Evening star., 1940-04-18
Attack by Swedes
Believed Anticipated
By Nazis in Norway
ss.
Maj. Eliot Sees Issue
One Of Who Will
70
Strike First
BY MAI. GEORGE FIELDING
ELIOT.

becoming very interesting. The
main body at Oslo, probably con-
sists OF $4,000 men, with perhaps so
light tanks and armored cars and
q few guns (plus what they may
have captured from the Norwe-
gians).
This force is apparently occupying
Its time, at a moment when every
hour is precious, in consolidating its
position along the Swedish frontier.
First 1t mopped up the southeastern
corner of Norway and occupied
Halden, on the main line Of railway
between Oslo and Gothenburg; next
1t has moved out to Kongsvinger, a
fortified place controlling the other
main line into Sweden, that between
Oslo and Stockholm.
At Trondheim, the rather slender
German garrison there, almost cerA
tainly to be the object of a heavy
British assault from the sea, has
found occasion to send a trainload
(perhaps 700 to 1,O00) of its small
force to rush to the Swedish frontier
near Storlien, where 1t has taken up
a defensive position covering the
railway from Trondheim to Oster-
sund, Sweden (and so to Stock
holmo. Finally, up in the north, the
German force at Narvik, driven from
that port by the allies, is now on
the railway from Narvik to Lulea
Sweden. holding at the frontier and
on heights dominating the rail line.
TO which considerable damage has
been done.
Eager to Get Railways,
Thus the principal concern of all
these German forces appears to be
to secure the four railways from
Norway to Sweden. One NAV we'll
ask, why? Can it be possible that
the Germans have information
which leads them to suppose that
the Swedes are about to attack
them? 1t certainly looks like it:
their conduct is hardly to be ex-
planned on any other ground, since
II they had no anxiety as to Sweden.
they would hardly be taking such
risks and wasting so much time,
while the allies are swooping on the
coast. This is, of course, conjecture
based on information as it is avail
able here.
Nevertheless, perhaps the time is
ripe for an examination of this
whole situation from the Swedish
point of view.
The SwedeS are well aware of the
value set upon their iron mines.
their copper, zinc and timber by the
Germans, and to some extent by the
allies. They would much prefer to
maintain their neutrality and con-
tlnue trading peacefully with both
sides. If, however, as appears, they
are not going to be allowed to do
so, then they must consider their
position from an entirely fresh view
point
They can, as the Danes, did let
IN the Germans and become a Ger
man vassal state. If they do, the
doom Of Norway Is probably sealed.
But tits would be the counsel of
despair. Is the Swedish case des-
perate? 1t depends, the SWedes
would probably say, on whether
they could depend on getting allied
help quickly enough, and In suffi-
clent quantity, to enable them to
put up a fight with some hope of
success.
Time Big Factor.
The time factor promptly enters
IN: How long could the Swedes
hold out under German attack.
what could they do to defend them
selves until allied help arrived
and how could that help reach
them? To answer the last question
first, it could come by Narvik and
the railway Narvik-Lulea, connect
Ing via OStersund and Bracke with
the main Swedish railway system
1t might also come by the railway
Irondhelm = Storlien Ostersund if
that line were open and Trondheim
IN allied hands. But for the mo-
ment the Narvik line is the best
hope, and that means that the Ger
man detachment in the north must
be disposed of and the line put in
working order, a task to which the
British and Norwegians seem at
this moment to be devoting consid-
able effort, an effort which becomes
explicable once one assumes a
swedish orientation. It is extreme
~ unlikely that the Swedes will
take any undue risks, unless actu.
ally attacked, until they can be as
sured that this railway, at least.
VIII be open so that help can reach
them.
IL 1t is opened then we have a
new set of considerations for the
SWeoes. Presuming that by that
Time the allies will be making some
progress farther south, that the
NorWegians have suffered no crush
Ing disaster, that the German force
At Oslo has not been able to ad-
vance very much farther, that the
Skagerrak remains reasonably well
closed by. allied naval operations
ana the Germans still dependent
on airlines of supply, what would
happen If the Swedes were suddenly
TO swarm over the border and fall
upon the Germans in the Oslo
region? This is an interesting spec
ulation.
.Swedes Well Equipped.
The Swedish Army is well equipped
ana well led. It has an excellent
corps OF officers and of career and
reserve n-commissioned officers.
Its period of training (normally 175-
200 days, more than twice that of
the Norwegian Army has been
heightened this year by special de-
cree and additional reservists have
Tor some time been with the colors;
probably 1t has Immediately ready
100000 men-four large divisions, a
cavalry division and some tanks,
heavy artillery and so forth. Four
more divisions could probably be
formed from available reservists
within a few hours.
These eight divisions are the
equivalent in fighting power of 1O-11
German divisions, always presuming
h