Nils Swedlund
General Nils Per Robert Swedlund (16 May 1898 – 28 June 1965) was a senior Swedish Army officer. Swedlund, commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1919, served in Hälsinge Regiment. He rose through the ranks, becoming a captain in the General Staff Corps in 1933 and later teaching at the Royal Swedish Army Staff College. Promoted to major in 1940 and lieutenant colonel in 1942, he held key roles in the Defence Staff.
Nils Swedlund | |
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Swedlund in Karlskrona in 1958. | |
| Birth name | Nils Per Robert Swedlund |
| Nickname(s) | Stora Bullret ("Big Noise") |
| Born | 16 May 1898 Gävle, Sweden |
| Died | 28 June 1965 (aged 67) Mariehamn, Åland Islands |
| Buried | Skogsö cemetery, Saltsjöbaden |
| Allegiance | Sweden |
| Service/ | Swedish Army |
| Years of service | 1919–1961 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held | |
| Relations | Sten Swedlund (nephew) |
During World War II, Swedlund trained Norwegian police troops and later commanded Norrbotten Regiment. He served as Chief of the Defence Staff from 1947 to 1951, achieving major general, lieutenant general, and general ranks in quick succession. As Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces from 1951 to 1961, he strongly advocated for Swedish nuclear weapons and played a role in forming a secret resistance movement in case of a Soviet invasion, known as the Stay-behind movement.