Finland’s Connections to Manchukuo: The World of Images and Political Games : Finland’s Recognition of Manchukuo 1941 and the Images of Manchukuo of Finland’s Diplomats in Shanghai and Tokyo

Abstract

This thesis discusses the contexts surrounding Finland’s recognition decision of the Empire of Manchukuo in July 1941. A non-recognition policy of Manchukuo was suggested by the League of Nations in 1932 after the results of the Lytton Report were accepted at the general assembly. At the beginning, Finland followed the non-recognition policy. However, Finland’s new alliance with Nazi Germany after the peace treaty with the Soviet Union upon the Winter War (November 1939-March 1940) also shifted Finland’s approach to Manchukuo’s recognition decision. This thesis explores the different contexts that surround Finland’s diplomatic recognition of Manchukuo, namely: the League of Nations condemnation of Manchukuo, Manchukuo’s diplomatic history and historiographical understanding, Finland’s alliance with Nazi Germany, and the process of Finland’s recognition decision. This paper also uses historical image research to study the images of Manchuria and Manchukuo that the diplomatic representatives of Finland in Tokyo and Shanghai conveyed in their reports to the Foreign Ministry of Finland. The images were mostly influenced by whether the envoys were stationed in Tokyo or Shanghai. Also, other factors, like the envoys’ personalities and Finland’s official stances in its East Asian diplomacy affected the images. This thesis aims to suggest new perspectives to the research fields of Finnish diplomatic history, international Axis alignment studies, Manchukuo’s history, and historical image research.