Timeline of Sweden during World War II

This timeline is about events during World War II of direct significance to Sweden, which remained officially neutral throughout the war. For a larger perspective, see Timeline of World War II.

Timeline

1939 Date Event Effects on Sweden, and article links 23 August Molotov–Ribbentrop pact is signed The Military balance in the Baltic region is shattered. 1 September The Second World War begins as operation Fall Weiß is carried out by Nazi Germany, and the Invasion of Poland begins. On 3 September, Great Britain, France, Australia, India, and New Zealand declare war on Germany. 17 September The Soviet Union invades Poland, and enters a state of co-belligerence with Nazi Germany. 28 September, 5, 10 October The Soviet Union forces Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, to accept Soviet military bases on their soil. 6 October Poland is conquered. 12 October The Soviet Union demands that Finland cedes Hanko for the construction of a military base near Helsinki and exchange some Soviet and Finnish territories to protect Leningrad. 18–18 October The four Nordic heads of state and their foreign ministers meet in Stockholm to discuss cooperation between the four countries in maintaining neutrality during the present conflict. 30 November The Winter War begins as the Soviet Union tries to invade Finland. 6 December Swedish Navy lay minefields in international water in Sea of Åland to prevent Soviet submarines from entering the Gulf of Bothnia between Sweden and Finland. First Swedish support of Finland. Important for further aid shipments. 13 December A national unity government (Hansson III Cabinet) is formed consisting of all parties with seats in the Swedish Parliament excluding the Communist Party of Sweden. 25 December Sweden declares itself Non-belligerent in the Winter War Sweden refuses to intervene militarily in the war, but provides economic and material aid, alongside some 8,000 volunteers to the defense of Finland.1940 Date Event Effects on Sweden, and article links 1 February To counter the effects of Soviet reinforcements starting to arrive at the war front, Finland asks Sweden to contribute to the war effort with 2 divisions, 20.000 soldiers. Sweden declines, but is willing to raise the roof of the numbers of Swedish volunteers to Finland. Finland explores the option of large scale western intervention in the war. February crisis of 1940 – The Western Allies offer to send an expeditionary force to Finland, on the condition that it is transited through Norway and Sweden. See Potential allied invasion. 10 February Nationwide police raids against Swedish Communists, in all 995 homes are subjected to search and seizure. 21 February Pajala, near the border with Finland, is mistakenly bombed by Soviet aircraft, two people are slightly injured. 12 March The Moscow Peace Treaty is signed, in which Finland cedes 9% of its territory to the Soviet Union. 13 March The Winter War ends. 5 April Great Britain notifies Norway and Sweden of its intentions to place mines on Norwegian territorial waters.9 April Nazi Germany carries out Operation Weserübung, and invades Denmark and Norway. Through the Occupation of Denmark and Norway, Sweden and Finland become totally encircled by the Nazi–Soviet PactFischer, Benjamin B 1999-2000 The only window to the outside world is the Finnish harbour of Petsamo. In a note to Sweden, Germany demands: Strict neutrality, no mobilization, rights to the Swedish telephone lines, continued ore trade, and no Swedish naval activity outside Swedish territorial waters. Sweden intercepts, and tries to decipher, the German teleprinter communications. Beginning of the drawn out conflict over the Kvarstad vessels, Norwegian trade vessels that were trapped in Swedish harbors at the start of the invasion. Both the Allies and Germany claimed ownership of the vessels throughout the war. 11 April Secret mobilization of Swedish troops, the number of men under arms is increased from about 60,000 to 320,000 in the span of a few weeks. 12 April Swedish Foreign minister Christian Günther informs the foreign policy council, that the government has denied Norwegian King Haakon, the Crown Prince, and members of the Norwegian government entrance to Sweden. According to international treaties, Governments in exile are not allowed to exercise their legal powers from a neutral nation. Relations with Norway worsen. 12 to 16 April British troops intervene in Norway. 16 April to 10 June First transit of German troops and materiel (under the guise of medical personnel and equipment) to Norway on Swedish railways. About 300 radio- and heavy weapons specialists along with 400 tons of supplies are transported during this first phase of transit. German naval personnel from sunk warships are also allowed to travel from Norway to Germany via Sweden. Mars First rationing of consumer goods (of coffee and tea) during the war is introduced. 1 Mars "Transport ban" of publications hostile to the German Nazi regime. While not outright banning such publications, they are forbidden to be transported on public transportation. The ban is later expanded to private vehicles as well. 10 May The German opening of the Western front begins: The invasion of Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France begins. 15 May The Netherlands surrender to Germany. 17 May Sweden denies Germany a specified request to transit 3 trains bound for Narvik, consisting of 30 to 40 sealed railroad wagons containing armaments and supplies. This worsens relations with Germany, and brings Sweden closer to a potential war. As above: Except for Petsamo, a free Norway is the last possible way for Sweden to keep a direct contact with nations other than Nazi Germany, and the de facto Soviet-occupied Baltic states, which undoubtedly influences the Swedish decision. See Weapon transit. 23 May In Germany, Joachim von Ribbentrop succeeds Hermann Göring as Swedenreferent. Ribbentrop is deemed as more hostile towards Sweden than his predecessor. 28 May Belgium surrenders to Germany. The Norwegian harbour-city Narvik, of great strategic importance to Germany, falls into Allied hands. In an attempt to avoid a German ultimatum, and to make direct contact with western nations possible, the Swedish government tries to activate the far fetched Narvik-plan. 2 June The last of the British troops leave Norway . The Narvik-plan is deemed irrelevant. 10 June Norway surrenders to Germany, King Haakon flees to the mountains and is eventually evacuated to Britain. The northern Finnish harbour of Petsamo becomes Sweden's and Finland's last window to the western world. Italy declares war on France and the United Kingdom, and enters a state of co-belligerence with Nazi Germany. 26 June Commencement of the so called "horseshoe traffic" on Swedish railways of German troops going between Trondheim and Narvik. 20 June Great Britain seizes four Swedish destroyers off the coast of the Faroe Islands (the Psilander affair). The destroyers are recently bought from Italy and are bound for Sweden. They are only manned by transport-crews. They are released back into Swedish hands after about a week. 25 June France surrenders to Germany. Sometime in the summer