I know this question is almost ASBish. How could Sweden remain neutral being so close to Finland, with all that iron ore and the norwegian coastline so near? But how would WWII have evolved with a neutral Sweden?
This is in best case a dubious DBWI.
OTL The Swedes was heavily pro Nazi in the first part of WW2 and heavily pro allied in the second part.
In other words, heavily opportunist... However, we did escape the war unharmed...
I would classify Sweden's actions as more along the lines of doing what was needed to not get invaded by one side or the other than opportunistic.
Like "free" movement of German troops and supplies over Swedish territory to both encircled troops in Narvik and later to Finland?
Oh yes, Im sure that was "needed"
I actually think it's worse that we weren't solidaric with Finland and joined them in the war against the Soviets. But we deserted them, like we've done in every war since Charles XII...
Good point, and in that case Norway was just as disgraceful
Like "free" movement of German troops and supplies over Swedish territory to both encircled troops in Narvik and later to Finland?
Oh yes, Im sure that was "needed"
Btw, what excuse would you use to justify Swedens pro allied turn in the later periode? Was that also under treath of invasion???
Whats the big deal to admit that Sweden just not were particular neutral during WW2? And not during the cold war eighter.
I would classify Sweden's actions as more along the lines of doing what was needed to not get invaded by one side or the other than opportunistic.
Sweden, what's all this talk about Sweden? Oh, right, one of the former countries now part of the Scandinavian Soviet Socialist Republic.
The division that went to Finland was asked like this: Allow us to transport troops to Finland OR ELSE.
What were we going to do? Stand up to Germany and be invaded? Then we can add 5000 danish jews, thousands of norwegian jews that we took in and thousands of swedes to the death camps.
Its easy to sit 60+ years after the incident with hindsight and tell what we should have done.
The only transit Sweden allowed to Narvik was medical supplies and we allowed WIA to travel back to Germany.
The division that went to Finland was asked like this: Allow us to transport troops to Finland OR ELSE.
What were we going to do? Stand up to Germany and be invaded? Then we can add 5000 danish jews, thousands of norwegian jews that we took in and thousands of swedes to the death camps.
Its easy to sit 60+ years after the incident with hindsight and tell what we should have done.
What were we going to defend ourselves with? In 39 we gave 1/3 of our combat airplanes to Finland and the rest were outdated. It wasnt until 43 we had a decent chance of fighting the Germans of 1940.
They still aided and abetted one of the greatest evils to ever grace the Earth. The Swedes came out of the War as the strongest of all the minor Axis powers. The only combat they ever saw were a few minor British bombing raids.
OOC: Thanks for derailing the thread.
They still aided and abetted one of the greatest evils to ever grace the Earth. The Swedes came out of the War as the strongest of all the minor Axis powers. The only combat they ever saw were a few minor British bombing raids.
Someone explain what a Double Blind is will you.