Norwegian Campaign

Norwegian Campaign
Conflict	Norwegian Campaign
Partof	World War II
Date	9 April – 10 June 1940
Place	Norway
Result	German victory
Combatant1	Allies:, Norway, United Kingdom, France, Poland
Combatant2	Axis:, Nazi Germany
Commander1	Norway:, Haakon VII, Johan Nygaardsvold, Otto Ruge, Allies:, Lord Cork, Pierse Mackesy, Adrian Carton de Wiart
Commander2	Germany:, Nikolaus von Falkenhorst, Eduard Dietl, Günther Lütjens

Norwegian Campaign. The Norwegian Campaign was a pivotal military engagement in the early stages of World War II, lasting from 9 April to 10 June 1940. It saw the invasion of Norway by Nazi Germany, prompting a swift but ultimately unsuccessful Allied intervention involving forces from the United Kingdom, France, and Poland. The campaign resulted in a German victory, leading to the occupation of Norway and the exile of its government, while highlighting significant strategic and naval lessons for both sides.

Background

German strategic interest in Norway was driven by a need to secure vital shipments of Swedish iron ore, which traveled through the northern Norwegian port of Narvik. The Altmark Incident in February 1940, where the Royal Navy boarded a German auxiliary in neutral waters, heightened tensions. Concurrently, the United Kingdom and France were planning their own intervention, Operation Wilfred, to mine Norwegian waters and disrupt this supply line. The German high command, under Adolf Hitler, authorized Weserübung, the invasion plan for Denmark and Norway, to preempt Allied actions and secure naval bases for the Kriegsmarine against the Royal Navy.

Invasion of Norway

Operation Weserübung commenced on 9 April 1940 with simultaneous assaults on key Norwegian ports and cities. German forces seized Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, Stavanger, and Kristiansand using a combination of naval landings, airborne troops, and covert operations by Fallschirmjäger paratroopers. The sinking of the German heavy cruiser Blücher in the Oslofjord by Norwegian coastal defenses delayed but did not prevent the capture of the capital. In the north, the Battle of Narvik saw German destroyers and mountain troops under Eduard Dietl secure the critical iron ore port. The rapid collapse of organized Norwegian resistance was exacerbated by the actions of Vidkun Quisling, who attempted a coup.

Allied response and land campaign

The Allies, primarily British and French forces, responded by landing expeditionary troops at several points, including Åndalsnes, Namsos, and near Harstad. The primary objectives were to recapture Trondheim in central Norway and reinforce Norwegian forces under General Otto Ruge. However, operations like the Battle of Åndalsnes and the Battle of Namsos were hampered by poor coordination, lack of air cover, and formidable German opposition from the Luftwaffe. The campaign in central Norway collapsed by early May, forcing an Allied withdrawal. Attention then shifted to the northern Battle of Narvik, where a combined Allied force eventually recaptured the town in late May.

Naval operations

Naval engagements were extensive and decisive throughout the campaign. Early actions included the First and Second Battles of Narvik, where the Royal Navy inflicted heavy losses on the Kriegsmarine destroyer fleet. The German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau were active, clashing with British forces in engagements like the Battle of the Lofoten Islands. The campaign proved costly for both navies; the Royal Navy lost the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious and several destroyers, while the Kriegsmarine suffered severe losses that crippled its surface fleet for later operations like the proposed Invasion of the United Kingdom. These battles underscored the vulnerability of capital ships to air power and the importance of naval supremacy.

Occupation and resistance

Following the Allied evacuation in early June, Norway fell under full German occupation, administered by Reichskommissar Josef Terboven. King Haakon VII and the Nygaardsvold's Cabinet escaped to London to form a government-in-exile. A vigorous resistance movement quickly emerged, supported by the British Special Operations Executive. Notable acts of sabotage included the Norwegian heavy water sabotage against the Vemork plant, which hindered the German German nuclear weapon project. The collaborationist regime of Vidkun Quisling, whose name became synonymous with treason, faced widespread popular contempt and underground opposition from groups like Milorg.

Aftermath and significance

The campaign secured Germany's northern flank and guaranteed access to Swedish iron ore, but at a high cost to the Kriegsmarine, which lost numerous crucial vessels. For the Allies, the failure in Norway contributed to political upheaval in the United Kingdom, leading to the resignation of Neville Chamberlain and the appointment of Winston Churchill as Prime Minister. The campaign demonstrated the decisive impact of air power and highlighted weaknesses in Allied inter-service cooperation. It also established Norway as a base for Allied commando raids and, later, as a focal point in the Arctic convoys to the Soviet Union. The occupation lasted until the Liberation of Finnmark in 1944 and the general German surrender in 1945.

Category:World War II Category:Military history of Norway Category:Battles of World War II involving Germany Category:Battles of World War II involving the United Kingdom Category:Conflicts in 1940