The Swedish "neutrality" in the Second World War

Abstract

During the period which Eric Hobsbawm termed “the long 19th century”,Sweden has undergone a major transformation from a belligerent state shaped by Gustav II Adolph and Charles XII, to a peaceful country whose only goal was to preserve peace and prosperity for its people. Even though it already hinted at its policy of neutrality in the mid-19th century, namely during the Crimean War, it was during the First World War that it actually came to the fore. By maintaining this policy of neutrality, Sweden aided the German Reich, mostlyby allowing the troops to pass  safely and to use its trade routes. In the interwar period, Sweden turned to its neighbors with the aim of further establishing and nurturing trade relations. However, the state feared the growing power of the German national socialism and the Soviet communism. At the beginning of the Second World War, Sweden re-declared its policy of neutrality, unwilling toparticipate in the  upcoming conflict. However, it has proven not to be as neutral
as it claimed, namely because it strayed from its policy of neutrality on several occasions. In addition to its humanitarian intervention during the Winter War, Sweden aided Germany by transporting its troops and war machinery into Finland. This “help” Sweden provided can be attributed to the Reich’s aggressive foreign policy, or the threat of imminent war in the lack thereof. In the end, however, Sweden allowed for numerous trade sanctions which further accelarated the fall of the Reich and liberated the world from its clutches.