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COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.
Thank you to all the magnificent artists for your beautiful work! I hope you all enjoy watching!
"
Farewell to Nova Scotia" is a
Canadian folk song about a man who's being sent overseas to fight in
WWI (probably, although its origins are uncertain). The gist of the piece is "G'bye, stupid ol'
Nova Scotia. I gotta go fight some stupid war." The poet is so bitterly sarcastic that his message is a little transparent (not to mention the accent), but I think his defeatist yet prideful attitude reflects not only
Finland's feelings towards
Russia, but also Russia's feelings towards itself. (
Finland: "Aaaugh! After all this fighting to defend myself, I'm still stuck right next to you for the rest of eternity!" Russia: "Aaaugh! Why do I even bother fighting for this depressing place?! I want sunflowers.")
All confusing treaties aside, at the end of the day this is a tribute to the thousands of brave soldiers on both sides who lost their lives for a conflict beyond their control, in the coldness and the dark, far away from home.
I know some of the subtitles are illegible (black backgroundssssss kolkolkolkolkol) but never fear! They're in the description too (with additional tidbits!)
1808
Finnish War (
Sweden and Russia fought over Finland)
1809
Diet of Porvoo (Finns swore an oath of allegiance to the
Russian Tsar, and agreed to keep their constitution unchanged)
1809
Treaty of Fredrikshamn (Russia won the war with Sweden. Finland became an autonomous Principality of the
Russian Empire. For a long time it was quite peaceful.)
1892 Finnish became an official language
1917 Bolshevik Revolution (the start of
Communism. Destabilized Russia.)
1917 Finland declared independence (their freedoms had been gradually restricted over the past century or so, and they feared that the Bolsheviks would treat them more harshly)
1918 Finnish Civil War (several Finnish parties fought for power, and Russia continued to interfere)
1920 Treaty of Tartu (borders between Russia and Finland were officially established, which ended the fighting)
1922
Soviet Union was formed
1939 Finland joined the
Anti-Comintern pact (anti-Communist pact originally between
Nazi Germany and the
Empire of Japan, later joined by many others)
1939
Winter War (Soviet Union attacked Finland. Finnish soldiers defended their borders in white cloaks on cross-country skis;
Soviet soldiers were easily visible in army green and their travel was restricted to major roads, and many did not have proper clothing and got frostbite. Many of the
Western powers felt sympathetic toward Finland, but due to a
German blockade, Sweden was the only country able to give Finland significant resource aid.)
1941 Continuation War (Finland became a co-belligerent of the
Axis Powers and attacked Russia. The Finns turned out to be much less effective in offensive battles)
1944 Ryti-Ribbentrop Agreement (Finnish president promised
Germany that he would stop trying to surrender)
1944
Battle of Normandy (Germany lost a major battle the
Allies.
Anticipating Germany's defeat, Finland signed
...)
1944
Moscow Armistice (Finland surrendered to the
Soviets, breaking their agreement with Germany.
Unfortunately for Finland, Germany wasn't ready to stop fighting just yet. German soldiers still on Finnish soil fought the Finns in the
Battle of
Lapland.)
1945 Germany surrendered to the Allies
1947 Paris Peace Treaties (Finland had to pay war reparations to the Soviet Union)
1948 Finno-Soviet
Treaty (the Paris Peace Treaties left Finland defenseless against Soviet influence, so Finland agreed to maintain economic ties even during the
Cold War, and fight any armies attempting to invade the Soviet Union through Finnish lands. Finland was a democracy and therefore primarily considered to be a
Western nation, but this agreement with the Soviet Union prevented them from joining
NATO, and without NATO's support they remained unable to cut their ties completely.
Catch 22.)
1991 Soviet Union dissolved (but Finland's relationship with Russia did not change significantly.
Rather than risk another incident, they have simply let it be so they can get on with the rest of their lives.)
And if you're a cool enough person to read this entire insane description I'm assuming you're also cool enough to look this stuff up.
I am an American teenage girl, so I'm definitely not the authority on the subject. But hey, if even one person finds this educational and/or inspiring, then I'm super happy :)
Let me know what you think!
- published: 11 Oct 2012
- views: 10779