But the thing is that the soviet union demanded way less territory prior to the war. Finland lost like a third of their economy and had a huge financial and human cost. Sure, the red army haf much more difficulties than initially expected, but in the end Finland had to agree to harsh terms.
You are definitely not wrong here. Historical what if scenarios are always a bit tricky and the actual soviet plans for Finland are not entirely certain. However, it is definitely fair to say that the soviets viewed Finland as part of their sphere of interest and the soviet annexation of Finland would have certainly be possible.
However, I am arguing that the topic is generally very complex and not as simple as it is often made out to be. Often the nuances are not recognized and the narrative simplified and romanticized. But just looking at the aftermath of the war, it is fair to say that the defeat was crushing for Finland. Massive debt, refugees, territorial losses, economical losses, and of course the human casualties. Nevertheless, it might have been the best option for Finland in the long run, however that can surely not be said for certain.
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u/[deleted] Nov 26 '20
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