Premonition

There is an old argument that the war never ends and in the time of peace we are simply preparing for the next war. In cultures where war has been a practical solution to disputes this argument has been always true, so it is revealing something about us. When people followed this habit to first world wars they were shocked how the war had changed from mostly local battles between gentlemen to a total war with millions of casualties, destroyed cities and countries. Maybe for the first time people realized that the war was not worth it.

The war in Ukraine and growing tension between west and east could escalate to a new war and there is a collective awareness that something is happening. The west is supporting Ukraine in a proxy war which could become a real war. Since many european countries have been in peace for so long it’s probably just a matter of time to get the war machine ready. Many people will be surprised that they lived to see the war, however unlikely it was before.

Russia’s stubborn determination will eventually break Ukraine. Emboldened by this they will try to invade Finland next, regardless if Finland has the time to join Nato. Their reasoning is that russians who live in Finland are in danger if Finland becomes a Nato country. They also remember that Finland used to be a part of Russia and the independency was a mistake. In fact we find out later that Russia had been planning the invasion even before the war in Ukraine.

Russia will choose the easy to way to conduct war in Finland. They will use heavy bombing to destroy key infrastructure and they will also use nuclear bombs to destroy largest cities at the coast. This will take out a large amount of population and the feared army of Finland. People are forced to escape cities and flee to countryside, creating a difficult situation with housing where people are obligated to accommodate refugees in their homes. Some people, myself included, live in a tent for a while.

It’s hard to predict how the war ends. The chaotic nature of war resists the ability to see future clearly. There will be no doubt a tremendous amount of pain and loss, but also heroes who will fight for the good cause. The most important struggle will always be inside everyone of us, the actions we choose will determine the future of mankind.