Evening star., 1938-08-28
Sweden's Military
Tradition.
By FREDERIC J. H4SKIN.

stated that Poland Was making tentative
advances looking toward military alli-
ance with Sweden, at least some Ameri-
can newspapers were inclined to make
light OF the matter. Caricatures were
published and paragraphs written tend
ing to make light fun of the idea of
Swedish army, comparing it, for example,
with the mythical Swiss navy There
must be lesson in this reception of such
news and 1t seems to be that it is pos
sible for great military nation to turn
to the ways OF peace and continue TO
pursue them. Those ways have been so
successful and have endured for so long
that most of the world seems to have
forgotten that once Sweden was one of
the leading military powers of the world
and ruled half Europe! The lesson might
well be that if one such nation with a
tremendous military and naval tradi-
tion can turn to peace, others could fol-
low the example.
The military history OF Sweden is so
long and crammed with mighty incident
that only few high lights can come into
view in brief space. Perhaps the great
est of the Swedish warriors was King
Charles XII who lived from 1852 to 1713.
Like most Swedish leaders he was great
scholar and linguist as well as soldier.
He learned to ride at the age OF and
brought down his first bear in the hunt
at II years. He had scarcely come to the
throne when he was faced with a war
against Denmark and her allies. VIM
ming this he crossed the Baltic into Lii
Vonla to attack the Russians. With 400
horsemen he routed force of 6 900 Rus
sian cavalry and then reduced the fort
ress of Norva
Historians believe that, at the time, he
could have pressed on to st. Petersburg
or even Moscow, crushing the Russian
power. He did make the old Russian
Duchy of Courland a Swedish province
and then turned westward to attack the
Elector of Saxony. His reason was that
Russia was distant foe and could be
invaded later while Saxony was a threat
to him near at home. Augustus of Sax
ony claimed the throne of Poland, but
Charles defeated combined Saxon and
Polish army and seized the throne of
Poland himself. He took Warsaw and the
coronation city OF Cracow He was mas
ter OF that then vast kingdom Charles
had accomplished all this before he was
Il years OF age.
He invaded Saxony and kept Austria
under his thumb His power had waved
so great that both France and Great
Britain were afraid OF him. With Cen
tral Europe under his domination ne
turned back to Russia and penetrated
deep into that country. driving every
thing before him. But like Ma apolean he
was defeated by the weather Not only
had he marched at the wrong season of
the year. but that winter of l708 was the
coldest In century. Frewood would not
ignite, 1t was so cold. Wine and spirits
froze solid in their containers and birds
on the wing were frozen stiff and dropped
dead. Saliva froze before it could reach
the ground. Yet the Swedes continued,
occasionally winning over the Russian
troops but all the time being defeated by
the weather. At length the effort was
given up for the time being but Charles
did advance into Turkish territory where
he made an alliance with the sultan
which resulted in some marrying OF the
RusdanA
His own forces had fallen or been
scattered and, at the urgency of his sis
ter and the Swedish Senate, he, at length,
made his way home. passing many dan
gers and arriving attended by but sin
gle squire. after an absence in the field
OF IA years. He fell in battle with the
Norwegians at the age of 36.
While Charles XII is regarded as the
greatest of the Swedish soldier kings
there also was the remarkable Charles X
l622-l66O. The first part of his reign
was devoted to domestic affairs. Then
in 1855. with $4,000 men and so warships
he undertook the conquest of Poland
FIRST reducing the Seacoats cities, h.
marched inland and took Warsaw. the
capital. He was compelled to turn back
to overcome the Elector of Brandenburg
who threatened him. Warsaw was re-
taken by the Poles, but Charles won il
back again against force of 100 600
Almost Immediately he was called back
by declaration of war by Denmark He
struck quickly and drove the Danes
northward, where they seemed safely in
trenched. Then he performed one OF
the most extraordinary feats in military
history. With huge force of cavalry he
crossed first one, then another wide arm
OF the sea and fell upon the Danes by
surprise. sweeping everything before him.
A medal was struck on this occasion to
commemorate the transit by cavalry of
the Baltic. He subjugated Denmark and
was turning to attack Norway when he
fell i'll and died at the age of 80.
Then there was Charles XI, 1655-1697.
He commanded in person at one OF the
bloodest battles of history. Some $3.50
men were killed. more than half of them
Danes, the total killed being more than
half OF all engaged. The next year
Charles with 5000 Swedes routed 10000
Danes. Then came period OF peace and
Charles devoted his time to advance
ment Of science and the arts He is cred
tied with laying foundation in these
matters, which. in essential features, re-
mains to this day.
An earlier King of Sweden was the
great Gustavus Adolphus, 1594-l632, His
first important action was to conclude a
peace with Denmark and then immedi-
ately, by force Of arms, compel the Rus
slams to a peace which kept them away
from Sweden, on the other side of the
Baltic. Il hope to God,' he told the
Diet. that the Russians will feel it a
bit difficult to skip over that little brook
(the Baltic.
Next he turned to Prussia and Poland
and made strong headway in occupying
those countries. although at considerable
cost. His conquest Of Poland was indf-
ferent and tenuous He turned back
toward Germany, intervening in the
Thirty Years War. He faced the armies
of Tilly and Wallenstein. both superior
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