How did Finland’s foreign policy take shape during the uncertain years following the Second World War? In his new book, Rule of the Old Guard. Carl Enckell and the Foreign Policy Culture of Finland 1944–1950, Sebastian Lindberg offers a fresh perspective on one of the most closely examined periods in Finnish political history.

At the centre of the study is Carl Enckell, who served as Finland’s Foreign Minister from 1944 to 1950. Lindberg challenges the conventional view that the armistice signed between Finland and the Soviet Union in 1944 marked a decisive rupture in Finnish foreign policy. Instead, the study highlights a remarkable degree of continuity during the first postwar years.

Through a biographical examination of Enckell and Finland’s postwar political leadership, Lindberg explores how generational experiences, collectively held expectations for the future, and deeply rooted belief systems shaped foreign-policy decision-making. The study shows how the legacies of nineteenth-century progressivism, Russification, revolution, and interwar diplomacy continued to influence Finland’s political leadership well into the 1940s.

The book also presents the first comprehensive assessment of Enckell’s role as Foreign Minister and highlights his importance as a close adviser and confidant of J. K. Paasikivi, then Prime Minister and later President of Finland. Enckell emerges as a central figure in shaping Finland’s foreign policy during the turbulent first postwar years.

The publication is freely available in electronic format and can also be purchased from the Bookstore Tiedekirja at Snellmaninkatu 13, Helsinki.