was sweden neutral in ww2

Swedish businessmen and diplomats were also actively spying for the Allies, in Berlin and in the occupied territories. Strängnäs), which led to problems with the supply of food and fuels. The challenges came from a strongly rejuvenated, nationalistic Germany. [55] German telegraph traffic to occupied Oslo went through Swedish-leased cables which the Swedes intercepted. Before the outbreak of hostilities, Sweden had had no plans for defending Norway or any defense strategy against a German invasion from the direction of Norway. Realizing this danger, however, and the consequent possibility of Allied or German occupation and of the war being waged on their territory, both the Swedes and the Norwegians refused to allow this proposal.[19]. Due to its neutrality policy, Sweden did not stop trading with Germany. The neutral powers were countries that remained neutral during World War II. Sweden would not help Finland fight off the Soviet attack, but 8,000 Swedes volunteered for the Finnish army. However, depending on the course of the war, the Swedes sometimes tended to act more pro-German, while at other times they supported the policies of the Allies. On 9 April 1940, Germany launched Operation Weserübung, an operation with the objective of simultaneously occupying Denmark and Norway, and to stage a coup d'état in Norway. Yet how true is this? As a swede, the subject of my country's neutrality is one of the main topics during history class. When the war ended Sweden was considered one of few countries that were able to maintain their neutrality until the end. [21] But it also lessened the immediate risk that Sweden would become a theater of war between the Axis and the Allies. Within the North Sea blockade, trade with Germany increased, until 37% of Sweden's exports were shipped to Germany. Other cities that the Allies hoped to capture were Trondheim and Bergen. Why were Eire, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey neutral in WW2? Sweden had been neutral since the mid-nineteenth century, and wanted to remain neutral during World War II. Wahlbäck, Krister. Many stayed in Sweden after the war. [citation needed], Many Swedish noblemen used their personal connections and wealth to take in and find temporary Swedish homes for children from neighboring countries, mainly Denmark and Finland. Helping Finland meant that they indirectly supported Nazi Germany and its allies. The iron ore provided much needed gold bullion, food and coal from Germany. Employees at Asea, LM Ericsson and the Swedish Match Factory (Svenska Tändsticksfabriken) acted as couriers for the Polish resistance. [57][verification needed], In 1970, film director Johan Bergenstråhle made a documentary, Baltutlämningen (English title: A Baltic Tragedy), about the Latvian soldiers who were given to the Soviets to be sentenced to hard labor in prison camps. With Germany's weakening position came stronger demands from the Allies. From the summer of 1943 onward, the military training of Norwegian troops was carried out in Sweden, in cooperation with the Swedish government and the Norwegian government-in-exile in London. Was Sweden occupied in world war 2 by Germans? The Countries That Remained Neutral In WWII. This proved to be unnecessary, but US planes were allowed to use Swedish military bases during the liberation of Norway, from spring 1944 to 1945, and the Allies were also collaborating with the Swedish Military Intelligence and Security Service. The Swedish government granted this permission. When the war started, Sweden declared that its primary target would be to stay out of the war. Compromise and a parliamentary system were thought to stand in the way of a more equal and just society. However, many historians argue that Sweden was not as neutral as it claimed due to various factors outlined here. This will be investigated by analyzing the Swedish governments choices and decision making, such as during the Midsummer Crisis, Sweden… The neutrality was not mentioned. Not only was the Swedish government buying material to strengthen its defenses, it began drafting conscripts. Sweden succeeded subsequently in buying 200 aircraft from Italy, a fascist ally of Germany at the time; these aircraft were primarily Fiat CR.42 Falcos, Reggiane Re.2000s, and Caproni Ca.313s.[15]. However, the success of the German campaign against France and the occupation of the Low Countries led to a British troop re-deployment and by 8 June 1940, British troops had been evacuated from Norway. [9], The Swedish army had been organized into four divisions since the 1890s, with the regiments of northern Norrland and Gotland standing as separate units. Conquering the small nation would not have been an easy feat. Eire, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey (and no others) neutral in WW2. [4][page needed] It also allowed the Allies to use Swedish airbases between 1944 and 1945. Sweden allowed Allied spies to listen to German radio signals from a station on Öland. Sweden and Finland also jointly laid minefields in the Sea of Åland to deter Soviet submarines from entering the Gulf of Bothnia. However, Finland sued for peace on 12 March, so this plan had to be abandoned as well. These trains ostensibly transported medical personnel and food for the wounded German soldiers in Narvik. It is correct Sweden did not act neutral during ww2, but it is profoundly wrong to claim that swedish children do not learn about it in school. In 1936, the Swedish government started to heighten its military preparedness as the international situation worsened. Sweden maintained its policy of neutrality during World War II. Außerdem konnten im Februar 1945 … Moreover, an agreement from the dissolution of the union between Norway and Sweden in 1905 stated that no fortification was allowed along this border. They pushed for Sweden to abandon its trade with Germany and to stop all German troop movements over Swedish soil. [citation needed], The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II, Winston Churchill, accused Sweden of ignoring the greater moral issues and playing both sides for profit during the conflict,[25][page needed] including its supply of steel and machine parts to Nazi Germany throughout the war. in Wylie, Neville. He is qualified to write on war and allied matters. Why was it safe for Jews to go to Sweden during the ww2? Already at an early stage, it was clear to us that if we simply chose the cannon-equipped tanks, we could have at most 15–20 of them. Prior to the World Wars, Sweden formulated a new foreign policy called The Policy of 1812 which declared the country “non-belligerent.” Consequently, Sweden took a neutral position during the World War II which meant it would support neither the Axis Powers nor the Allied Powers. In 1940, however, the US administration halted these exports. Sweden Was Neutral During WW II but Many Swedes Enlisted in the Waffen SS. A ban on the transport of these newspapers was imposed, since the printing of newspapers was protected in the Swedish constitution. Sweden, and the other Nordic nations declared their neutrality in 1938. I made a thread for the HOI4 Suggestion Forum stating that the actual event known as Midsommarkrisen could trigger Sweden to join the war. During the war, more than 50,000 Norwegians fled to Sweden. [48][49][page needed] Winston Churchill himself said the following about the Swedish ore exports in an internal memo to the cabinet discussing the Norwegian trade route with shipments of Swedish iron ore. The dark parts of our history is … [44][45], Neutrality also allowed Sweden to have physical access to Germany, which was not only useful to Swedish intelligence but to Allied intelligence as well. Thus, its actions were not driven by any selfish motives. [17] These aircraft constituted one third of Sweden's fighter force at the time. When Germany invaded Denmark and Norway in April 1940, coupled with a German blockade of the North Sea, every shipment had to be negotiated with both British and German authorities, which drastically reduced the volume of trade. During World War II, Swedish industry had to supply an increased share of its own domestic goods owing to the British naval blockade of the North Sea, whilst satisfying the vastly increased demand for armaments. During WWI Sweden was neutral with a nod toward Germany. On this particular evening he was on his way back to Berlin after a day of meetings in German-occupied Warsaw. The Norwegian government rejected the German ultimatum regarding immediate capitulation. Sweden maintained its policy of neutrality during World War II. The Swedish Women's Voluntary Defence Organization had already been in existence since 1924. [citation needed] In 1917, the rules of democracy were changed in Sweden, the electorate’s size grew and in 1921, women were also allowed to vote. But by a combination of its geopolitical location in the Scandinavian Peninsula, realpolitik maneuvering during an unpredictable course of events, and a dedicated military build-up after 1942, Sweden kept its official neutrality status throughout the war. Not quite so neutral. Norway - Norway - World War II: With the outbreak of hostilities in 1939, Norway again declared itself neutral. Count Folke Bernadotte, a relative of the Swedish royal family, was able to communicate with the German government and relay information back to Sweden, as did other diplomats. However, many historians argue that Sweden was not as neutral as it claimed due to various factors outlined here. Furthermore, Swedes used their neutrality to intervene and rescue many Jews from annihilation by Nazi Germany. This affected their attitude The first shift in Sweden's stance towards Jews occurred in 1942. Before the outbreak of the war, the Swedish Ministry of Defense (Royal Swedish Air Force Materiel Administration) had ordered some 300 combat aircraft from the United States, primarily Seversky P-35s and P-66 Vanguards. Scandinavian reluctance to allow Allied troops onto their territory had halted the original Allied plan for using aid to Finland as a pretext for moving in troops, but on 12 March 1940, the Allies decided to try a "semi-peaceful" invasion nonetheless. This move had several far-reaching consequences for Sweden. A new cabinet led by the social democrats with Per Albin Hansson as Prime Minister, took control in 1932. Why did the USSR bomb neutral Sweden during WWII? The Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, signed at the end of August 1939 between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, upset this balance. Only about 60 aircraft had been delivered. A policy of cooperation and consensus was pursued, which led to a furthering of the divide between the two socialist factions: the communists and the reformist left. How Many Countries Are Recognized By The United States. https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Neutral_powers_during_World_War_II At the outbreak of hostilities, Sweden had held a neutral stance in international relations for more than a century, since the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1814 and the invasion of Norway.[1]. [citation needed], The Swedish government was concerned that its neutrality might be compromised should the press become too vocal in its opinions. "[24], From late 1942 and into 1943, Germany began to meet with a series of military reverses after its losses at the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Battle of Stalingrad and elsewhere. This is a short one. These refugees were sent to camps at Öreryd in Småland and Kjesäter in Södermanland. All this, as well as the protection of Sweden's own Jewish population, was made possible by Sweden's neutrality. Sweden was neutral in WW2. When Germany invaded both Denmark and Norway on 9 April 1940, the 100,000 Swedish soldiers who had been deployed along the Finnish border in northern Sweden were in the process of being demobilized, owing to the end of the Winter War there. They officially joined the World War on December 8th, … [citation needed], In January 1946, Sweden forcibly transferred to the Soviet Union over 146 Baltic Waffen-SS and 2,364 German soldiers who had been interned in Swedish prison camps. The Swedish government and public also sent food, clothing, medicine, weapons and ammunition to aid the Finns during this conflict. In the early summer of 1940, the Swedish mathematician Arne Beurling succeeded in deciphering and discovering the source codes of the Geheimfernschreiber cypher machine that Germany used, which afforded the Swedes advance knowledge of Germany's military intentions. In conclusion, I think it is safe to state that Sweden was only in name, a neutral country during the course of the Second World War. Vissa tryck- och yttrandefrihetsrättsliga frågor: internationellt rättsligt bistånd, brottskatalogen, målhandläggningsfrågor m.m. Operation Wilfred was to take place on 5 April (it was in fact delayed until 8 April) when Norwegian territorial waters were to be mined, violating Norwegian neutrality. As WWII stories go, Atlantic Crossing’s focus is more political and ideological than emotional.Norway has declared itself neutral in the war, mainly because it didn’t have the … [33] The ground controller appeared to have no trouble manoeuvring the rocket until it disappeared into the high cloud layer. Long before World War II, Sweden was part of a trade circle which also included Germany and the United Kingdom. From 1919 until 1935, Sweden had been an active supporter of the League of Nations and most of Sweden's political energy in the international arena had been directed towards the League's preservation. In his book Blodsporet ("The Blood Track"), Espen Eidum detailed how, at the request of Adolf Hitler, Nazi Germany sent three trains with 30 to 40 sealed carriages through Sweden to the battle of Narvik. Their number was small compared to occupied countries, in which officials encouraged enlisting for the Eastern Front (Norway 6,000; Denmark 6,000; France 11,000; Netherlands 20,000[51][page needed]). When war broke out in 1939, Sweden remained neutral. Whether Sweden was neutral or not during World War II is debatable. The Swedish Government Information Board determined what military information could be released and what information should remain secret. Sweden's trade with Britain was cut by a total of 70%. While arming itself, Sweden felt that it was necessary to articulate and enforce its policy of neutrality. To prevent protests from Nazi Germany, this training was ostensibly for the Norwegian police. Troops were to be landed in Norway, and proceed into Sweden to capture the Swedish iron ore mines. At the other end of the political spectrum, following the Russian Civil War the Russian Empire had become the Soviet Union and many Swedish communists were cooperating with this new Soviet regime, seeking to realize a world revolution. When the Germans began their campaign of persecution against the Jews of Norway, the Swedish government accepted 900 Jewish refugees, slightly more than half of Norway's Jewish population. But even these reforms were seen as far too radical by some conservatives. Sweden's Prince Gustav Adolf, Germany's Herman Goering, and King Gustav V of Sweden in Berlin, 1939. During the German invasion of the Soviet Union, Sweden allowed the Wehrmacht to use Swedish railways to transport (June–July 1941) the German 163rd Infantry Division along with heavy weapons from Norway to Finland. It did aide both sides, however, which is perhaps what has led to the debate surrounding the reality of its neutrality. In the peace that followed the Finnish War in 1809, all of Finland had been ceded to Russia and Sweden reduced to two thirds of its former size. Such action by the Swedish government cast aspersions to the country’s neutrality policy. "Sweden: Secrecy and Neutrality", This page was last edited on 24 April 2021, at 18:50. When the war began on September 1, 1939, the fate of Sweden was unclear. From May 1940, a large part of the Swedish merchant navy that found itself outside the Baltic, totalling about 8,000 seamen, was leased to Britain. In the 1936 "Defence resolution" (Försvarsbeslut; a Swedish governmental decision made about every five years, concerning the military's organization and development), it was decided to form two tank battalions. In 1940, the Home Guard was created. This situation led to extensive rationing of fuels and food in Sweden and substitutes were developed and produced. Toward the end of the war Swedish intelligence cooperated with US air transport in relief efforts directed toward areas liberated by the Red Army. In the 1920s and 1930s, confrontations between employers and employees in Sweden continued. When the Soviet Union attacked Finland in November 1939, many Swedes favored some sort of involvement in the conflict, both on a humanitarian and on a military basis. The iron ore was transported by sea from the Norwegian town of Narvik and from Luleå in northern Sweden. It must be understood that an adequate supply of Swedish iron ore is vital to Germany…the effectual stoppage of the Norwegian ore supplies to Germany ranks as a major offensive operation of the war. Arne Ruth argues that “Sweden was not neutral, Sweden was weak,” and Winston Churchill believed that Sweden “ignored the greater moral issues of … [36] The rocket subsequently exploded in an air burst (a common V-2 malfunction)[28] about 1500 metres above the county of Bäckebo mainly over a farm with no injuries,[37][38][39] and the valuable wreckage was exchanged with Britain by the Swedes for Supermarine Spitfires. The trains also transported heavy artillery, anti-aircraft guns, ammunition, and communications and supply equipment. Sweden had very few tanks in the inter-war era. [58], Franco-British support was offered on the condition it was given free passage through neutral Norway and Sweden instead of taking the road from the Soviet-occupied, Portugal offered to honor its treaty with Britain but was declined, Some Spanish troops fought in Russia but as the volunteer, Internment camps in Sweden during World War II, Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten, Swedish Women's Voluntary Defence Organization, Swedish overseas trade during World War II, Royal Swedish Air Force Materiel Administration, Franco-British plans for intervention in the Winter War, dissolution of the union between Norway and Sweden in 1905, Norwegian police troops in Sweden during World War II, Swedish Military Intelligence and Security Service, Military equipment of Sweden during World War II, http://www.historyisnowmagazine.com/blog/2017/12/18/was-sweden-really-neutral-in-world-war-two#.YER_L51Kg2w=, F 19, the Swedish unit in Finland during the Winter War, Sweden’s role in Nazi defeat of Norway is laid bare, https://www.yadvashem.org/odot.../Microsoft%20Word%20-%206061.pdf, Sverige. Historically, Sweden ruled over Finland until the end of the Finnish War in 1809 when the country became semi-independent and under the leadership of a Russian. [12][13], Sweden was not directly attacked during World War II. On the outbreak of the Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union in November 1939, Sweden declared itself to be "non-belligerent" in regard to this particular conflict, actively siding with Finland. As soon as the Germans reacted, under "Plan R 4", 18,000 Allied troops were to land in Narvik, closing the rail link to Sweden. In Sweden, the political deliberations surrounding this are known as the "Midsummer Crisis"; however, according to research by Carl-Gustaf Scott there never was a "crisis", he argues that "the crisis was created in historical hindsight in order to protect the political legacy of the Social Democratic Party and its leader Per Albin Hansson. There is no place in the thoughts of our people for aggression against any other country, and we note with gratitude, the assurances from others that they have no wish to disturb our peace, our freedom, or our independence. 135,402 rifles, 347 machine guns, 450 light machine guns with 50,013,300 rounds of small arms ammunition; Levine Paul A. This would force the ships carrying ore to Germany to travel outside the protection of Norwegian territorial waters and thus become legitimate targets for the Royal Navy. [citation needed], The Swedish public's sentiments were widely published in the Swedish press, causing many protests from the German government and prompting the Swedish government to censor some areas of the press on a limited basis. The Social Democrats were in the main equally concerned. declared their neutrality. However, in reality there were 17 soldiers for every medical officer or orderly. The distance between these two, at least at the ideological level, became so great that the communists often referred to the social democrats as "the social fascists". Switzerland managed to stay neutral throughout two World Wars, but only by an ironic mixture of military strength and a good portion of luck. Per Albin Hansson’s statement shortly before World War II began: Friendly with all other nations and strongly linked to our neighbors, we look on no one as our enemy. This was a choice made by individual Swedish citizens, contrary to Swedish government policy. The United States is a special example of a country that remained neutral until midway through the war. At the beginning of the war, agreements had been signed between Sweden and the United Kingdom and Nazi Germany in order to sustain vital trade; but in spite of this, and the fact that Sweden had declared itself a neutral country, Swedish shipping came under attack. At least seven of the internees committed suicide at their camp in the village of Rinkaby, rather than allowing themselves to be sent by Sweden to near certain death in the Soviet Union. [26][27][page needed], On 13 June 1944, a V-2 rocket under test by the Germans (test rocket V-89,[28] serial number 4089[29]) from Peenemünde crashed in Sweden after the rocket had flown into cumulus clouds which had strayed into the controller's line of sight. Sweden Scandinavian country. [25][page needed]. "Britain and Northern Europe 1940–1945". In spite of this, Sweden remained a pillar in its affairs and supported them from time to time depending on their need. During the invasion of Scandinavia, Sweden kept neutral, but because much of their income was generated by exporting iron, they continued to sell it to Nazi Germany. Taking advantage of the Soviet attack on Finland in November 1939, the Allies asked Sweden and Norway for permission to send expeditionary forces to “help” Finland. When, in September 1939, Germany attacked Poland and both France and Britain declared war on Nazi Germany, Sweden declared itself a neutral country in regard to this escalating situation. Sweden was not neutral during the major part of WW2. 8,000 men took part in this latter exercise. Unfortunately, the two governments did not grant their request. The Norwegian Army, which received help from an Allied expeditionary force, was unable … Sir Ralph Glyn, a British Member of Parliament, claimed that a cessation of Swedish iron ore exports would bring the war to an end within months. The traffic was encrypted with Germany's Geheimschreiber device, but the cypher code was broken by Swedish mathematics professor Arne Beurling[22] in early summer 1940 and the results from this espionage were sent to the Allies through the Polish resistance movement. Though Switzerland, Sweden, Portugal, Spain, and the Vatican claimed to be neutral during World War II, in reality they were self-interested non combatant. Proponents argue that during the war, Sweden softened its policy against accepting refugees, admitting thousands of Jews and political dissenters from Norway and Denmark. They entered Norway on 8 May 1945. No other measure is open to us for many months to come which gives so good a chance of abridging the waste and destruction of the conflict, or of perhaps preventing the vast slaughters which will attend the grapple of the main armies. In the same year, a secret right-wing militia, the Munckska kåren, was exposed. This was called "The Organization" and was barely different from a full mobilization when completed. It also made an exception for the Finnish army. During World War II itself, military spending peaked at $527.6 million in 1942. [56] A radio beacon was also established in Malmö for the British military to guide bombing of Germany. The first air raid. A senior air warrior, graduate from the Staff College and a PG in military studies. Thus, Sweden remained neutral only because she was never invaded. Consequently, Sweden took a neutral position during the World War II which meant it would support neither the Axis Powers nor the Allied Powers. Sweden's long-standing policy of neutrality was tested on many occasions during the 1930s. There were indications that the bans imposed on the communist newspapers had served their political purposes by impressing the Germans, whilst at the same time not really restricting the work of the media.[46][47]. However, Swedish consignments were attacked at sea leading to a decrease in trade with Britain by 70%. The Swiss did not … A few days later, they also intercepted messages confirming that the Allies had abandoned their plan and were to redeploy their forces. It was supposed to crash in the sea outside Bornholm in occupied Denmark. Spain. Despite several pleas from the Finnish government, the Swedish government declined to engage militarily with the Red Army as it advanced during the Winter War. Some of these countries did end up helping the Allies by sending help through voluntary brigades. Yes the actual aiding of Germany military transport and Steel etc was a shame, but I wouldn't call it an idictment of the country as a whole. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions © 2021 worldatlas.com. Prior to 1943, Sweden's policy of neutrality had been largely under the close scrutiny of Germany. In addition to this, the Swedish Cabinet ordered that one quarter of those conscripted in 1938 should be retained for further training. [citation needed] Additionally, from 1943 onward, Norwegian and Danish soldiers (Den danske Brigade) were trained at Swedish military bases. In this way, an unsuspecting Norway and Sweden would be presented with a fait accompli. "[citation needed], During World War II, six newspapers were de facto banned from distribution: Ture Nerman's Trots Allt!, the Nazi publication Sverige Fritt and Ny Dag, Arbetar-Tidningen, Norrskensflamman and Sydsvenska Kuriren (the last four were organs of the Communist Party of Sweden). The neutral position taken by Sweden during World War II enabled it to provide a safe haven for many victims of the Holocaust carried out by Nazi Germany. At the outbreak of war in September 1939, twenty European nations were neutral. [6] By 1917, Sweden’s need for a new political system was apparent from these riots. Subsequently, Swedish exports to Germany increased to 37%. [40], On 31 July 1944, experts at the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough in Hampshire, England, began an attempt to reconstruct the missile. [22] Although the British Plan R 4 had not been able to be carried out, Allied troops were swiftly sent to Norway and were able to fight alongside the Norwegians unsuccessfully against the German invaders. When the German battleship Bismarck embarked on her voyage to attack the Atlantic convoys, Swedish intelligence informed the British of her departure from port. Perhaps the most important aspect of Sweden's concessions to Germany during the Second World War was the extensive export of iron ore for use in the German weapons industry, reaching ten million tons per year. Since the Allies believed that Sweden’s trade ties with Germany supported World War II, Sweden was not seen as neutral. However, Sweden re-organized its system of mobilization to allow for personal order by letter to be made possible as an alternative to official proclamation, so that 320,000 men were able to be raised in a few weeks. 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