"The Swedish Question" Topic
8 Posts
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Tango01 | 27 Mar 2021 10:04 p.m. PST |
"Sweden's role in World War II has evoked little interest outside of that country. Although we now know this nation would never enter the war, Hitler and Dönitz could not count on this. For Hitler Sweden represented a valuable source of raw materials and manufactured goods, as well as a possible threat to Germany's position in Norway. To Dönitz this politically unreliable nation's location potentially endangered the navy's U-boat training areas in the Baltic. Particularly in the final stage of the war, both Hitler and Dönitz endeavored to ensure at all costs that Sweden remained neutral. On several occasions Hitler claimed a political motive for retaining a foothold in the Baltic States. He feared that withdrawing from Estonia, and later from Courland, would adversely affect Sweden's attitude. Hitler believed that the presence of German troops in the Baltic States deterred Sweden from cutting off ore imports. On 5 September 1944, when Army Group North wished to evacuate Estonia in the wake of Finland's surrender, Hitler insisted that holding the current positions in that sector was politically important as a way of exerting influence on Sweden. Two days later Natzmer phoned OKH to check on the army group's request to retreat; Berlin replied that Guderian had attempted to convince Hitler to give up the Baltic States but that Hitler had again brought up his concern for Sweden. In the winter and spring of 1945 Hitler returned to this theme, at times responding to Guderian's demands to evacuate Courland by insisting that only the presence of the Courland armies prevented Sweden from declaring war on Germany. To understand why Hitler feared Swedish belligerence and whether the Swedes had given him cause for suspicion, a brief review of Sweden's policy since 1939 is necessary. Upon the outbreak of war Sweden declared its neutrality and continued to trade with both Britain and Germany. Sweden experienced few problems until the end of November 1939, when the Soviet Union attacked Finland. Sweden found itself in a precarious situation during the Winter War, as it had long maintained very close ties to Finland and traditionally feared Russia. The Swedish government was willing to assist the Finns in almost any way possible, short of war. Sweden provided Finland with substantial aid and sent large quantities of arms and ammunition, seriously depleting its own stocks. The Winter War also brought difficulty on the diplomatic front. Determined to prevent Swedish belligerency, Germany sent several thinly veiled threats demanding that Sweden remain neutral. Hitler feared that Sweden's entry into the war would jeopardize the delivery of iron ore and that if Russia attacked Sweden, it would be difficult for the Swedes to refuse Allied offers to intervene in Scandinavia. The Germans warned the Swedish government that they would take swift action if Allied troops entered the country. Hitler's anxiety in this matter was justified, because the British and French made repeated requests that Allied troops be allowed to pass through Sweden to aid Finland; Sweden refused them. The end of the Winter War in March 1940 did not lessen the danger to Sweden, for on 9 April Hitler invaded Norway and Denmark. Although a Swedish military attaché had alerted Defense Minister Per Edvin Sköld, this warning went unheeded.3 Sweden's military position at this time was even worse than in autumn 1939. Southern Sweden was virtually defenseless, because the Swedes had concentrated their army in the north during the Winter War, and the delivery of arms and ammunition to Finland had deprived Sweden of a significant proportion of the supplies needed for its own defense…" Main page link Part II link
Armand |
deadhead | 28 Mar 2021 3:49 a.m. PST |
Well four hours isn't up yet. The Neutrality or otherwise of many countries is fascinating however. Spain, Turkey, Switzerland all had their contingency plans for invasion and they make for great "what ifs". I wonder if I could make a 28mm model of my Dad aged 17, with a shotgun, in the Irish Free State version of the Home Guard? |
FusilierDan | 28 Mar 2021 4:27 a.m. PST |
Interesting article. Neutrality is a fine line. |
whitphoto | 28 Mar 2021 8:48 a.m. PST |
We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. |
Blutarski | 28 Mar 2021 2:08 p.m. PST |
I can recommend a good book here - "The Naval War in the Baltic, 1939-1945", by Poul Grooss. Don't be misled by the title; Grooss covers the progress of German-Swedish relations (both economic and political) in considerable detail. Grooss is no hack – 40 years in the Danish Navy, serving both as a ship commander and later in Danish navsl intelligence. Now retired, he teaches naval history at the Royal Danish Naval Academy and is chairman of the Naval History Society of the Royal Danish Naval Museum. Also, a superb job was done with the translation of the text from Danish to English. link B |
deadhead | 28 Mar 2021 2:56 p.m. PST |
I am so glad this beat the four hour rule, as it did lead to some useful discussion. So come Monday morning you might still read of Sweden in WWII. But if you have no idea about the four hour rule… Oh forget it |
Blutarski | 28 Mar 2021 3:07 p.m. PST |
deaqdhead, I don't even recognize a four year rule. :-) B |
Tango01 | 28 Mar 2021 4:00 p.m. PST |
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