Despite the fact that Sweden's Monarch was pro_German the Government was very reluctant to get itself involved in a European Conflict. There was a Czarist Admiral that felt that Russia could not take the chance and planed to carry out a pr-emptive attack on the Swedish Navy thus neutralizing the threat. However, Cooler heads in the Russian Imperial Navy moved quickly to recall the ships when they learned of this act of stupidity. Russia did not need an additional front to be open up. An attack on Sweden could very well cause problems with the Norwegians and the Danes as well as the United States.
Sweden Intervenes in Finland 1917
- Thread starter chris N
- Start date
If the Russian Admiral is not stopped in time then his attack will draw Sweden into the War on the side of the Central Powers and create a massive Public relations problem for the aliies. The attack on neutral Sweden will have American papers screaming about the horrible Russians and negating perhaps some of the propaganda that the invasion of Belgium. So there are two possible alternatives 1) the Russian High Command dosn't get there fast enough and Sweden enters the War on the Central Powers side in 1914. or 2) The Russian Naval attack is stopped and in all likelihood Sweden remains out of the war until the Revolution of 1917.
Let me say that in a surprise attack the Russian Navy probably would have caused much death and destruction. Without a doubt London would have been in shock. Why did Russia attack a neutral power. Washington would also also be outraged. Kaiser Wilhelm II's government would offer assistance and the war on the Eastern Front would now gotten a lot bigger. The Russian General Staff would now have to worry about the defense of the Grand Duchy of Finland and the threat to St Petersburg. Troops and resources that would have been available to fight the Germans and the Austro-Hungarian Armies would have to be reduced to face a possible threat from the Swedes. The German High Seas Fleet was large enough to make the Swedish treat a real one. The action would have also reduced the Pressure on the Ceneral Powers and might have convinced Romania and Italy to not enter the war or enter the war on the Central Powers side.
Okay Let us now look at the situation in 1914 now that due to an act of stupidity on the part of a Russian Admiral Sweden has entered the war. Sweden's Military was eager for revenge. German industry with additional resources from Sweden was fashioning more weapons to improve the Swedish Army. Russia must now keep troops to man fortifications to protect St Petersburg. This has also meant that there are less forces and supplies available to fight the war on the main front. The High Seas Fleet begins to plan an operation which will see Sweden gain the islands off the western coast of Finland. It is believed that it will not be untill the spring of 1915 that the Northern Front will be active.
Great Britain and France had not yet declared war on Sweden but both countries placed restrictions on where Swedish diplomats could go. Sweden in turn placed restrictions on British and French diplomats. An all out effort was being made to end the war. The Swedish Army was however prepared to invade Finland beyond the islands that it had taken with German assistance. Russia was now facing the problem of defending the Grand Duchy and the approaches to St Petersburg. Russian arms and munitions production was far below consumption. Whatever reserves that had existed were gone.
Sweden's entry into the war had greatly aided the Germans and the Austrians. It had limited the Russian ability to reinforce the main front and had limited the supply of munitions, This dispite the fact that Swedish ground forces had not carried out any offensive action until the Spring of 1915. Now it appeared that a Mixed Swedish -German Force would be landed on the Finnish mainland and make the Finnish front an active one.
The Swedish-German Army established itself in Western Finland and began to push eastward. The Swedish Army had provided 5 divisions and the Germans had deployed 3 divisions plus some support units. All in all the Force was about 150,000 men. Russian intelligence was blinded to this move at least for the first few weeks, The Germans were training Finnish recruits.
The Central Powers force pushed toward Helsinki with only limited opposition from Finish or Russian forces. The problems was Russian intelligence was bad and the forces defending the Grand Duchy were spread out and lack enough munitions to fight any kind of battle. The result was the Swedish-German forces were gaining territory at little cost. This was helpful because the war had only happen due to a foolish Russian Admiral.
Helsinki fell to the quick moving German forces. Germany had decided to support Finnish Independence and as a result it had gotten recruits for its Finnish unit. Swedish support for the war continued but it was clear to German observers that
that support was certain to drop if the Swedish army suffered any major loses.
that support was certain to drop if the Swedish army suffered any major loses.
With the Fall of Helsinki the Swedish Army commander wanted to pause and build up supplies and prepare for the fall. The German commander was puzzled as it was only August and the Swedish Commander was worried about the Fall. He suspected that the Swedish General was worried that now they might finally run into a real fight. Still the German Commander had only two full strength German divisions and three Battalions of Finnish Jagers. He might be able to bluff his way but eventually someone would call his bluff and then he would need those Swedish soldiers
Despite a demand for German troops on a lot of fronts the German General staff approved the transfer of two additional divisions to Finland plus a cavalry brigade. This would strengthen the German forces and perhaps convince the Swedish government to replace their Ground forces commander with a more aggressive commander.
It was clear to the German commander that the Central Powers forces had just about reached the limit of what they could do. So further progress would require either Sweden or Germany to reinforce the ground forces in Finland. Germany was at this point seriously considering moving forward with Finnish Independence in order to gain additional support from the Finnish people and undermine loyalty to Russia
German- Swedish forces did probe eastward closer to the dreaded Russians The Czar had summoned one of his more capable Generals with the Mission of driving the German-Swedish forces back to Helsinki and assuring the safety of the Imperial capital into at least 1916. It was hoped that with enough loses the Swedes could be convinced to make a seperate peace.
The Russians attack took the Swedes by surprise. They had been too over confident. The German Commander had prepared for something to happen and was able to roll with the punch. While the Swedes were caught off guard the Germans prepared to deliver a nasty surprise. Still the days of advancing forward were over. Any offensive by either side would require some kind of thinking.