The Finnish War in the Context of Napoleonic Wars.

The Finnish war can be seen in the context of the Napoleonic war as a result of the agreement between two emperors. Napoleon I met with Alexander I at Tilsit on July 9th 1807 He demanded that Alexander join with him in coercing Denmark, Sweden and Portugal join the continental blockade against the English in the Continental system. Sweden however didn’t accede and stood alone in opposition to the demand.

Napoleon directed that Russia attack Finland. War thus began as a forced war, in other words, by temporarily invading Finland, it would force Sweden’s Gustav IV to relinquish. War started at the close of winter in 1808. It was not timely for the Swedes. The strategy was such that almost all of Finland would become the stage for a significant counter offensive that would begin later.

The Finnish theatre of war differed considerably from other Napoleonic theatres of war. The land area was heavily forested, there were significant numbers of lakes and the road network was poor. These restrictions on mobility caused considerable difficulties in terms of supplies logistics and in the use of forces. The Russian army found it difficult to operate in the Finnish conditions. It was possible to use Artillery in only a very limited way compared to the great battles of continental Europe. The strategic operations and rapid targeted attacks that were characteristic of Napoleonic campaigns were not possible in Finland.

Sweden’s army however, could not prevent the Russia takeover of Finland. Russia’s better trained army progressed quickly to the northern territories of Finland. In contrast to the original aims, the war had become a war of conquest. Alexander I called the Diet before the peace was made to create a new administrative system. Under the peace treaty, Finland was annexed to Imperial Russia.