Finnish Nickel as a Strategic Metal, 1920–19441

Petsamo nickel in Northern Finland became a bargaining chip in the Great Powers' political game before and during the Second World War. ‘Weak states’ such as Finland had room to pursue their own interests both in the cartelized interwar military markets and especially during the Second World War. Despite the common assumption of weakness on the part of smaller countries, Finland was able to maintain considerable control over its natural resources, negotiate credibly with international firms in the nickel markets, as well as exploit the market opportunities that the rearmament and the Second World War brought forth due to its position as a niche player in the nickel game.