How Finland Nearly Fell to Fascism—Then Pulled Back from the Brink
What Happened Finland’s brush with fascism began in the aftermath of its 1918 civil war, where conservative “Whites” defeated socialist “Reds” in a brutal conflict that left deep scars. By the late 1920s, lingering fears of communism had crystallized into the Lapua movement, named after a violent 1929 clash between local farmers and a communist youth group in the town of Lapua. The movement gained remarkable momentum, attracting not only far-right radicals but also moderate center-right politicians, business leaders, bankers, and prominent industrialists who saw opportunity in its populist appeal.