Sweden
became a dominant power in the Baltic in the 17th century. Its influence
in the region declined with the rise of Russia
in the 19th century.
In 1810
the Swedish Riksdag (Parliament) elected the French soldier, Jean
Baptiste Jules Bernadotte, to succeed the senile, childless Charles
XIII. He reigned as Charles XIV between 1818 and 1844 and his descendants
have held the Swedish crown ever since.
Sweden
has remained at peace since 1814 basing her foreign policy on principles
of neutrality. This included both the First World
War and the Second World War.
In 1940
Sweden provided voluntary aid to Finland
but managed to avoid direct involvement in the war with the Soviet
Union.
When German
Army invaded
Denmark and Norway
in 1940 Sweden was criticized for continuing to trade with Nazi
Germany. The Transit Agreement, signed in July 1940, allowed the
use of Swedish railways to transport German troops and essential supplies.
Swedish
public opinion was anti-Nazi throughout the war and Swedish diplomats
such as Raoul Wallenberg in Hungary
provided help to the resistance. Sweden also provided sanctuary for
5,000 Danish Jews.
The Swedish
government also leased 500,000 tons of merchant shipping (60 per cent
of Sweden's fleet) to Britain. About half
of which was sunk during the war.
Allies
continued to apply pressure on Sweden to stop helping the German war
effort. The Transit Agreement was terminated in August 1943 and trade
with Nazi Germany was reduced until
it came to an end in 1944.
(1)
Winston
Churchill, The Second World War (1948)
The Norwegian mountains run into the ocean in
a continuous fringe of islands. Between these islands and the mainland
there was a corridor in territorial waters through which Germany could
communicate with the outer seas to the grievous injury of our Blockade.
German war industry was mainly based upon supplies of Swedish iron
ore, which in the summer were drawn from the Swedish port of Lulea
at the head of the Gulf of Bothnia, and in the winter, when this was
frozen, from Narvik on the west coast of Norway. To respect the corridor
would be to allow the whole of this traffic to proceed under the shield
of neutrality in the face of our superior sea power. The Admiralty
Staff were seriously perturbed at this important advantage being presented
to Germany, and at the earliest opportunity I raised the issue in
the Cabinet.
(2)
Winston Churchill, memo to the First
Lord of the Admiralty (29th September 1939)
At the end of November the Gulf of Bothnia normally
freezes, so that Swedish iron ore can be sent to Germany only through
Oxelosund in the Baltic, or from Narvik at the north of Norway. Oxelosund
can export only about one-fifth of the weight of ore Germany requires
from Sweden. In winter normally the main trade is from Narvik, whence
ships can pass down the west coast of Norway, and make the whole voyage
to Germany without leaving territorial waters until inside the Skagerrak.
It must be understood that an adequate supply
of Swedish iron ore is vital to Germany, and the interception or prevention
of these Narvik supplies during the winter months, i.e., from October
to the end of April, will greatly reduce her power of resistance.
For the first three weeks of the war no iron-ore ships
left Narvik owing to the reluctance of crews to sail and other causes
outside our control. Should this satisfactory state of affairs continue,
no special action would be demanded from the Admiralty. Furthermore,
negotiations are proceeding with the Swedish Government which in themselves
may effectively reduce the supplies of Scandinavian ore to Germany.
Should however the supplies from Narvik to Germany
start moving again, more drastic action will be needed.
Our relations with Sweden require careful consideration.
Germany acts upon Sweden by threats. Our sea power gives us also powerful
weapons, which, if need be, we must use to ration Sweden. Nevertheless,
it should be proposed, as part of the policy outlined in paragraph
2, to assist the Swedes so far as possible to dispose of their ore
in exchange for our coal; and, should this not suffice, to indemnify
them, partly at least, by other means. This is the next step.
(3)
Manchester Guardian (10th April,
1940)
Almost within twelve hours of the invasion of
Denmark and Norway yesterday the Germans had overrun the whole
of Denmark and Oslo, the Norwegian capital, had fallen.
Late last night the Germans
claimed that all points of military importance in Norway had been
occupied. A German High Command communiqué said:
The Swedish Prime Minister,
Mr. Hansson, stated last night that in reply to a German Note Sweden
had announced her intention to preserve strict neutrality. She reserved
full liberty to take all measures deemed necessary for maintaining
neutrality.
According to the official
Swedish News Agency Sweden has agreed that such measures will not
be "directed against the German measures in Denmark and Norway."
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