HOW BALL BEARINGS COULD HAVE CHANGED THE COURSE OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR Date: 01 Jan 2011
During the Second World War, ball bearings and machinery for producing them were some of the most sought after and fought over manufactures, vital components in aircraft, tanks, automobiles, guns, submarine engines and similar war material. And with neutral Sweden dominating the industry at that time, withholding access to ball bearings for Britain and Germany could have had a major impact on the war.
According to new research by Eric Golson, any slowdown in Swedish exports of ball bearings would have significantly reduced the production of airplanes and tanks available in the belligerent countries. For example, with 1,700 much needed British planes awaiting bearings during the Battle of Britain, the impact of the availability of Swedish bearings on the outcome of the war cannot be underestimated.
The study, presented at the Economic History Society’s 2011 annual conference, finds that Swedish ball bearings were very important to both countries’ war efforts, responsible in total for 58% of German and 31%% of British ball bearings supplies. About 15% and 10% respectively of total British and German supplies originated directly from Sweden, with the British proportion sent via airplanes and ships running the German blockade.
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Sweden could have slowed the mechanisation of the Second World War by withholding access to ball bearings. Ball and roller bearings are speciality engineering products that use balls to maintain separation between two moving axles; they reduce rotational friction and support loads. They are currently found in everyday items such as bicycles, automobiles and even computer hard disks.
During a war, they are particularly useful in airplane motors, tanks, automobiles, guns, submarine engines and similar war material. During the Second World War, ball bearings and machinery for producing them were some of the most sought after and fought over manufactures.
The Swedish company SKF controlled the requisite high strength raw materials, machine tools, intellectual property and patents necessary to produce the highest quality finished product in both Swedish and subsidiary factories in many European countries.
This research examines the Swedish ball bearings industry during the Second World War, including subsidiary operations in Germany and Britain. It finds that Swedish ball bearings were very important to both countries’ war efforts, responsible in total for 58% of German and 31% of British ball bearings supplies.
About 15% and 10% of total British and German supply originated directly from Sweden, with the British proportion sent via blockade-running airplanes and ships. The remainder of ball bearings production was in local factories in each belligerent country, using equipment from Sweden.
This study shows that any slowdown in exports would have reduced the production of airplanes and tanks available in the belligerent countries over a multi‐year period. For example, with 1,700 much needed British planes awaiting bearings during the Battle of Britain, the impact of the availability of Swedish bearings on the outcome of the war cannot be underestimated.
Demonstrating the importance of ball bearing supplies, the British government was particularly interested in maintaining trade links with Sweden. This is the first study to provide details of the blockade-running ships and airplanes that were employed to maintain British ball bearing exports from Sweden.
These boats and planes were British military craft launched from Swedish territory: the boats used in the naval operations were commanded by former military officers and the planes piloted by officers seconded from the Royal Air Force. The boats and planes were frequently equipped with guns and most used military evasion tactics.
The illicit nature of the trade, as well as the use, docking and operation of these ships and airplanes in neutral Sweden exposes the country to claims it was overly biased towards the Allied cause. This trade was clearly an overt choice by the neutral Swedish government to aid the Allied war effort; and the Swedish government did not obtain the consent of the Germans for this trade as was typical with the War Trade Agreement process. Estimates of this illicit trade are included in the reported ball bearing supply statistics.
ENDS
Eric B. Golson, London School of Economics