Mannerheim, Carl Gustav Emil von (1867-1951)

Finnish general and politician, leader of the conservative forces in the civil war 1917-18 and regent 1918-19. He commanded the Finnish army 1939-40 and 1941-44, and was president of Finland 1944-46.

After the Russian Revolution of 1917, a Red (socialist) militia was formed in Finland with Russian backing, and independence was declared in December. The Red forces were opposed by a White (counter-revolutionary) army led by Mannerheim, who in 1918 crushed the socialists with German assistance. He was recalled from retirement in 1939 to defend Finland against Soviet invasion, and gave the Soviets a hard fight before yielding. In 1941 Finland allied itself with Germany against the USSR but by 1944 it was obvious the Germans were losing. After leading the defence against Soviet invasion in two wars, he negotiated the peace settlement with the USSR and became president.