Gustav Mannerheim
Baron Carl Gustav Emil Mannerheim: Finland's closest counterpart to George Washington.
He was born in the Autonomous Principality of Finland when Finland was a dependency of Imperial Russia to an old family of Swedish ancestry. Entering Military School he narrowly avoided having his career ended by an adolescent prank but his family saved him and he entered the service of the Czar. He served in the Russo-Japanese War and in World War I as well as going on an espionage mission,uh, "scientific expedition" in the wilder parts of Central Asia, where he engaged in many exploits including personally meeting the Dalai Lama. During World War I he was a general in the Czarist army, ironically on the opposite side from several who would later be his most trusted officers. After the Bolshevik Revolution he took a train back to Finland which was taking it's chance to declare independence. This brought about the short Finnish Civil War between the Red Finns and the White Finns(Bolshevics and anti-Bolshevics just as in Russia). Mannerheim was given command of the White army and was able to bring about a quick White victory. Unfortunately this achievement was clouded by atrocities against Red prisoners for which Mannerheim was blamed by many.
Between the wars Mannerheim devoted himself to philanthropy. He was personally conservative, in fact a monarchist, but took little part in internal factionalism, except to advocate greater preparedness for the coming war. When Germany invaded Poland beginning World War II, the Soviet Union took the opportunity to pick up the tidbits in Eastern Europe. Unfortunately one of those tidbits happened to be Finland. Unfortunately for the Soviet Union that is.
During the Winter War (WWII Finland vs Russia), Continuation War (WWII Finland+Germany vs Russia), and Lapland war (WWII Finland vs Germany) he took command of Finnish forces. He was an unspectacular but sound commander depending on the arctic bred hardihood of his men and the difficult terrain of Finland to make up for Finland's lack of equipment. He also showed considerable political savvy, an example of which was his decision during the Continuation War to halt Finnish advance at the borders of territory lost in the Winter War, despite the possible chance of capturing Leningrad. Decisions like this helped keep the German "allies" at arms length and allowed Finland to make a separate peace without fatal damage. Toward the end of the war and after he was elected president and helped guide Finland through the recovery. He retired to Switzerland and died in 1951.
- Adventurer Archaeologist: In Central Asia. Yeah, right.
- Blue Blood: Almost a archetype; he acted like a stand in for Captain Von Trapp or Aral Vorkosigan.
- Cavalry Officer: Just when cavalry was dying out.
- Death Glare: Even Adolf Hitler was afraid of his Death Glare.
- Finn With Fearsome Forests
- Four-Star Badass: In both world wars.
- The Good Chancellor
- Great White Hunter: Of Tigers, Chamois, Russians, and other dangerous creatures.
- Stiff Upper Lip: When the Russian revolution came, other officers disguised themselves. He put on a gorgeous uniform full of gold lace and Bling of War, and hired a relay of valets to come with him on the train back to Finland because no mere revolution is going to make him carry his own luggage.
- The Stoic
- The Spock
- Trademark Favorite Food: He liked a cocktail made of Finnish schnapps with French vermouth and gin added.
- Your Approval Fills Me with Shame: When he was visited by Adolf Hitler on his birthday.
- World War II