From Macleans:
The debate has dragged in Finland’s minister of culture and sport, Stefan Wallin. He recently told the Helsinki newspaper Helsingin Sanomat that the support given to the museum shouldn’t be perceived as approval for Lenin’s totalitarian administration (about 10 million Finns died under Lenin, almost half due to starvation). “This is one of dozens of special museums that the state supports and has done so for a long time,” he said.
The average population of Finland during Lenin's lifetime: about 3,000,000. A point already noted by a reader and not yet corrected. Also worth noting: Lenin spent time in Finland, but never ruled over the nation, and hence, it was never "under" him in any but the physical sense.
h/t CW.
It's like a whole other history.
ReplyDeleteWhat else don't we know?!
The Finnish Civil War in 1918 was between conservatives and socialists. The conservatives were backed by imperial Germany. The socialists were backed by Soviet Russia.
ReplyDeleteThe conservative forces won. Had the socialists won, Finland would likely have become a Soviet satellite state. Finland was saved from becoming a satellite of Germany because of the German defeat in WWI.
About 37,000 people died in the civil war.
Thus Lenin did indeed meddle in Finish affairs, and must take some blame for the carnage. The 10 million figure, however, is absurd.
The 10 million figure, however, is absurd.
ReplyDeleteYeah, we got that already. Are you not paying attention?
Oh, I see. You're trying to demonstrate that "Finland under Lenin" is accurate.
You don't get away with that in grade 10, Rabbit. Do you think journalists should?
Stop demonstrating how more ignorant and more dishonest, day by day, Canadians are getting. It's demoralising.
Did you not understand my comment, Rabbit? Would you like me to come over to your house and mime it out for you?
ReplyDeleteYou're just angry because I pointed out exactly what you were doing; turning an inaccurate statement into an accurate one, which is a bad faith challenge to this post. It didn't even require one; the obvious mistake at MacLean's is sign of crappy journalism.
As far as the history lesson is concerned, nice copy 'n paste from Wikipedia. Bra...vo! You're so teh learned!
Awww I believe a heads up is in order.i.e one of the first thing Lenin did(after the October Revolution) was grant Finland it's independence,31 December 1917
ReplyDelete