In Sweden, the country’s relationship to NATO has always been a sensitive issue. It is part of Sweden’s national identity that it was one of the few European countries to remain neutral throughout World War II and the Cold War that followed. A controversial new book translated as, The Hidden Alliance, is calling that neutrality into question.
In the book, Swedish journalist Mikael Holmström reveals the existence of a secret Swedish air force unit called “Flight Unit 66” that collaborated with NATO forces in neighboring Norway and Denmark. It details covert training sessions for moving NATO units across Scandinavia, and alleges that there was a comprehensive plan to land U.S. marines in Sweden in the event of Soviet aggression.
The main source in the book is only identified as a “retired air force major.” On Thursday, retired air force Maj. Sven Hugosson, came forward in a press conference as the former chief of staff for Unit 66, lending new weight to the revelations.
“I think it’s time to talk about this, there has been a lot of hypocrisy all these years,” he told Swedish Radio (SR).
The official line has always been that Sweden’s collaboration with NATO ceased during the 1970s and 1980s, but Holmström’s book shows otherwise.
“What I show [in the book] is that the collaboration actually intensified toward the end of the ’70s and during the ’80s, as tension increased worldwide with the arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union. Because of this, the military strategic interest in Scandinavia increased,” Holmström told SR.
Sweden’s neutrality, both historically and at present, is a topic of hot debate. Many Swedish politicians think Sweden should join NATO, given that the country’s collaboration with the alliance has steadily increased since the end of the Cold War.
Moreover, the lines of alliance and neutrality are also becoming increasingly blurred as Sweden participates in both United Nations and EU operations, and the issue of NATO membership constantly resurfaces. Earlier this week, the debate gained fuel again, in light of Sweden’s participation in the operations in Libya.
Many pro-NATO commentators are saying the new revelations about Unit 66 prove that Sweden has effectively been a part of NATO all along, and it’s time the country dropped its pretense of neutrality.
The idea of neutrality is cherished in Sweden, however, and opposition to joining NATO is strong. Despite the current conservative—and historically more NATO-friendly—government, there appears to be no plans to formally join the alliance.
In the book, Swedish journalist Mikael Holmström reveals the existence of a secret Swedish air force unit called “Flight Unit 66” that collaborated with NATO forces in neighboring Norway and Denmark. It details covert training sessions for moving NATO units across Scandinavia, and alleges that there was a comprehensive plan to land U.S. marines in Sweden in the event of Soviet aggression.
The main source in the book is only identified as a “retired air force major.” On Thursday, retired air force Maj. Sven Hugosson, came forward in a press conference as the former chief of staff for Unit 66, lending new weight to the revelations.
“I think it’s time to talk about this, there has been a lot of hypocrisy all these years,” he told Swedish Radio (SR).
The official line has always been that Sweden’s collaboration with NATO ceased during the 1970s and 1980s, but Holmström’s book shows otherwise.
“What I show [in the book] is that the collaboration actually intensified toward the end of the ’70s and during the ’80s, as tension increased worldwide with the arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union. Because of this, the military strategic interest in Scandinavia increased,” Holmström told SR.
Sweden’s neutrality, both historically and at present, is a topic of hot debate. Many Swedish politicians think Sweden should join NATO, given that the country’s collaboration with the alliance has steadily increased since the end of the Cold War.
Moreover, the lines of alliance and neutrality are also becoming increasingly blurred as Sweden participates in both United Nations and EU operations, and the issue of NATO membership constantly resurfaces. Earlier this week, the debate gained fuel again, in light of Sweden’s participation in the operations in Libya.
Many pro-NATO commentators are saying the new revelations about Unit 66 prove that Sweden has effectively been a part of NATO all along, and it’s time the country dropped its pretense of neutrality.
The idea of neutrality is cherished in Sweden, however, and opposition to joining NATO is strong. Despite the current conservative—and historically more NATO-friendly—government, there appears to be no plans to formally join the alliance.
