0. Introduction. A group π has weak dimension (wd) ≤ n (see Cartan and Ellen-berg (2)) if Hk(π, A) = 0 for all right Z(π)-modules A and all k > n. We say that the weak dimension of a manifold M is ≤ n if wd (πl(M))≤ n. In section 1 we show that open, orientable, irreducible 3-manifolds have wd ≤ 1 if and only if they are the monotone on of 1-handle bodies. In his celebrated theorem (10), Stallings proves that finitely presented groups of cohomological dimensions ≤ 1 are free. In section 2 we prove that if π is a finitely presented group which is the fundamental group of any orientable 3-manifold with wd ≤ 1 then π is free. We also give an example to show that the finite generation of π is necessary. (Swan (11) removes the finitely presented hypothesis from Stalling's theorem.) Finally, in section 3 we generalize a theorem of McMillan (5) and prove that if M is an open, orientable, irreducible 3-manifold with finitely generated fundamental group, then M is stably (taking the product with n ≥ 1 copies of ℝ) a connected sum along the boundary of trivial (n+2)-disc Sl bundles.