the military officers, who had supported the events with the best of intentions for their country, became further alienated by the condemnations from government and that of the prevailing public opinion. hence it can be argued that the split between the state leadership and the leading nobles (civil servants and officers), in particular in finland, was further aggravated due to the "reaction" to the anjala affair, particularly if the government's reaction for exactly that reason was intentionally lenient. this increased the willingness of leading swedes in finland to switch their allegiance from stockholm to saint petersburg, and thus contributed to the subsequent split of sweden in 1808/09.