[smc66]

Actually having studied the Foreign Office papers on the British declaration of war on Finland the British were not as understanding as you make out. Basically, the British were torn in their relations between supporting a democratic country and disabusing a blatantly pro-German foreign policy. Though there was a rservoir of goodwill between the countries, British relations with Finland had been growing colder throughout 1941 and they were not particularly keen on the transit agreements Finland made with the Germans. Initial British reactions were to try and get Finland out of it, when this wasn't forthcoming, Churchill instructed the Foreign Office to be pretty stiff with them, and when Mannerheim issued his order of the day on 10 July Churchill wrote 'In view of the obnoxious and aggressive attitude of Finland, I trust we have already seized all their ships and subjected the Finns to every inconvenience in our power." (PRO PREM 3/170/4 16 July 1941, Churchill note to Eden). On 30 July 1941 the British bombed German transports in Petsamo and Liinnehamari harbours and the Finns broke off diplomatic relations.

The declaration of war in December 1941 came about due to Soviet pressure though Churchill had originally suggested it to Stalin, "We will declare war upon them should they continue beyond the old frontiers." (PRO PREM 3/170/1 4 September 1941 Churchill note to Stalin). Churchill's personal note to Mannerheim was a last ditch attempt to pull Finland out of the war, but the reply he received was little more than a least of greivances.

The bit about Finnish military only advancing strategically is a bit of a myth too. Yes they did have one eye on possible Allied reactions to their advance and reacted accordingly, however, German troops were allowed to use Finnish territory to invade the Soviet Union; advances in East Karelia were designed to try and reach the Murmansk railway and Mannerheim did promise to join the German army on the River Svir; Finally the Finnish government did stage manage at Voukkineimi on 20 July 1942 a meeting of Karelians who wished to be united with Finland. This is what the British took umbrage too.