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The Stay Behinds

Sweden's Cold War Guardians
By Johan Wennström
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Brief Description
Packed with first-hand accounts and previously classified government documents, this book reveals the secrets of Sweden's resistance network, created to deter a potential Soviet occupation. Following World War II, Sweden faced the looming threat of the Soviet Union and its drive to spread communism. This led... Read More
Format: Hardback
$4699
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Releases 5th January 2027 (Approx. Date) Pre-order  "The Stay Behinds" now to secure your copy from our first shipment

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Packed with first-hand accounts and previously classified government documents, this book reveals the secrets of Sweden's resistance network, created to deter a potential Soviet occupation.

Packed with first-hand accounts and previously classified government documents, this book reveals the secrets of Sweden's resistance network, created to deter a potential Soviet occupation.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Packed with first-hand accounts and previously classified government documents, this book reveals the secrets of Sweden's resistance network, created to deter a potential Soviet occupation.

Following World War II, Sweden faced the looming threat of the Soviet Union and its drive to spread communism. This led to the formation of a resistance movement involving Sweden's intelligence service, the employers' association, and the labour movement. The stay-behind network was fully legalised in 1955 and continued its clandestine work until the mid-1990s, with the mission of keeping communism – and the Soviets – out of Sweden.

Drawing on extensive archival research and interviews with key figures, author Johan Wennström peels back the layers of secrecy surrounding the stay-behinds. The Stay Behinds looks at the men who created the network, the work the operatives carried out, the cell-like structure they relied on, and how the US and UK intelligence communities cooperated with the Swedish stay-behinds.

This is the first in-depth study of a secret organisation that helped shape modern Sweden. It also highlights lessons for today's NATO and makes the case for a defence policy grounded in national interest.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781472877543

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 10 September 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Osprey Publishing

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 28.0mm

Width: 158.0mm

Height: 240.0mm

Weight: 420g

Pages: 240

Collections

Education & Reference History & Archaeology History & Military Johan Wennström Military History Non-Fiction Non-Fiction Pre-Orders Pre-order Books Pre-orders Pre-orders by Release Date

About the Author

Johan Wennström is a research fellow at the Swedish Defence University. His essays have appeared in, among others, The Spectator and UnHerd. His landmark study on the Stay Behinds resistance movement has become a bestseller in Sweden.

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