This thesis examines Finnish soldiers’ experiences on the battlefield during the Winter War (1939-1940) and the Continuation War (1941-1944) through analyzing 245 war letters written by seven individuals who fought in the conflicts. A thematic data analysis approach is employed as a method to explore the narratives within these letters. The main themes expressed in the letters are identified and analyzed using the analytical framework of ”imitation of life” as presented by Povrzanović Frykman (2008) and Maček (2009), which serves as a guiding lens through which the soldiers’ representations of war are interpreted, focusing on their efforts to maintain a sense of normalcy and continuity amidst the disruptions of war. Additionally, the construction of enemy images and gender dynamics in the correspondence are analyzed. The Finnish soldiers’ letters depict a stark contrast between the brutality of war and their attempts to preserve elements of civilian life through acts of imitation, such as focusing on certain aspects of life like food and nature. Delving into the subjective experiences and emotional narratives as presented in the war letters, this thesis provides a nuanced understanding of human dimensions in wartime existence. The study contributes to the growing body of literature on soldiers’ wartime experiences and war letters, and offers insights into the complexities of war and the enduring legacies of conflict on individual and collective memory.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:mau-68993 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Korkiakoski, Veera |
| Publisher | Malmö universitet, Institutionen för globala politiska studier (GPS) |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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