Drift toward war Red Guards (Finland)

helsinki worker s order guard in fall of 1917.

at beginning of 1918, workers order guards still had few guns. example, largest guard in helsinki armed 20–30 military rifles. in january, commander-in-chief ali aaltonen went saint petersburg acquire weaponry bolsheviks. on 13 january, aaltonen informed general staff of cargo of 10,000 rifles , 10 artillery pieces brought finland within couple of weeks. @ same time, protection corps preparing trade of 60,000 rifles germany. point, many of largest workers order guards occupied radicals pushing finnish labour movement towards armed conflict. no longer under authority of social democratic party or trade union federation. in order keep labour movement united, party leadership forced negotiate revolutionary guards. many of leading social democrats, väinö tanner, taavi tainio , evert huttunen, moderate, opposed armed revolution , acts of order guards.

in 19–23 january, violent clashes between workers guards , protection corps occurred in eastern finland in vyborg , luumäki , in western part of country in kiikka. in vyborg, second largest town in finland, protection corps trying obtain control evicted town. serious incident in luumäki, protection corps grabbed 200 rifles @ taavetti railway station. 2 days later, workers guards attacked protection corps in order take guns back. finally, on 25 january, senate declared protection corps government troops. social democrats , labour movement interpreted declaration of war against working-class. result, workers order guards , helsinki red guard merged paramilitary red guard of finland (suomen punainen kaarti) , revolution proclaimed in late evening of 26 january lighting red lantern sign tower of helsinki workers hall. order mobilization came on next morning executive committee of trade union federation, coincided spontaneous clashing of red guards , protection corps.