Moscow Peace Treaty

The Peace of Moscow of 1940 ended the 105 -day Winter War between the Soviet Union and Finland.

He was on 12 March 1940 ( represented by Vyacheslav M. Molotov, Andrei Aleksandrovich Zhdanov, Alexander Mikhailovich Vasilevsky ) of the Soviet Union and Finland ( represented by Risto Ryti, Juho Kusti Paasikivi, Rudolf Walden, Väinö Voionmaa ) and signed on March 21, 1940 ratified.

Finland had to Karelia, Salla and cede the eastern part of the peninsula fishing to the Soviet Union. In turn, it was allowed to keep its independence and the Soviet Union ended the aspirations of an annexation of the country.

Background

Already on 29 January 1940, the Finnish Government had received initial conditions of peace the Soviet Union. Until then, the Red Army had fought to occupy Finland. Finland should cede Karelia region, including the town of Vyborg, and its part of Lake Ladoga. In addition, the Hanko Peninsula should be placed under Soviet control for 30 years.

The Finnish government rejected the offer and sent requests for military assistance to Sweden, the United Kingdom and France. As Finland hoped that both of these States and the League of Nations, the peace negotiations were beginning to tackle.

The absence of foreign aid, the military situation of the Finnish army deteriorated dramatically at the front. On February 28, Ryti consulted with the commander Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, who noted the peace must very soon be closed if necessary even under harsh conditions, otherwise the fronts would break in and annexation by the Soviet Union to be feared. On February 29, 1940, the peace negotiations with the Soviet Union were taken. On this day, the Red Army launched an attack on Vyborg.

• Winter War
• Peace treaty