Neutral Sweden labeling barrels of grease and oil as neutral. The barrels form a line to ships on the Baltic Sea from which they could reach Germany and Russia. One of a series of postcards on neutral nations by Em. Dupuis.

On the barrels: Graisse Neutre; Huile Neutre - Neutral grease; Neutral Oil

Suède

Il y a bien quelques fuites . . .

Sweden

There are certainly some leakages.

Signed: Em. Dupuis 1916



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Visé Paris. No. 112

Logo: Paris Color 152 Quai de Jemmapes

Carte Postale

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Sweden was neutral during World War I. It was important to the Entente Allies as it allowed access to Russia, and to Germany as a source of iron ore.

The Baltic Sea was mined and patrolled by submarines on both sides, but initially Swedish waters were open. Pressured by Germany, Sweden laid a minefield in the Kogrund Channel at the entrance to the Kalmar Sound which lies between the east coast of Sweden and the island of Öland in July 1916. The Swedes implemented a convoy system that could guide ships safely through the dangerous waters.

The British blockade very effectively denied German surface ships the ability to escape the North Sea, and gave it a means to apply pressure to Sweden and other neutral nations. Britain detained Swedish ships and cargo which it released only after the two countries reached a May 1917 agreement that 90,000 net tons of British and Allied shipping could leave the Baltic through the Kogrund passage.

Germany made peace overtures in December, 1916, and Socialists planned a peace conference in Stockholm, Sweden. The denial of visas for French Socialists to attend the conference was identified as one of the causes of the French army mutinies that followed the failure of the April 1917 French Second Battle of the Aisne.

Sweden is a country in Europe.

Statistics for Sweden (1)

Type	Statistic
Population	5,521,943