Archibald Douglas (1883–1960)

Lieutenant General Count Wilhelm Archibald Douglas (19 July 1883 – 5 July 1960) was a senior Swedish Army officer and nobleman. Douglas had a remarkable career marked by military achievements and high-ranking positions. Commissioned as an officer in 1903, he quickly rose through the ranks, attaining the rank of lieutenant in the Life Regiment Dragoons in 1906. During World War I, he served as a general staff officer in the 1st Army Division, and in 1918, he played a significant role in the Finnish Civil War, becoming captain and lieutenant colonel in the Finnish Army and participating in key battles.

Returning to Sweden, Douglas continued his military career, holding various positions such as chief of staff of the 5th Army Division and commanding officer of the Norrland Dragoon Regiment. His promotions continued, reaching major general in 1937, and he later served as Chief of the Army from 1944 to 1948. In addition to his military duties, Douglas was a member of the Stockholm City Council and held roles as aide-de-camp and chief aide-de-camp to King Gustaf V. Apart from his military career, Douglas was also a prolific writer, producing biographical literature, including works on Marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim and his ancestor, Swedish Field Marshal Robert Douglas, Count of Skenninge.

In 1933, together with a number of other officers, Douglas was one of the initiators of the formation of the National Socialist Bloc. The project was an attempt to unite the many different Swedish Nazi organizations to join together in a common party. However, only a number of smaller groups, such as the Swedish National Socialist Union Party and the National Socialist Union, joined. The members of the party came mostly from the upper class and many were officers.