▲ 196 r/HistoricalCapsule
Mauno Koivisto, President of Finland 1982-1994, as young soldier during the Continuation War.
When the USSR invaded Finland in 1939, the 16 year old Koivisto volunteered to serve in a firefighting unit at the Home Front. During the war, the Soviet Air Force bombed his hometown of Turku. When Finland invaded the USSR alongside Germany in 1941, Koivisto again volunteered to serve in a firefighting unit, but this time East Karelia. In early 1942, Mauno Koivisto started his compulsory military service. After finishing his military training, Kovisto was posted to Karhumäki in East Karelia, but in September 1942 he was transferred to Infantry Regiment 35 in nearby Poventsa. In February 1944, Koivisto was transferred to the jäger company commanded by the legendary Lauri Törni. He was discharged in November 1944.
u/thebig_fella — 10 days ago