The Japanese Arisaka and the Finnish Civil War.After the overthrow of Czar Nicholas II of Russia, th
The Japanese Arisaka and the Finnish Civil War.After the overthrow of Czar Nicholas II of Russia, the Grand Duchy of Finland, a once autonomous territory within Russia, became a newly independent nation. However the state had some political disputes to work out, particularly between the socialist leaning Democratic party and the Conservatives. On the 27th of January, 1918 the new nation broke out into civil war.Since Finland was a new country without an established military, both Socialist forces (Red Guards) and Nationalist forces had a motley collection of firearms including American Winchesters, Russian Mosin Nagants, German Mausers, and most strangely Japanese Arisakas. Yes, you heard that right, Japanese Arisakas in Finland. After fighting the Russo-Japanese War with Japan in 1905, the Russian Empire had managed to captured a number of Japanese Type 30 bolt action rifles and carbines along with ammunition. With nothing to use the rifles for, the Russians simply stored them in arsenal as military surplus. With the outbreak of World War I many of these rifles were refurbished and issued to Russian soldiers. Thousands more Type 38 rifles were sold to Russia during WWI as both Japan and Russia were Allies. In particular many were issued to units stationed in and around Finland, which would later be captured and used by the Fins. Furthermore, after Russia fell to the Bolsheviks, a number of Arisaka rifles were donated to Socialist forces. Altogether between 34,000 and 36,000 Japanese rifles and carbines were used in the Finnish Civil War. -- source link
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