Manawatu Evening Standard. SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 1940. SWEDEN’S STRENGTH.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 126, 27 April 1940, Page 8

Manawatu Evening Standard. SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 1940. SWEDEN’S STRENGTH.

With the Allies harassing the invaders in Norway the question uppermost in many minds is how long will it be before the Nazis deliberately invade Sweden, because it is becoming increasingly apparent that pressure will force them into a position in which they will- have to capitulate with wholesale losses in men and material, or use Swedish territory. Thus, not only the wealth -of Swedish iron ore, which Germany covets, forms ground for increasing apprehension in the former country. Constituting threefifths of the Scandinavian peninsula, Sweden is the fifth largest country in Europe, her coastline extending for about five thousand miles. She has a population of over six millions. In 1939, of the 23,000 non-Swedish inhabitants about GOOO were Germans, and the ramifications of some of these have been closely checked by the Government of late so that no surprise coup by undermining of the State’s power in a crisis shall arise. In the main, Sweden consist of three areas; the northern, which is forested; central, which is devoted to mining and agriculture ; and southern, agricultural. The country’s natural posture for defence has been described by one authority as the envy of other neutrals; but, on the other hand, it is argued that this same posture renders her open to grave danger now that the Russian spoliation of Finland has taken place and. Germany may assault Sweden in a desperate attempt to hold a footing in Norway or prevent a total collapse of her forces there. In food Sweden is almost self-sup-porting. She needs certain imports of materials with which to wage a war, but she has within her borders the finest iron in the world and therefore the most desirable raw material for armaments. She makes all her guns and ammunition, even of the most advanced kinds, for she is highly industrialised.

A great factor in Sweden’s defences is that the population is both racially homogeneous and socially united. This should present a strong counter to Nazi propaganda methods. The Army now consists pf 575,000 men, including reserves, and is based on a system of universal service aided by voluntary enlistment. For months she has been preparing her land forces for any eventuality, and amazing progress has been made with anti-aircraft defence, so that all may not yet be known about the actual striking power of her reconstructed weapons. It is the smallness of numbers in Sweden’s Army that has led to a belief in some quarters that it could offer but feeble resistance; but military observers have stated that though it is 125 years since Sweden fought last there is a spirit of military pride that bodes ill for any aggressor. Her Navy is small and many of the vessels old, but recent additions include destroyers, submarines, and tor-

pedo boats, as well as minesweepers, and this force has been active in guarding her territorial waters by minelaying and patrol work, watching closely, and acting where necessary in cases of infringement of neutrality, such as the trespass by damaged German troopships. The Air Force probably now consists of over 500 craft, with purchases made in recent months from the United States. Come what may, it can be taken that Sweden’s attitude to Nazi interference will not be of a light nature.