Yrjö Keinonen

Yrjö Ilmari Keinonen (31 August 1912, in Ruskeala – 29 October 1977, in Nurmijärvi) was a Finnish General of the Infantry and Knight of the Mannerheim Cross.

When he was selected for the position, his formal qualifications were excellent, and he was unambiguously supported by President Kekkonen.

A contemporary, Lieutenant Colonel Tiilikainen, devotes an entire chapter to the reasons why he resigned in his book about the Cold War in Finland.

Officially, the explanation was neglect of duties, working only an estimated 90 days annually.

Namely, Tiilikainen speculates that due to the Finno-Soviet Treaty of 1948, Keinonen believed that a Soviet occupation was eventually inevitable.