[ynotjjr]

The Finns are blockheads but my Dad told me that they were the ONLY country to pay back their loans to our country following the 2nd World War and had his respect.

[Hawthorn]

>> The Finns are blockheads <<

So that’s why they were so successful in fighting the Russians to a standstill during the Winter War?

[Moltke]

The Finns are blockheads but my Dad told me that they were the ONLY country to pay back their loans to our country following the 2nd World War and had his respect.

Finland did not receive any post-WWII (Marshall Plan) loans at all. Indeed, they 'opted out' and instead paid large sums to the USSR as 'reparations'. I did some searching and found that Finland received a US loan after WWI, though, and that that was repaid. I take it that your father referred to that loan.

FWIW, Germany did pay back the Marshall Plan loans. The last payment was made in 1971. (The largest recipients by far, btw, were the UK and France. I'll assume that those were repaid in time as well(?))

The Wikipedia article provides these and further details on the Marshall Plan.

[nkycincinnatikid]

I believe that your dad was refering to WWI debts owed to the USA. Finland and Hungary were the only nations not to simply walk away from them in the 30’s.
france, britain russia, our allies all reputiated them .
In WWII Finland and Hungary were of course fighting against the russians and got no loans

[Viiksitimali]

Youtube

Modern Finland has little need for the kind of national branding campaign seen in the 1930s. Then Finland was known only as the country that paid its debts to the United States