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Matter-of-fact Olaf Gerhard Thörnell, Commander in Chief of all Swedish armed forces, has 600,000 men at his command. The standard yardstick allows about half of these as combat divisions, but more could be mobilized in a pinch. Sweden has plenty of small arms, Swedish-made Bofors anti-aircraft and anti-tank guns. The army is well trained, but not battle-tested. It lacks sufficient tanks and heavy armaments, is woefully weak in fighter planes, which were ordered from the U.S. in 1940 but later diverted to China. When German military power was at its height on the Continent, Thörnell took a poor view of Sweden's ability to defend herself for any length of time. But with the Swedish navy of light cruisers, destroyers and 50-knot-an-hour motor torpedo boats to harass the enemy, Thörnell could risk a war—provided there was likelihood of Allied success in Norway spilling over quickly to his assistance. Gallup polls have shown repeatedly that the majority of Swedes believe they can avoid war. But they have completely organized against air raids and incendiary bombs. Their Lotta Corps, copied from Finland's modern women's auxiliary military corps, is ready.
Under Minister of Civilian Supply Axel Gjöres, a former director of Sweden's Cooperative Union, claiming 750,000 consumer families as members, the Swedes run their wartime economy with regulations and ration books. Black markets are controlled through vigorous prosecution. Mounting defense expenditures ($507,500,000 in 1942-43 from 6,400,000 population) are partly met through almost confiscatory taxes in the higher brackets. Rationing covers everything from clothes to tennis balls and all foods except fish (which is too perishable) and fresh vegetables. Laborers doing heavy work and the children of the poor receive extra rations. All rationed items on restaurant menus require coupons.
The forests, backbone of Sweden's economy, now produce fuel, fabrics, food and fodder. Mass expeditions into the countryside have harvested tons of wild roots, berries and herbs. Nettle soup has been found to be tasty. Not so tasty is boar flesh (imported from Hungary) and "Norrlands biff" (socalled "beef of the north," which is about 75% wood pulp). Cigarets are vague combinations of Turkish tobacco and Swedish hay. The traditional smörgasbord has virtually disappeared because bread is the most severely rationed of all foods except meat. Prized Iceland and Norwegian fat herring are no longer available, good cheese is scarce. The greatest loss is that of coffee. Swedes like it hot, strong and often, were the world's greatest per-capita consumers before the war. They now have 300 ersatz types.