Sweden during World War II

The policy of the Swedish Government from 1939 to the end of World War II, was to remain neutral and stay out of the war. The Swedish policy of neutrality had been a successful one for more than a century, since the end of the Napoleonic Wars.

When World War II broke out in September 1939, the fate of Sweden was unclear. Sweden was able to stay apart from the European conflict due to its geographical location. Its policy of strict neutrality enabled the country to separate itself from the continental politics that helped create the war. The fact that only five nations were capable of sustaining a policy of neutrality throughout the entire war, as compared to the twenty nations that declared such a policy in September 1939, demonstrated the extremely delicate balance that neutral countries were forced to maintain duiring World War II. For Sweden, a long legacy of neutrality in international diplomacy, a strong military buildup, and the fate of events far beyond Swedish borders, all served as factors in Sweden's long road to success in its policy of neutrality.

Anglo-German Naval Agreement

Main article: Anglo-German Naval Agreement

Sweden's long-standing policy of neutrality was severely tested on numerous occasions during the 1930s. the challenge came from a strongly rejuvenated nationalistic Germany. From 1919 until 1935, Sweden had been a strong supporter of the League of Nations. Most of Sweden's energy on the international stage had been directed towards preservation of the League. However, the Anglo-German Naval Agreement (AGNA) of 1935 seriously challenged both Sweden's independence and its long-standing policy of peaceful neutrality. Signed on June 18 1935, the agreement was a great shock to many Swedes, the AGNA allowed Germany to increase the size of its navy to one-third the size of the Royal Navy, despite the provisions agreed on in the Treaty of Versailles. At the same time, Britain agreed to withdraw its navy from the Baltic Sea, making Germany the dominant power in the Baltic. This was a potential threat to Sweden and the other Baltic countries.

Pre-War Militarization

On a regular basis, beginning in 1936, the Swedish government requested increases in its defense budget to strengthen its military preparedness as the international situation continued to worsen from 1936 onwards. The actual military budget from 1936 to 1939 increased many times over. In 1936, military spending was $37,000,000; 1937, $50,000,000; 1938, $58,575,000; and in 1939 it was at $322,325,000. After the war began, military spending peaked in 1942 at $527,575,000 in one year alone. With the increased demand of an expanded military, Swedish industry was required to not only supply the increased demand of domestic products, exacerbated by the German blockade of the North Sea, it also had to meet an increased demand in military armaments for the Swedish government. Before the war, production of armaments did not exceed more than tens of millions of Swedish kronor, but during the war, production exceeded the cost of one billion Swedish kronor ($240,000,000).

Not only was the Swedish government providing money in order to further strengthen its military defenses, the government began calling up conscripts who previously were no longer in training. On May 6, 1938, the Swedish government called up the entire conscript class of 1923, then at the age of 35, for short periods of training. In addition to this, the Swedish Cabinet ordered that one quarter of the 1938 military class be retained for further training.

In addition to the expansion of military personnel, Sweden had Home Guard Units. Members of these small units usually consisted of former professional military men who were equipped with rifles, machine guns, ammunition, medicine, special clothing (uniforms), and had the option of buying additional materials such as skis, sweaters and marching boots. An additional group, called the Lotta corps, helped with additional tasks that the Home Guard was unable to perform themselves.

By arming itself, the government felt that it was necessary to articulate and enforce its policy of neutrality. The Prime Minister Per Albin Hansson stated shortly before the Second World War began, "Friendly with all other nations and strongly linked to our neighbors, we look on no one as our enemy. There is no place in the thoughts of our people for aggression against any other country, and we note with gratitude assurances from others that they have no wish to disturb our peace, our freedom, or our independence. The strengthening of our defense preparations serves merely to underline our fixed determination to keep our country outside the conflicts among others and, during such conflicts, to safeguard the existence of our people." Other members of the Swedish government expressed the same sentiment.

Georg Homin, a captain on the General Staff stated that, "without a defensive force we cannot follow any policy of our own, our declarations become merely empty words, and we leave the country's fate to chance or to the decision of others. With a defense as strong as Swedish conditions allow we secure for ourselves the basis of a continued independent Swedish policy."

Defense of Finland

Main article: Sweden and the Winter War

When war broke out in September of 1939, the Swedish government adhered to its policy of strict neutrality, attempting to stay out of any conflict on the European continent. However, it was very clear that the Swedish public and some members of the government itself felt very strongly that it was wise to abandon its prudent policy of strict neutrality and instead take bolder steps to help those nations in trouble, particularly Finland. Sweden, it was felt, had to fulfill a moral obligation.

Franco-British support was offered on the condition it was given free passage through neutral Norway and Sweden instead of taking the road from Petsamo. The reason was a wish to occupy the iron ore districts in Kiruna and Malmberget.
(Borders as of 1920–1940.)

Sweden's interest in Finland lay in the fact that Sweden ruled Finland for several hundred years, only to lose control of the country in 1809. When the Soviet Union attacked Finland in 1939, an overwhelming number of Swedes favored some sort of involvement in the conflict, both on a humanitarian and a military basis. Despite the government's policy of strict neutrality, as many as 20,000 Swedes voluntarily went to Finland to help the Finns defend their homeland against the advancing Soviet army during the Winter War. The Swedish government did send food, clothing, medicine and a very small amount of weapons to aid the Finns at the beginning of the war, but held back on any official military involvement.

Press Freedom and Public Perceptions

The public's sentiments were widely published in the Swedish press, causing a large amount of protest from the German government and prompting the Swedish government to censor areas of the press on a limited basis. In Sweden, the press fell under the control of several councils, despite the claim that "the Swedish press was free." The Swedish Government War Information Board regulated what military information was released and what information remained secret. The Swedish Press Council served as a "promotion of good relations between the press and the public authorities and to serve as an instrument of self-discipline for the press." The Press Council issued warnings, public or confidential, to those who abused the freedom of the press.

To say that Sweden had a truly free press was somewhat of a false statement. Sweden was concerned that its neutral policy might run the risk of being unbalanced should the Swedish press be too vocal in its opinions. Both the Press Council and the Information Board issued comments such as "As far as the material received permits, attempts should be made not to give prominence to the reports of one side at the expense of the other", or "headlines, whether on the billboards or in the newspapers, should be worded in such a way as to avoid favoring one side or the other", and finally, "Editorials and surveys as well as articles discussing military events or the military situation, should be strictly objective...".

Foreign Trade

Main article: Swedish iron ore during World War II

A vital factor in Sweden's relations with the great powers, particularly those with Germany and Britain, was that of trade. Prior to the war, Sweden had important trade routes with both Germany and Britain and the outbreak of war in September 1939, obviously threatened those trade routes. If Sweden had showed any preference to either side in the war, such leanings would have threatened its policy of neutrality and possibly its independence as well. Maintaining such trade routes was not only important in a political sense, but also an economic one as well. In 1938 for example, 24 percent of Sweden's total exports went to Britain, with another 18 percent of its exports going to Germany that same year. When the Second World War began, trade between both countries was greatly affected.

At the beginning of the war, agreements were signed between Sweden and the two great powers in order to sustain these vital trade routes. However, when Germany invaded Denmark and Norway in April 1940, coupled with a German blockade of the North Sea, Sweden's trade with the west was cut by a total of 70 percent. Trade with Germany, within the blockade, increased, with 37 percent of Sweden's exports going to Germany.

Potential Allied Invasion

See also: Allied campaign in Norway

There was much speculation as to whether the Allies would consider an invasion of the European continent by way of Scandinavia and not through Normandy. Hitler was very much concerned with such a prospect and was almost convinced that the Allies would enter Europe by way of Norway. Hitler's letter to King Gustav V of Sweden, dated April 24, 1940, said, "I have no doubt that our action (the invasion of Norway and Denmark), which in the last moment forestalled the execution of the Allied plan and which under all circumstances will stop France and England from getting a foothold in Scandinavia, will have consequences which will be a blessing to the Scandinavian peoples." Had such an Allied invasion of Norway occurred, in order to gain a foothold in Scandinavia and into the European continent itself, Sweden would have undoubtedly been affected. Sweden was considered to be situated in a prime location for air bases for Allied planes to make bombing runs into the German heartland. Even towards the end of the war, when German capitulation seemed imminent, the Allies considered an invasion of Sweden, due in large part to Sweden's strategic location in relation to Germany.

After 1943

From 1943 onward, when Germany began to meet with a greater amount of misfortune after its losses at Stalingrad and elsewhere. Germany was forced into a more defensive position, while Allied forces met with greater success on the battlefield, such as in North Africa. Such a position allowed Sweden to be more decisive in its own policies and actions. Prior to 1943, Sweden's policy of neutrality was largely under the influence of German politics and the course of events that involved Germany, and it has been said that of the neutral nations in Europe during the war, only Switzerland and Portugal were completely neutral at that time. Following August and September 1943, Sweden was able to resist German demands and soften its stance to Allied pressure. However, despite Germany's defensive posture, Sweden was in constant fear that "the whole course of events suggested that the unexpected might happen," an attitude that was sustained until the very end of the war. With Germany's weakening position came stronger demands from the Allies. The Allies pushed for Sweden to abandon its trade with Germany, and to stop all German troop transit over Swedish soil. Sweden initially turned down such requests, but over time gradually gave in to the demands.