January 26, 1918 - The Start of the Finnish Civil War

Finland, created from the defeated and fractured remains of Russia after the first World War, faced strong influences from Germany (which intended to use Finland as a buffer state against Russia) and the Soviet Union (which hoped to bring Finland back under its’ control). The shortly following Civil War was between the Finnish Whites and the Finnish Reds, being conservative and communist respectively. The start of the war came when a group of Reds hung a red lantern atop the tower of the Helsinki Worker’s Hall, a center of workers in Finland. The war eventually ended with a victory for the Whites. (Modern photo of the Helsinki Worker’s Hall, called “Paasitorni” in Finland)