I hope the correspondent pointing out Finland’s “alliance” with Germany in the second world war (Letters, 23 June) isn’t suggesting widespread support for nazism among the Finnish people. As victims of Russian aggression for centuries, Finland’s choice was based on the principle of “my enemy’s enemy is my friend”. One of Helsinki’s major museums last December chronicled in chilling detail the Nazi period – a candour that British museums could copy in looking at the horrors of colonial rule.
Norman Miller
Brighton
• Robin Milner-Gulland’s use of the word “ally” does the people of Finland an injustice. The country’s main argument was with Russia. The alliance with Germany was designed to protect the country from Russian invasion. Evidence suggests the country did as much as it could to subvert Germany’s intentions in Leningrad. After the resignation of President Risto Ryti in 1944, his successor, Gustaf Mannerheim, sued for peace with Russia and declared war on Germany. The Finnish people themselves were betrayed by Ryti.
Simon Surtees
London
