Finland, the Ukraine... and fascism then and today.

Mr. Omdahl,

This is quite the Opinion Piece you you wrote:

http://www.grandforksherald.com/content/lloyd-omdahl-why-north-dakota-finns-loved-olympics

[See entire Op-Ed piece below]
Finland had it own socialist revolution in January 1918--- it was drenched in blood and defeated in a brutal, savage and vicious counter-revolution.

Mannerheim was an outright fascist--- one of Hitler's allies along with Franco, Mussolini and that bunch of Nazi quislings in the Ukraine who kept World War II going until they were defeated by the Red Army in 1954.

Many "Red" Finns were forced to flee their homeland lest they be brutally hacked to death and slaughtered as many in fact were by the White Finns--- led by the most pious of Lutheran preachers carrying their Bibles.

Here in Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Oregon, Washington, Connecticut many of these "Red" Finns built the great industrial unions and they were supporters of the socialist Soviet Union.

Who is "grabbing" what today? What business was it of the United States to spend over five-billion dollars undermining and destabilizing the elected Ukrainian government?

You may be a liberal voice on some issues but you certainly join the ranks of the most reactionary elements when it comes to defending U.S. imperialism.

Also, I notice you don't mention that Cargill recently acquired huge holdings in the Ukraine... this little thing about corporate profits wouldn't have anything to do with what is going on in the Ukraine, would it?

Having been involved in youth baseball, Little League, for over ten years as a coach and an umpire, I find it sickening that you used sports to hide your lies and distortions intended to inflame hatreds. Sports should be a way to promote peace and understanding between peoples.

Your entire op-ed piece could be boiled down to one sentence:

"I hate socialism; fascists are my friends."

No doubt you would have opposed the Soviets supporting the anti-fascists in Spain, too.

You might want to try studying a little more Finnish history before writing about it again.

You might want to take in the recently released movie, "Stalingrad." I would be interested in reading your view to find out which side you supported--- were you listening to the radio reports a few years later from 1942 to 1943 when you were twelve years old? Who were you rooting for?

A proud Red Finn,

-- 

Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

 

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Cell: 651-587-5541

Primary E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

E-mail: alan.maki1951mn@gmail.com

Blog: http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

LLOYD OMDAHL: Why North Dakota Finns loved the Olympics

By Lloyd Omdahl Today at 4:30 a.m

​A​

fter 74 years of hoping, the descendants of the 2,486 Finlanders who had settled in North Dakota by 1910 finally had cause for celebration with the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Of course, since most Finns are Lutherans, they are not given to boisterous celebrations in public. Consequently, their celebration was conducted in silence.

Though few in number, Finlanders settled at multiple locations in North Dakota. Counties recording their presence include Burleigh, Dickey, Emmons, Logan, Mountrail, Rolette and Towner. In the 100 years since settlement, they no doubt fanned out to other North Dakota counties and communities.

For the Finns, Feb. 19 was comeuppance day in the Olympics for the Russians when the Finn hockey team outlasted their historical nemesis with a score of 3-1. Because the loss eliminated Russia from the Olympics, the victory was even sweeter than the 5-0 loss handed the Russians in 1994.

The Sochi defeat, with President Vladimir Putin expectant in the stands, was an insult for the host team because it followed a defeat by arch-enemy United States in a dramatic shootout in which T. J. Oshie, a former star at UND, whistled four shots through the Russian goalie.

Perhaps the U.S. State Department ought to settle the Crimea dispute by proposing that Oshie do a round of shootouts with a goalie of their choice.

Even though the U.S. losses to the Canadians by our hockey teams cast a pall over American celebrations, I reveled with Finland. From my point of view, it was the greatest event of the Sochi Olympics. I have been for Finland since 1939.

Though I was only 9 years old, I remember listening intently to the battle reports from the Finland-Russian border, where the “Winter War” was being waged against Finland by an overpowering Russian military. It didn’t seem like a fair fight to me.

It all started in 1809, when Sweden gave the territory that became Finland to Russia. The Finns were unhappy being “Russified.” At the opportune time — namely, 1917, while the Russians were busily occupied by the Bolshevik Revolution — they declared their independence.

In 1939, the Russians figured Hitler was up to no good and demanded eastern Finland as a barrier to hold off the Germans. When Finland stood its ground, Russia attacked. The Russians were shocked when Finland put up a brilliant defense and imposed heavy casualties on the invaders.

But the Finns had only one-third the troops and no air cover, so a loss was inevitable. Both sides fought to exhaustion. In the peace settlement, the Russians confiscated the coveted territory.

(Putin’s foreign policy these days is marked by the impulse to grab territory. Apparently, it is a genetic disease for which there may never be a cure.)

With this bitter experience on the eve of World War II, the Finns were hard-pressed to cozy up to the Russians against the Germans. So, they declared neutrality, although they found it difficult not to favor Germany.

It boiled down to that old adage “the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” so any enemy of Russia was a friend to Finland.

Well, now that we have reviewed Finnish-Russian history, perhaps the disappointed American hockey fans can find a glimmer of brightness in the Winter Olympics of 2014. After all of these years, a little bit of justice has been done.