Moscow Armistice

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Moscow Armistice
The areas ceded by Finland to the Soviet Union after the Continuation War. Porkkala was returned to Finland in 1956.[1]
TypeBilateral treaty
Signed19 September 1944 (1944-09-19)
LocationMoscow, Russian SFSR, USSR
Parties
Ratifiers
  •  Soviet Union
  •  United Kingdom
  •  Finland

The Moscow Armistice was signed between Finland on one side and the Soviet Union and United Kingdom on the other side on 19 September 1944, ending the Continuation War.[2] The Armistice restored the Moscow Peace Treaty of 1940, with a number of modifications.

The final peace treaty between Finland and many of the Allies was signed in Paris in 1947.

Conditions for peace[edit]

Finnish and Soviet officers gather for negotiations on September 5, 1944

The conditions for peace were similar to what had been agreed in the Moscow Peace Treaty of 1940: Finland was obliged to cede parts of Karelia and Salla, as well as certain islands in the Gulf of Finland. The new armistice also handed all of Petsamo to the Soviet Union, and Finland was further compelled to lease Porkkala to the Soviet Union for a period of fifty years (the area was returned to Finnish control in 1956).[1] Territories ceded to the Soviet Union constituted approximately 11.50% (44,106.23 km2) of Finland's territory (382,561.23 km2) prior to the Winter War and the Continuation War as dictated by the Treaty of Tartu.

Other conditions included Finnish payment of nearly $300,000,000 ($5 billion in today's US dollars) in the form of various commodities over six years to the Soviet Union as war reparations.[3] Finland also agreed to legalise the Communist Party of Finland (after it had made some changes to the party rules) and ban parties that the Soviet Union considered fascist.[4] Further, the individuals that the Soviets considered responsible for the war had to be arrested and put on trial, the best-known case being that of Risto Ryti.[5] The armistice compelled Finland to drive German troops from its territory, leading to a military campaign in Lapland.

Surrendered territory[edit]

Municipalities annexed by the Soviet Union [fi]
Municipality
of Finland
Russian Cyrillic name km2 Sq miles Part of present-day
populated place in Russia
Notes
Antrea Каменногорск 486.4 302.23 Kamennogorsk
Harlu Харлу 252.6 156.96 Kharlu [ru]
Heinjoki [fi] Хейнйоки 342.1 212.57 Veshchevo
Hiitola Хийтола 464 288.32 Khiytola
Impilahti Импилахти 904 561.72 Impilahti
Jaakkima Яккима 501.9 311.87 Yakkima
Jäniskoski-Niskakoski Янискоски-Нискакоски 176 109.36 Jäniskoski-Niskakoski territory Jäniskoski-Niskakoski was
not a municipality of Finland but
part of the Inari municipality
Johannes Советский 217.6 135.21 Sovetsky
Kanneljärvi Победа 246.3 153.04 Pobeda
Kaukola Севастьяново 293.7 182.5 Sevastyanovo
Kirvu Свободное 695.22 432 Svobodnoye
Kivennapa Первомайское 650.52 404.21 Pervomayskoye
Koivisto [fi] Койвистон 283.1 175.91 Primorsk
Kuolemajärvi Пионерское 400 248.55 Pionerskoye
Kurkijoki [fi] Куркийоки 539.5 335.23 Kurkiyoki [ru]
Käkisalmi [fi] Какисалмен 188.54 117.15 Priozersk
Lumivaara [fi] Лумиваара 292.4 181.69 Lakhdenpokhsky District
Metsäpirtti [fi] Метсапиртти 186.9 116.13 Zaporozhskoye
Muolaa [fi] Муолаа 750.02 466.04 Pravdino
Petsamo [fi] Печенгский 10,470 6,505.76 Pechengsky District
Pyhäjärvi Пюхаярви 522 324.35 Otradnoye
Rautu Рауту 339.6 211.02 Sosnovo
Ruskeala [fi] Рускеала 519 322.49 Ruskeala
Räisälä Райсала 492.95 306.30 Melnikovo
Sakkola Саккола 349.4 217.11 Gromovo
Salmi Салми 1,423 884.21 Salmi
Soanlahti [fi] Соанлахти 504 313.17 Suoyarvsky District
Sortavala [fi] Сортавалан 690.88 429.3 Sortavala
Suistamo [fi] Суистамо 1,623.80 1,009 Suoyarvsky District
Suojärvi [fi] Суоярви 3,688.40 2,292 Suoyarvsky District
Terijoki [fi] Терийоки 122.42 76.07 Zelenogorsk
Uusikirkko Уусикиркко 641.70 398.73 Polyany
Valkjärvi [fi] Валкъярви 400 248.55 Michurinskoye
Viipuri Выборг 613.93 381.48 Vyborg
Vuoksela Вуоксела 135 83.88 Vuoksela
Vuoksenranta Вуоксенранта 300.22 186.55 Ozyorskoye
Äyräpää [fi] Эуряпяя 205.7 127.82 Baryshevo

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Return of Porkkala by Soviets 50 years ago had strings attached". Helsingin Sanomat. 25 January 2006.
  2. ^ Armistice Agreement between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,on the one hand, and Finland on the other
  3. ^ "HS Home 3.9.2002 – Last war reparation train crossed Finnish-Soviet border 50 years ago". 2012-02-06. Archived from the original on 2012-02-06. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  4. ^ (in Finnish) Jukka Nevakivi (2006) Jatkosodasta nykypäivään. (From Continuation War to Today. In: Suomen poliittinen historia 1809–2006. WSOY, Helsinki
  5. ^ Jakobson, Max (former Finnish Ambassador to the UN) Finnish wartime leaders on trial for "war guilt" 60 years ago Helsingin Sanomat International edition, 28 October 2005

Further reading[edit]

  • Malbone W. Graham. (1945). "Armistices – 1944 Style". The American Journal of International Law 39, 2: 286–95.

External links[edit]