Olof Palme Condemns the Bombing of Hanoi

By late 1972, the Vietnam War was being fought across the negotiating table as well as on the ground. Kissinger and Le Duc Tho had reached a draft settlement in October, but South Vietnamese president Nguyen Van Thieu objected to terms that left North Vietnamese forces in the South. Renewed talks failed to resolve the disagreements, and Nixon ordered a major bombing campaign while also pressing his own ally to accept a settlement. [1]

Olof Palme condemned the American bombing of Hanoi in a statement read on Swedish radio on 23 December 1972. He placed the attacks alongside a succession of atrocities, including Guernica and Treblinka. [3]

Peace talks over Vietnam had stalled, and Nixon had resumed heavy bombing of North Vietnam on 18 December. Palme rejected the claim of military necessity; his comparison with Nazi crimes especially angered the American administration, which summoned the Swedish ambassador to protest. [3]

Washington said that Sweden’s incoming ambassador, Yngve Möller, should not take up his post. He never did. Senior diplomatic contacts froze until March 1974, though the governments maintained relations and continued trade, technical cooperation, and military contacts at a lower level. [3]

Related Diplomats

1. Yngve Möller [4]
2. Hubert de Bèsche [5]
3. Leif Leifland [6] [7]

Related Reading

• Sweden and the United States