Sweden's Military: Growing and Armed to the Teeth

A discussion of Swedish military history and policy, and an overview of the Swedish military.

If you want to support my channel more directly, Make your way to https://buymeacoffee.com/shurkin or explore the "thanks" button here on YT or the "Join" to become a member.

Check out this interesting book written by a Swede about the Home Guard and the Swedish approach to Total Defense: https://amzn.to/4lVxVXY

Who am I?
Former CIA analyst, former RAND Senior Political Scientist, Currently Director of Global Programs at 14 North Strategies and RUSI Associate Fellow. Yale History Ph.D. Find me at https://michaelshurkin.com

Check out my substack etc.
https://shurkin.substack.com/
  / michaelshurkin  
https://bsky.app/profile/michaelshurk...
  / michael-shurkin-ph-d-1397641a  

Hey, thinking about using Google Workspace? For a discount, use this affiliate link: https://referworkspace.app.goo.gl/noeo

My favorite books on war (Affiliate links)

Svetlana Alexievitch, “The Unwomanly Face of War: An Oral History of Women in World War II.” https://amzn.to/3GyeDIV
Haruko Taya Cook, Japan at War: An Oral History, https://amzn.to/42Dpo5j.
Vasily Grossman, "Life and Fate." https://amzn.to/4gRzFz6
Robert Heinlein, "Starship Troopers", https://amzn.to/406gqfA
Ernst Jünger, “Storm of Steel”, https://amzn.to/4lWmyji
Ahmadou Kourouma, "Allah is not obliged." https://amzn.to/3PaEfwj
Robert Leckie, “Helmet for my Pillow: From Paris Island to the Pacific,” https://amzn.to/3YrmWwe
Väinö Linna, "Unknown Soldiers." https://amzn.to/41Rnazm
Jonathan Littell, "Les Bienveillantes, or The Kindly Ones."
In French: https://amzn.to/4a0BY0A
In English: https://amzn.to/49VEhSh
Erich Maria Remarque, "All Quiet on the Western Front." https://amzn.to/4iRvnJB
Pierre Schoendoerffer, "La 317e Section." https://amzn.to/40dmvG3
E.B. Sledge, With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa. https://amzn.to/4iSkBlu

00:00 Introduction
01:32 Part 1 Swedish military history and past military policy
01:54 Thirty Years War
04:30 1812 Neutrality
05:17 Balancing Act Between Russia and Germany
06:26 World War 1
06:40 World War 2
07:35 The Cold War and Pseudo-Neutrality
08:27 Past military policy
12:04 The End of the Cold War
14:07 Part 2 Contemporary Swedish Military Policy
15:41 "Total Defense"
19:30 Gotland
20:40 Part 3 Overview of the Swedish Military
21:04 The Swedish Army
25:24 The Swedish Air Force
26:24 The Swedish Navy
26:43 The Jeune Ecole
29:40 Part 4 Concluding Remarks