General
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...
Karl Hilmer Lennart Ljung (13 March 1921 – 19 November 1990) was a
Swedish Army
The Swedish Army ( sv, svenska armén) is the land force of the Swedish Armed Forces.
History
Svea Life Guards dates back to the year 1521, when the men of Dalarna chose 16 young able men as body guards for the insurgent nobleman Gustav Vas ...
officer who served as
Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces
The Supreme Commander ( sv, överbefälhavaren; acronym: ÖB) is the highest ranked professional military officer in the Swedish Armed Forces, and is by NATO terminology the Swedish chief of defence equivalent. The Supreme Commander is the agency ...
from 1978 to 1986. During Ljung's eight years as Supreme Commander many events of importance for Swedish security and defense policy occurred. Sweden had five different governments under four prime ministers from different political sides. Prime Minister
Olof Palme
Sven Olof Joachim Palme (; ; 30 January 1927 – 28 February 1986) was a Swedish politician and statesman who served as Prime Minister of Sweden from 1969 to 1976 and 1982 to 1986. Palme led the Swedish Social Democratic Party from 1969 until h ...
was assassinated, the
submarine incidents culminated with the
Soviet submarine ''U 137'' running aground in
Karlskrona
Karlskrona (, , ) is a locality and the seat of Karlskrona Municipality, Blekinge County, Sweden with a population of 66,675 in 2018. It is also the capital of Blekinge County. Karlskrona is known as Sweden's only baroque city and is host to Swed ...
and the decision of developing a
new fighter aircraft came through.
Early life
Ljung was born on 13 March 1921 in
Sollefteå
Sollefteå () is a locality and the seat of Sollefteå Municipality in Västernorrland County, Sweden with 8,562 inhabitants in 2010.
The earliest written account on Sollefteå is found in a script dating back to 1270. During this time the name o ...
, Sweden, the son of captain Hilmer Ljung and his wife Greta (née Gustafsson).
He passed his ''
studentexamen
Studentexamen (Swedish for "students' examination" or "students' degree"), earlier also ''mogenhetsexamen'' ("maturity examination") was the name of the university entrance examination in Sweden from the 17th century to 1968. From 1862 to 1968 ...
'' in
Gävle
Gävle () is a city in Sweden, the seat of Gävle Municipality and the capital of Gävleborg County. It had 77,586 inhabitants in 2020, which makes it the 13th most populated city in Sweden. It is the oldest city in the historical Norrland (Swede ...
in 1941.
Career
Ljung was commissioned as an officer 1944
and was assigned as a second lieutenant to the
Swedish Army Signal Troops
Swedish Army Signal Troops ( sv, Signaltrupperna, S) is the signal branch of the Swedish Army.
History
The Swedish Army Signal Troops were organized in accordance with the Defence Act of 1936 as a special branch of the field telegraph troops whi ...
the same year.
He attended the
Royal School of Signals
The Royal School of Signals is a military training establishment that is part of the United Kingdom's Defence School of Communications and Information Systems. It is at Blandford Camp in Dorset. The soldiers and officers who are attending courses ...
in 1950 and the
Royal Swedish Army Staff College
The Royal Swedish Army Staff College ( sv, Kungliga Krigshögskolan, KHS) was a Swedish Army training establishment between 1866 and 1961, providing courses for army officers. It was the home of the Swedish Army's staff college, which provided adv ...
from 1952 to 1954. Ljung was promoted to captain in the Swedish Army Signal Troops in 1953 and attended the
United States Army Command and General Staff College
The United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC or, obsolete, USACGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military ...
at
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth, Kansas, Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., an ...
,
Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
from 1956 to 1957 when he became captain of the General Staff.
Ljung served in
North Scanian Infantry Regiment
North Scanian Infantry Regiment ( sv, Norra skånska infanteriregementet), designation I 6, was a Swedish Army infantry regiment that operated from 1812 to 1963. The unit was based in the Kristianstad Garrison in Kristianstad. In 1963 the regiment ...
(I 6) from 1960 to 1961 when he became major of the General Staff. Ljung was teacher of strategy at the
Royal Swedish Armed Forces Staff College from 1962 to 1963 and attended the
Swedish National Defence College
The Swedish Defence University ( sv, Försvarshögskolan, FHS) is situated on Drottning Kristinas väg 37 in Östermalm, Stockholm City Centre, next to the campus of the Royal Institute of Technology.
History
Today's Swedish Defence University ma ...
in 1963.
He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1964 and served in
Gotland Regiment
The Gotland Regiment ( sv, Gotlands regemente, P 18) is a Swedish Army armoured
Armour (British English) or armor (American English; see spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical inju ...
(P 18) from 1965 to 1966. He was promoted to colonel in 1966 and was head of the Operation Command 2 of the
Defence Staff in 1966.
He was after that commanding officer of the
Uppland Signal Regiment (S 1) from 1968 to 1971, section chief of the Military District Staff of the
Eastern Military District
The Eastern Military District (Russian: Восточный военный округ) is a military district of Russia.
It is one of the five military districts of the Russian Armed Forces, with its jurisdiction within the Far Eastern Federal ...
(Milo Ö) from 1971 to 1972 and was promoted to major general in 1972. The same year he became
Chief of the Army Staff and the
General Staff Corps General Staff Corps ( sv, Generalstabskåren, Gst) was an administrative corps within the Swedish Armed Forces between 1937 and 1990 and consisted of Swedish Army officers chosen for duty in the Defence Staff and Army Staff. It replaced the earlie ...
and acting military commander of the
Western Military District
The Western Military District (russian: Западный военный округ, Zapadnyy voyennyy okrug) is a Military districts of Russia, military district of Russia.
It is one of the five military districts of the Russian Armed Forces, ...
(Milo V) in 1974. Ljung was promoted to lieutenant general in 1976 and was
Chief of the Defence Staff from 1976 to 1978.
Time as Supreme Commander
In 1978 he was promoted to general and appointed
Supreme Commander.
Ljung's time as Supreme Commander was marked by major transformations in the
Swedish Armed Forces
The Swedish Armed Forces ( sv, Försvarsmakten, "the Defense Force") is the government agency that forms the armed forces of Sweden, tasked with the defense of the country as well as with promoting Sweden's wider interests, supporting internati ...
and by the constant financial pressure.
It also consisted of renewal of the war planning, major military equipment projects, such as the
Saab JAS 39 Gripen
The Saab JAS 39 Gripen (; English: ''griffin'') is a light single-engine multirole fighter aircraft manufactured by the Swedish aerospace and defense company Saab AB. The Gripen has a delta wing and canard configuration with relaxed stabilit ...
, a new kind of armed forces training and reorganization of both the leadership and the command organization. The handling of the
submarine incidents and the systematic continuing submarine incursions also caused great strain on him.
Ljung was Supreme Commander during the submarine incident in
Karlskrona
Karlskrona (, , ) is a locality and the seat of Karlskrona Municipality, Blekinge County, Sweden with a population of 66,675 in 2018. It is also the capital of Blekinge County. Karlskrona is known as Sweden's only baroque city and is host to Swed ...
when the
Soviet
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
submarine
''U 137'' in October 1981 ran aground in
Blekinge
Blekinge (, old da, Bleking) is one of the traditional Swedish provinces (), situated in the southern coast of the geographic region of Götaland, in southern Sweden. It borders Småland, Scania and the Baltic Sea. It is the country's second ...
archipelago. By then he had a close collaboration with Prime Minister
Thorbjörn Fälldin
Nils Olof Thorbjörn Fälldin (24 April 1926 – 23 July 2016) was a Swedish politician. He was Prime Minister of Sweden in three non-consecutive cabinets from 1976 to 1982, and leader of the Swedish Centre Party from 1971 to 1985. On his ...
and was very prominent throughout the incident. His report on the whole situation excluded the possibility that the submarine accidentally ended up in Swedish territory, and he pursue in the coming years the issue of higher allocations to the military to fight the
submarine intrusions which was considered coming from the Soviet Union.
According to Robert Dalsjö's doctoral thesis, Ljung was the last Supreme Commander who knew the secret peacetime cooperation with
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
, and also the one who discontinued the cooperation. In 1986, Ljung left the position of Supreme Commander and retired from military service and became chief of
His Majesty's Military Staff
His Majesty's Military Staff ( sv, H.M. Konungens stab) is the military staff of the Swedish monarch and functions as a unit of the Royal Court. It is led by the chief of staff and supports the King and the Royal Family at official ceremonies, mil ...
.
Personal life
In 1947, Ljung married Gertrud Öhman (1922–2005), the daughter of furrier August Öhman and Anna (née Nilsson). They had two children, Lars (born 1948),
a retired colonel and senior adviser of the
Folke Bernadotte Academy
The Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) ( sv, Folke Bernadotteakademin) is the Swedish government agency for peace, security and development. FBA conducts training, research and method development in order to strengthen peacebuilding and statebuildin ...
and Ann-Marie (born 1953).
Death
Lennart Ljung died on 19 November 1990 and was buried in
Söderhamn
Söderhamn is a Urban areas in Sweden, locality and the seat of Söderhamn Municipality, Gävleborg County, Sweden with 11,761 inhabitants in 2010.
Sports
The biggest local sport is bandy. Broberg/Söderhamn Bandy play in the highest division E ...
cemetery.
Dates of rank
Awards and decorations
Swedish
*
H. M. The King's Medal
H. M. ( His Majesty) The King's Medal ( sv, H.M. Konungens medalj), earlier known as the Court Medal ( sv, Hovmedaljen), is a Swedish honour that may be bestowed upon Swedish and foreign citizens. The medal was created in 1814 and is awarded in di ...
, 12th size gold medal worn around the neck on a chain of gold (1986)
*
Commander 1st Class of the
Order of the Sword
The Royal Order of the Sword (officially: ''Royal Order of the Sword''; Swedish: ''Kungliga Svärdsorden'') is a Swedish order of chivalry and military decoration created by King Frederick I of Sweden on February 23, 1748, together with the Or ...
(6 June 1973)
*
Knight of the
Order of the Sword
The Royal Order of the Sword (officially: ''Royal Order of the Sword''; Swedish: ''Kungliga Svärdsorden'') is a Swedish order of chivalry and military decoration created by King Frederick I of Sweden on February 23, 1748, together with the Or ...
(before 1968)
Foreign
*
Grand Cross of the
Order of the Dannebrog
The Order of the Dannebrog ( da, Dannebrogordenen) is a Danish order of chivalry instituted in 1671 by Christian V. Until 1808, membership in the order was limited to fifty members of noble or royal rank, who formed a single class known a ...
(7 April 1981)
*
Commander of the
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...
(1980)
Honours
*Member of the
Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences The Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences ( sv, Kungliga Krigsvetenskapsakademien) is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden and was founded on 12 November 1796 by Gustaf Wilhelm af Tibell. The academy is an independent organization and a forum for m ...
(1967)
*Honorary member of the
Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences
The Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences ( sv, Kungliga Örlogsmannasällskapet, KÖMS), founded in 1771 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden. The Society is an independent organization and a forum for navy and defence i ...
(1980)
*Member of the International Hall of Fame,
United States Army Command and General Staff College
The United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC or, obsolete, USACGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military ...
References
Further reading
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ljung, Lennart
1921 births
1990 deaths
Swedish Army generals
People from Sollefteå Municipality
Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences
Commanders First Class of the Order of the Sword
Foreign recipients of the Legion of Merit
20th-century Swedish military personnel
Non-U.S. alumni of the Command and General Staff College
Chiefs of the Defence Staff (Sweden)