Lapua Movement (Lapuan liike) was a political movement in Finland, started in 1929, initially dominated by ardent anti-communist nationalists, emphasizing the legacy of the nationalist activism, the White Guards and the Civil War in Finland, however soon turning into more of a Fascist movement. The Lapua Movement was banned after a failed coup-d'état in 1932. Ironically, the banning was done under the Protection of the Republic Act, which originally was dictated by the Lapua Movement. The activities were then continued in IKL (Isänmaallinen Kansanliike). 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Anti-communism is opposition to communist ideology, organization, or government, on either a theoretical or practical level. ... Nationalism is an ideology that creates and sustains a nation as a concept of a common identity for groups of humans. ... For other meanings of activism, see Activism. ... The White Guards is one translation of the Finnish term Suojeluskunta (plural: Suojeluskunnat, Finland-Swedish: Skyddskår) that unfortunately has received many different translations to English, for instance: Security Guard, Civil Guard, National Guard, White Militia, Defence Corps, Protection Guard, Protection Corps and Protection Militia. ... The Civil War in Finland was fought from January to May 1918, between the Reds (punaiset), i. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... 1932 (MCMXXXII) is a leap year starting on a Friday. ... The Finnish Patriotic Peoples Movement, Isänmaallinen kansanliike (usually abbreviated to IKL), was the successor to the semi-fascist Lapua Movement. ...

The leaders of the Lapua Movement were Vihtori Kosola and general Kurt Martti Wallenius. Vihtori Iisakki Kosola (July 10, 1884-December 14, 1936) was a leader of the Finnish Lapua Movement. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Many politicians, and also high military officers, were initially sympathetic with the Lapua Movement, as anti-communism was the norm in the educated classes after the Civil War. However, excessive use of violence made the movement less popular within a few months.

In the Civil War Ostrobothnia was one of the most important strong-holds and bases of the White army, and anti-Communist sentiments remained extremely strong in Ostrobothnia. Late in November 1929 the Communist Youth Movement arranged a happening in Ostrobothnian Lapua. This infuriated the locals, who violently made an end to the meeting. On December 1st an anticommunist meeting was held, attracting more than 1,000 people. A ban of all communist activities was demanded. Ostrobothnia, Österbotten (literally East (of) Bottom / the Gulf of Bothnia) or Pohjanmaa (literally Bottom land / soil / ground), is a historical province to the north in Finland. ... 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Communism refers to a theoretical system of social organization and a political movement based on common ownership of the means of production. ... Lapua (Lappo in Swedish) is a municipality of Finland. ... December 1 is the 335th (in leap years the 336th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Marches and meetings were arranged throughout the country. On June 16th, 1930, more than 3,000 men arrived to Oulu in order to destroy the print and office of the Communist newspaper Pohjan Voima. However, the last issue of Pohjan Voima had appeared on June 14. The same day, a Communist print in Vaasa was destroyed. A so-called "Peasant March" to Helsinki was a major show of power. More than 12,000 men arrived in Helsinki on July 7th. The government yielded under the pressure, and communist newspapers were outlawed in a Protection of the Republic Act. June 16 is the 167th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (168th in leap years), with 198 days remaining. ... 1930 (MCMXXX) is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... City Oulu (1605) Administrative Province Oulu province Historical Province Ostrobothnia Area (2004-01-01)  â€“ Total (excl. ... June 14 is the 165th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (166th in leap years), with 200 days remaining. ... Vaasa, or Vasa in Swedish, (Wasa in Latin), is a city on the west coast of Finland. ... It has been suggested that Hietaniemi beach be merged into this article or section. ... July 7 is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 177 days remaining. ...

After this, the Lapua Movement became even more extreme. Their activities included harassing individual Communists, Social Democrats, Pacifists, Liberals and labor unionists. One common treatment was "muilutus", which started with kidnapping and beating. After that the subject was thrown into a car and driven to the border of the Soviet Union. The Social Democratic Party of Finland (SDP) is one of the most influential political parties in Finland, along with the Centre Party and the Coalition Party. ... Pacifism is opposition to war. ... This article discusses liberalism as a major political ideology, not the usage of the term in specific countries. ... A union (labor union in American English; trade union, sometimes trades union, in British English; either labour union or trade union in Canadian English) is a legal entity consisting of employees or workers having a common interest, such as all the assembly workers for one employer, or all the workers...

During its early stages the movement was also responsible for several murders. Their victims were common people and ranged from leftists to non-socialists that were viewed as too moderate. Lapua Movement's acts are considered to be the last political murders in Finland to this date.

Meetings held by leftist and labour groups were also interrupted, often violently. More than 400 meeting locals owned by the labour movement were closed by Lapua activists.

On October 14th, 1930, the popular ex-president Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg and his wife were kidnapped, beaten and driven to Joensuu (i.e. not really to the Soviet Union this time). This was intended as a first stage of a coup d'état, but it backfired and the general support of the movement collapsed. Moderate people left the movement, and extremists took the stage. Never-the-less, a few months later the Lapua Movement was capable of not only demanding "their man" appointed President of Finland by the Collegium of Electors, which only weeks before had been chosen in a nation-wide voting, but a sufficient number of the electors followed the Lapua Movement's request, disregarding the intentions they had declared during the election campaign. The Movement's man, Pehr Evind Svinhufvud, was elected. October 14 is the 287th day of the year (288th in Leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1930 (MCMXXX) is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... Kaarlo Juho StÃ¥hlberg (January 28, 1865 - September 22, 1952) was the first President of Finland (1919-1925) and a Nationalist Liberal. ... Joensuu City Hall Joensuu is a city in eastern Finland. ... The President of Finland (Suomen Tasavallan Presidentti; Republiken Finlands President) is the Head of State of Finland. ... Pehr Evind Svinhufvud af Qvalstad (December 15, 1861 – February 29, 1944) was the President of Finland from 1931 to 1937. ...

In February 1932 a Social Democrat meeting in Mäntsälä was violently interrupted by armed Lapua activists. The event escalated to an attempted coup d'état known as the Mäntsälä Rebellion (Mäntsälän kapina), led by the former Chief of Staff of Finland's Army, general Wallenius. Despite the appeals of Wallenius, the army and the White Guards were largely loyal to the government. Many historians believe the main reason for the failure was poor planning. The rebellion ended after President Svinhufvud had held a radio speech to the rebels. After a trial, the Lapua Movement was banned on November 21st, 1932. Wallenius and about 50 other leaders were sentenced to prison. The punishment was very light, however, compared to the treatment meted out to the defeated Reds after the Civil War, over 20.000 of whom lost their lives during and after prosecution. 1932 (MCMXXXII) is a leap year starting on a Friday. ... The church of Mäntsälä was completed in 1866. ... Mäntsälä rebellion (Finnish: Mäntsälän kapina) was the failed coup attempt by the Lapua Movement to ovethrow the Finnish government. ... The term Chief of Staff can refer to: The White House Chief of Staff, the highest-ranking member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The White Guards is one translation of the Finnish term Suojeluskunta (plural: Suojeluskunnat, Finland-Swedish: Skyddskår) that unfortunately has received many different translations to English, for instance: Security Guard, Civil Guard, National Guard, White Militia, Defence Corps, Protection Guard, Protection Corps and Protection Militia. ... Pehr Evind Svinhufvud af Qvalstad (December 15, 1861 – February 29, 1944) was the President of Finland from 1931 to 1937. ... November 21 is the 325th day of the year (326th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1932 (MCMXXXII) is a leap year starting on a Friday. ...

Finland's foreign relations and reputation were without doubt damaged by the broad support the Lapua Movement initially was shown by Finland's elite, and by the ties between the Movement, the White Guards and Finland's army. Particularly the neighbours came to view Finland with even more suspicion, by and large neglecting that Lapua's chosen president actually had outlawed the Movement. Finland’s basic foreign policy goal, from the end of the Continuation War with the U.S.S.R. in 1944 until 1991, was to avoid great-power conflicts and to build mutual confidence with the Soviet Union. ... The White Guards is one translation of the Finnish term Suojeluskunta (plural: Suojeluskunnat, Finland-Swedish: Skyddskår) that unfortunately has received many different translations to English, for instance: Security Guard, Civil Guard, National Guard, White Militia, Defence Corps, Protection Guard, Protection Corps and Protection Militia. ... The idea of the Finns as fascists in disguise was an important theme in Soviet interpretation of events in inter-war Finland, as well as in Soviet propaganda, but the idea also gained some influence in many other countries, notably the Allied and the Scandinavian countries. ...

In the Soviet Union, the Lapua Movement's actions were closely followed. Old deep-rooted perceptions of Finland as a threat and as a continuation of the ancient tsarist régime were enhanced — both among ordinary citizens and in the Bolshevist leadership — further contributing to the development leading to the Winter War. Not the least in Leningrad, the old tsarist capital, were the old concerns kept alive over having the border far too close. Over that border invasion armies had arrived right at the doorstep of the capital twice in the 18th century and then, again, in 1918, immediately after Finland's independence, during the ongoing world war, the German enemy had been invited by Finland and threatened to bring the horrors of war on the civilians of Leningrad. Russian newspapers mirrored these fears, covering events in Finland and interviewing victims that had been deported to Russia by the Lapua Movement as telling examples of terror in capitalist countries. Western diplomats and visiting pro-Soviet intellectuals were also influenced, which in turn contributed to a questioning assessment of the Finns in many western capitals. The Winter War (also known as the Soviet-Finnish War or the Russo-Finnish War) broke out when the Soviet Union attacked Finland on November 30, 1939, three months after the start of World War II. As a consequence, the Soviet Union was expelled from the League of Nations on... Leningrad (Russian: Ленинград) usually refers to the name of the city which is now known as Saint Petersburg, Russia between 1924 and 1991. ...

See also

• Politics of Finland
• History of Finland