3 February

In his analysis presented to the highest military leaders, the headquarters intelligence chief Aladár Paasonen predicts that Germany will suffer defeat in the Second World War. Mannerheim does not disagree.

20–26 March

The Finnish leadership ponders over whether to enter into separate peace with the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union sets harsh conditions. The Finnish government sends Foreign Minister Ramsay to talk with the Germans, who condemn Finland’s peace efforts in no uncertain terms. Germany’s reaction combined with the feeling of distrust towards the Soviet Union make Finland abandon the aspirations for a separate peace.

20 August

The Peace Opposition, comprising 33 MPs out of 200, proposes that President Risto Ryti take action to extricate Finland from the war. Their letter is published in Sweden, after which the censorship allows it to be printed in Finland as well. The government considers that the letter makes its position more difficult and also creates tensions between Finland and Germany.