ites ▁in ▁the ▁Finn ish ▁Civil ▁War , ▁Reg ent ▁of ▁Finland ▁( 1 9 1 8 – 1 9 1 9 ), ▁commander - in - ch ief ▁of ▁Finland ' s ▁defence ▁forces ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁Marsh al ▁of ▁Finland , ▁and ▁the ▁sixth ▁president ▁of ▁Finland ▁( 1 9 4 4 – 1 9 4 6 ). ▁ ▁M anner heim ▁made ▁a ▁career ▁in ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Russian ▁Army , ▁rising ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁lieutenant ▁general . ▁He ▁also ▁had ▁a ▁prominent ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁cer emon ies ▁for ▁Ts ar ▁Nicholas ▁II ' s ▁coron ation ▁and ▁later ▁had ▁several ▁private ▁meet ings ▁with ▁the ▁Ts ar . ▁After ▁the ▁B ols he vik ▁revolution , ▁Finland ▁declared ▁its ▁independence ▁but ▁was ▁soon ▁em bro iled ▁in ▁civil ▁war ▁between ▁the ▁pro - B ols he vik ▁" R eds " ▁and ▁the ▁" Wh ites ", ▁who ▁were ▁the ▁troops ▁of ▁the ▁Senate ▁of ▁Finland , ▁supported ▁by ▁troops ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁Empire . ▁M anner heim ▁was ▁appointed ▁the ▁military ▁chief ▁of ▁the ▁Wh ites . ▁Tw enty ▁years ▁later , ▁when ▁Finland ▁was ▁twice ▁at ▁war ▁with ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁from ▁November ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁until ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁M anner heim ▁successfully ▁led ▁the ▁defence ▁of ▁Finland ▁as ▁commander - in - ch ief ▁of ▁the ▁country ' s ▁armed ▁forces . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁when ▁the ▁prospect ▁of ▁Germany ' s