The Junior Lotta, who brought us into NATO

She really had awaited that moment – joining the Junior Lotta’s! She had followed what the grown-up Lotta’s had been doing at home in Mäntsälä, she had been picking cones and dandelion roots, learned how to apply bandages and other primary knowledge. And order above all.
In 1943 she finally turned eight, and the day for that grey suit had come. She would become a real Junior Lotta!
Just one year later, in November 1944, the Soviet Union`s supporting friends in Finland had realized how dangerous fascists the Lotta’s were, and consequently banned such organizations.
In fact, Elisabeth Rehn later on led us on our path to NATO. During her mission as Minister of Defense Finland ordered its first Hornet fighters.