[3] Based in Germany during the First World War he enrolled in the German Army as an officer in 1916, serving until the armistice.

[3] He would later claim that the war had been the death of old Europe and argued that one of its main positives was that it had "rescued our nation from the deadly, slimy embrace of a lothsome cuttlefish" in reference to Russia.

[5] He became involved in politics in 1926 when he started editing the right wing journal Valkoinen Vartio and then founded the fiercely anti-communist Finnish Defence League.

[6] Recalled to active service for the Winter War, Somersalo acted as Chief of Staff for the frontline in Suomussalmi and was awarded the Order of the Cross of Liberty for his actions.

[2][5] During the Continuation War, he acted as a liaison officer for the German SS division Nord in Finnish Lapland.