About study tours during the war
The Foreign
section of SGS (Utrikesavdelningen) was
assigned to gather and analyse information about military developments outside
of Sweden. One of the main procedures were study tours usually performed by general
staff officers but even by other army personnel such as military doctors.
Before WWI, during the period of 1900-1914, around 400 study tours were performed
in almost all contemporary European states.[1] According to researcher Christian Sandhal, the main subjects for study tours were studying developments regarding military
technology and combat technique. Also, there was a need to follow developments
in military organizations of states that compering to Sweden for a long time had
been used conscription service which was introduced in Sweden in 1901.
During the
period of 1914-1918 around 60 study tours were performed which comparing to
period before the war meant an extensive decline of study tours per year.
Around one-third of the study tours from period of 1915-1918 were directly or indirectly
focused on trench warfare. Of these, around 20 took place on the Eastern front
while seven took place on the Western front.[2] Even if the war against Russia ended
in autumn of 1917 Central powers remained the main destination for study tours
where focus was switched on German army on Western front and Austro-Hungarian
army fighting in Italy and in Balkans. Down below results from my research
regarding the number of study tours and their destinations during 1914-1918 are
presented.
Study torus during the war 1914-1918
Year
|
Germany
|
Austria-Hungaria
|
France
|
UK
|
Others
|
Total
|
1914
|
5
|
3
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
16
|
1915
|
4
|
6
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
15
|
1916
|
2
|
4
|
1
|
1
|
8
|
|
1917
|
3
|
4
|
7
|
|||
1918
|
8
|
6
|
2
|
16
|
||
Total
|
22
|
23
|
7
|
3
|
7
|
62
|
References
[1]
Sandahl, Christian, ”Att vidga sin militära blick. Svenska arméofficerares
studieresor till Europa 1900-1914” i Militärhistorisk tidskrift 1995 (Stockholm:
Probus förlag, 1995).
[2]
KrA, Generalstaben, utrikesavdelningen f.d. hemliga arkiv, serie D I, Liggare
över reserapporter och hemarbeten 1914-1931, volym 1 samt serie EI g,
48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,56a, 57 samt KrA, generalfälttygmästaren och chefen
(inspektören) för artilleriet/Artilleriinspektionen, chefen för artilleriets
expedition f.d. hemliga arkiv, serie E I, vol. 8-11.
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