Carl Gustaf Mannerheim

Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim (1867–1951) was Marshal of Finland and one of the most prominent figures in Finnish history. A military leader and statesman, he commanded the Finnish armed forces during the Winter War (1939–1940) and the Continuation War (1941–1944), and served as President of Finland (1944–1946).

During the Second World War, Mannerheim led the Finnish army in the effort to recover territories lost as a result of Soviet aggression in the Winter War. Crucially, under his command Finnish forces confined themselves to restoring the prewar borders and did not take part in German offensive operations deeper into Soviet territory. Mannerheim notably declined to participate in the siege of Leningrad.