During World War I Sweden was a neutral country, and Stockholm became the largest and most important common center of counterespionage of both the Allies and of the Germans. At this time our Military Attache in Sweden was Lieut. N. E. Solbert, Corps of Engineers, (#6 in the class of 1915, U.S.M.A.) whose father had been a rather prominent man in Sweden before the War, before coming to the United States, and who, himself, had been born in Sweden.
Shortly after the war Lt. Solbert, while in Washington, gave a talk to some of the General Staff officers on duty in the War Department, in which he told us about some of his problems during the War. I recall two stories that he told us which I, at the time, thought quite interesting; perhaps you will think so too.
As the war progressed, however, these mines failed almost completely to accomplish their purpose, the Germans operating around the flanks of the mines, within the 3 mile zone, and the Allied Attaches in Sweden were informed by the British Admiralty of the seriousness of the situation and were directed to take every possible step to prevent the exit of the German submarines.
Lt. Solbert went secretly to the Editor of one of the principal Swedish papers, who had been a good friend of his father, and who was personally pro-Ally in his sentiments, although the paper and the Swedish government were strictly neutral.
He explained the situation fully and got the Editor to agree to cooperate in a scheme to at least slow up the passage of the German submarines through the straits.
Solbert went to the British Naval Attache, explained the plan and got him to request the British Admiralty to send several submarines into the Baltic, passing within the 3 mile zone off the Swedish coast, where the water was so shallow that the submarines could not safely submerge. He arranged that the passage of these submarines should be observed by one of the reporters of the paper, and next day the paper came out with headlines describing the passage of the British submarines within the Swedish 3 mile limit and demanding that the government take prompt action to stop this brazen violation by the British of Swedish neutrality. Next day this was repeated, and the same demand for prompt action was repeated. Then the principal papers, including those that were pro-German, joined in this demand and continued to make it.
In a few days the friendly Editor, in and editorial, protested strongly at the continued inactivity of the government and made the definite suggestion that the passage of the British submarines be be stopped by planting Swedish mines within the 3 mile zone. This demand was taken up by the other papers, and the pressure on the government became so great that it acceded to the demand.
The papers noted with satisfaction that no more British submarines passed through Swedish waters. The British Admiralty noted that neither did any more German submarines do so.