The Secret War Against Sweden: US and British Submarine Deception in the 1980sFollowing the stranding of a Soviet Whiskey-class submarine in 1981 on the Swedish archipelago, a series of massive submarine intrusions took place within Swedish waters. However, the evidence for these appears to have been manipulated or simply invented. Classified documents and interviews point to covert Western, rather than Soviet activity. This is backed up by former US Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, who stated that Western "testing" operations were carried out regularly in Swedish waters. Royal Navy submarine captains have also admitted to top-secret operations. Ola Tunander's revelations make it clear that the United States and Britain ran a "secret war" in Swedish waters. The number of Swedes perceiving the Soviet Union as a direct threat increased from 5-10 per cent in 1980 to 45 per cent in 1983. This Anglo-American "secret war" was aimed at exerting political influence over Sweden. It was a risky enterprise, but perhaps the most successful covert operation of the entire Cold War. |
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The Secret War Against Sweden: US and British Submarine Deception in the 1980s Ola Tunander No preview available - 2004 |
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12 October According activity Analysis Group Report Andersson anti-submarine Baltic Sea barrages base war base war diary Belos Bengt Bildt Bror Stefenson Captain Carl Bildt ceasefire Chief of Staff CMS WD Commander Commander-in-Chief CÖrlBO WD Dagens Nyheter damaged submarine Defence Commission Report Defence Staff depth charges divers Eastern Military District Emil Svensson foreign Hansson Hårsfj Hårsfjärden incident helicopter Ibid indications interviews intrusions Karlsson Kviman Lars Hansson Mälsten war diary marine Måsknuv metres microphone midget submarines Muskö NATO Naval Analysis Group Naval Base East Norwegian ÖB TD observations officers Olof Palme operations in Swedish periscope Prime Minister radar Rear-Admiral rine Rudberg SDVs sea floor ship sonar Soviet submarines Soviet Union special forces Stockholm archipelago Stockholm Coastal Defence sub-surface subma Submarine Defence Commission submarine hunt submarine operations submarine sail surface Sweden Swedish Defence Swedish TV Swedish waters tape recording told Väktaren vessel Vice-Admiral Stefenson Wallén Warsaw Pact Western submarine