The Finnish Civil War was fought in the early months of 1918, shortly after Finland declared independence from Russia in December 1917. It pitted the Reds, a force based on the Social Democratic left and the workers' Red Guards, with some Russian support, against the Whites, who supported the senate and conservative government and were commanded by General Carl Gustaf Mannerheim. German troops helped the Whites, who captured the major city of Tampere and then Helsinki, and won in May. The war was marked by executions and by the deaths of many Red prisoners from hunger and disease in camps. It left deep divisions in Finnish society that took decades to heal.
Before and after
- 8 January 1918Fourteen Points
- 15 January 1918Birth of Gamal Abdel Nasser
- 20 January 1918Battle of Imbros
- 26 January 1918Birth of Nicolae Ceaușescu
- from 27 January 1918 to 15 May 1918Finnish Civil War
- 6 February 1918British women over 30 win the vote
- 3 March 1918Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
- from 21 March 1918 to 5 April 1918Operation Michael
- from 21 March 1918 to 18 July 1918Spring Offensive
More in Wars, politics & history
- 1919Paris Peace Conference
- 3 March 1923Time
- from 1 August 1927 to 1 May 1950Chinese Civil War
- 30 September 1938Munich agreement
- from 1 September 1939 to 6 October 19391939 Invasion of Poland
- 1944Golden Globes
The era
This moment belongs to the Modern era (1914 CE to 1945 CE), world wars and a changing world. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.