1946-1950

Endeavours of reorganization after the war

In May 1945 the Council of State established the National Defence Review Committee to create a new defence policy doctrine, to plan a reorganization of the military forces and to examine the need of maintaining the National Defence Council and the National Defence Council for Wartime Economy.

The National Defence Council was considered important

The Committee took the view that the establishment of a National Defence Council was important. The Committee had only few and superficial discussions about preparations for a defence economy. There was dissatisfaction with the work of the National Defence Council for Wartime Economy and with certain arrangements during the war. The Committee proposed to merge the tasks of the previous National Defence Council and the Defence Council for Wartime Economy and to establish a new National Defence Council.

Nevertheless, the reform could not be implemented

The Commander in Chief of the armed forces, infantry General Aarne Sihvo, supported the proposals of the National Defence Review Committee. He proposed to appoint experts representing the business sector and industry as members of the National Defence Council. On this basis the Ministry of Defence made a draft Decree on the National Defence Council in 1950, but the draft was not dealt with by the Council of State.