a fraud but that he was cognizant of, not his importance, but the importance of both his position and image to Finland and behaved accordingly. A few people actually lowered their voices to tell me that the Marshal was not really the austere, iron man that he appeared. That he actually enjoyed parties, laughter and women but he lived in such a way as to allow no scandal to attach itself to his name in Finland. They said that when he traveled outside of Finland he enjoyed these things discretely in an age of limited communication and foreign press scrutiny. Which, if true, and it apparently is, makes him an even more remarkable hero than he appears at first glance. Screen's book recognizes the complexity of Mannerheim's life and character as well as the extraordinary demands placed upon him by the extraordinary times in which he lived. The Mannerheim in Screen's pages is a great man, a hero but not a god. He was, arguably, the greatest Scandinavian statesman since Gustav Vasa. This review is from the hardcover first edition published in July 2001.
March 7, 2018
Both volumes are very much products of their eras, and often lack the critical distance needed. This is especially true of the first one with its weird teleological notion that Mannerheim's years in Russian service would somehow have been preparation for his career in Finland. The author also ignores, in favour of the accepted narrative, facts he's outlined himself, like Mannerheim's to a great extent automatic promotions due to his position as a guards officer, and his failure to enter general staff college, and his subsequent shortcomings. Long on myth, short on analysis, but as a story still interesting.
February 9, 2021
Tip top history book at about a super interesting historical figure. I'm getting more and more into Finnish history, even if the amount of English-language literature on the subject is somewhat minimal - this was a super good comprehensive study of Mannerheim, who I guess is the Finnish equivalent of Churchill, although with way more of a military background.
Shout-out to when Mannerheim visits Aberdeen on Armistice Day though, that was my favourite bit.
Shout-out to when Mannerheim visits Aberdeen on Armistice Day though, that was my favourite bit.
August 4, 2018
Phenomenal book on Mannerheim. From the Finnish Civil War, to the Winter War with Russia and the Continuation War with Russia during WW2 - it gives great insight into a man who was blessed with great leadership which enabled Finland to maintain its independence in the turbulent years after WW1 through WW2. Highly recommend.
September 14, 2014
Not for the casual reader with slight interest in Mannerheim -- otherwise some of the detail is overwhelming. But recommended for Mannerheim enthusiasts.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews