The purpose of this essay to study how the Swedish armed forces looked at and described the modernization of Norrland as well as its impact on the armed forces during the years 1870– 1920. Aspects investigated in this study are menace, the perception of the population and the expected ability to defend the area. These questions will affect the way Sweden approaches, what at the time was considered a rich and possibly useful, though peripheral, region. Hence the chosen aspects for this study. Previous research that in one way or another touches this area of research has been discussed thoroughly in order to understand the Swedish armed forces view of Norrland in an adequate way.
A great deal of focus has been put into the understanding of how the Swedish armed forces looked at the modernization of Norrland, seen from the already mentioned perpectives. This essay portraits the military perspective of Norrland as possible battleground. A changing Norrland was included in the changes of Sweden, a land of the future, but how did the Swedish armed forces approach this change?