WORLD WAR ONE AND FINNISH OPPOSITION (1914–1917)

As the World War One broke out, the policy of the imperial center towards the
Great Duchy of Finland became still stricter due to the martial law. Under such circumstances
Finnish separatists in their struggle against the center tried to get support
from the enemies of Russia. The German political and military leadership, in its turn,
was interested in rendering support to separatist movements in the Russian border regions,
including Finland, in its aspiration to weaken Russia. Schemes of an uprising
in Finland against Russia failed. Nevertheless, further contacts of the Finnish separatists
with Germany continued to be intense. After the February revolution of 1917
there appeared real conditions for restoration of the Finnish autonomy and for eventual
achievement of independence of Finland.