The US gov't spent billions per year in Scandinavian investments during the cold war to spy on Russia. Much of the early Nokia research was an excuse to put up listening posts in odd places. Now all new funding is from retirement funds dumping cash they must invest every week. As a society are we making progress?
The US gov't spent billions per year in Scandinavian investments during the cold war to spy on Russia. Much of the early Nokia research was an excuse to put up listening posts in odd places. Now all new funding is from retirement funds dumping cash they must invest every week. As a society are we making progress?
Did you just make that up yourself?
Nokia was making mostly rubber boots, tires and cables during the cold war era. Also as others have noted Finland was on wrong side. While it wasn't part of Warsaw pact it had very close relations to USSR from 1944 to 1990 so much that any military collaboration with US would have been extremely unwise and would have only hurt finnish national security. Having US listening posts in Finland would have been simply out of question.
By close relations I mean the situation where finnish politicians had to be constantly on their toes not to displease Soviet leadership. What happened in Czechoslovakia 1968 was fresh in everyones minds.
Really? Czechoslovakia was a Soviet satellite state, but Finland - while not in NATO - was not. I suspect the Soviets woudln't have dared invade Finland as it would have had a severe risk of military confrontation with the west. Likewise, I doubt NATO would have done anything to Finland to avoid a confrontation with the Soviets.
The Soviets tried, but were beaten off by the Finns (and I guess the weather/terrain/etc helped a bit). As a result the Soviets basically decided Finland wasn't worth the bother and as the Finnish government played a realpolitik game of subservience whilst keeping their sovereignity, everyone was happy.
Really? Czechoslovakia was a Soviet satellite state, but Finland - while not in NATO - was not. I suspect the Soviets woudln't have dared invade Finland as it would have had a severe risk of military confrontation with the west. Likewise, I doubt NATO would have done anything to Finland to avoid a confrontation with the Soviets.
It may be worth noting that export status (for sensitive hardware and such) in Soviet Union had a classification category of "Warsaw Pact states and Finland".
For all bits and purposes Finland was regarded neutral enough to actually view it as a reasonably trustworthy diplomatically by both parties during peace time, resulting in many high-level negotiations, especially ones that needed to be done out of media sight between East and West being done there. Installing listening posts form EITHER party would ha
If A = B and B = C, then A = C, except where void or prohibited by law.
-- Roy Santoro
Where is the cash? (Score:-1)
The US gov't spent billions per year in Scandinavian investments during the cold war to spy on Russia. Much of the early Nokia research was an excuse to put up listening posts in odd places. Now all new funding is from retirement funds dumping cash they must invest every week. As a society are we making progress?
Re:Where is the cash? (Score:2)
Did you just make that up yourself?
Nokia was making mostly rubber boots, tires and cables during the cold war era. Also as others have noted Finland was on wrong side. While it wasn't part of Warsaw pact it had very close relations to USSR from 1944 to 1990 so much that any military collaboration with US would have been extremely unwise and would have only hurt finnish national security. Having US listening posts in Finland would have been simply out of question.
By close relations I mean the situation where finnish politicians had to be constantly on their toes not to displease Soviet leadership. What happened in Czechoslovakia 1968 was fresh in everyones minds.
Re: (Score:2)
Really? Czechoslovakia was a Soviet satellite state, but Finland - while not in NATO - was not. I suspect the Soviets woudln't have dared invade Finland as it would have had a severe risk of military confrontation with the west. Likewise, I doubt NATO would have done anything to Finland to avoid a confrontation with the Soviets.
Re: (Score:2)
The Soviets tried, but were beaten off by the Finns (and I guess the weather/terrain/etc helped a bit). As a result the Soviets basically decided Finland wasn't worth the bother and as the Finnish government played a realpolitik game of subservience whilst keeping their sovereignity, everyone was happy.
Google for 'Finlandization' for details.
Re: (Score:2)
Yes really. Everything you say is correct though.
Re: (Score:3)
It may be worth noting that export status (for sensitive hardware and such) in Soviet Union had a classification category of "Warsaw Pact states and Finland".
For all bits and purposes Finland was regarded neutral enough to actually view it as a reasonably trustworthy diplomatically by both parties during peace time, resulting in many high-level negotiations, especially ones that needed to be done out of media sight between East and West being done there. Installing listening posts form EITHER party would ha