The period between July 1941 and January 1943 initially saw Sweden trying desperately to protect itself from the consequences of a rising tide of German success in the east. Then, as the German zenith passed, Sweden began to prepare for the adjustments required to accommodate the growing power of the Western Allies, who after December 1941 significantly included the formerly neutral United States. Sweden also kept an eye on the advancing Red Army and the prospects for Germany's co-combatant, Finland, in the event of Soviet success. It took until 1942 for Sweden to realise that the seeds of Germany's downfall had been planted by Hitler's catastrophic decision to wage war on two fronts. However, Sweden was sandwiched between these two fronts and increasingly had to satisfy both sides as opposed to accommodating the Germans. The nadir of concessions to Germany took place between the Engelbrecht concession in July 1941 and the release to the Allies of the previously embargoed Norwegian ships the following year, March 1942. By then, it was clear that the Soviet army had put a brake on the Wehrmacht's campaign in Russia. German setbacks, however, did not mean an easing of the difficulties for Sweden. Indeed, Sweden had to work harder on the diplomatic and trade fronts in order to maintain its position as an independent, self-determining state.