Figure 1.--Here we see children in Oslo watching the Norwegian Victory parade (June 8, 1945). The Swedish press caption for the photograoph read something like, "Kongens Återkohst Norske piker hålles tillbaka av starka polisarmar. En titt på kongen skull man väl ha i alla fall tycker barnen." We are not entirely sure how to translate it because the originl text is difficult to make out, but it is some like 'Norwegian children try to get a glimpse of the King who had jut asrived. They are being held back by strong police arms.'

It took a little doing to organize a victory parade. It was easier to plan a victory parade in an unoccupied country or a country liberated months before. Not much could be done immeditely after liberation. And the King was not yet back home. It would be unthinkable to have a victory parade without the King. The Royal Family was held in high regard before the War. And theur residtanhce to ghe NAZIs thrioughout the occupation only added to their prestige. But by June they put together a badly needed parade. With the Government and Royal Family back home, it was finally held (June 8). Unfortunately we have not been able to find much informtion about the parade. It looks to have been a rainy day and the parade route wntb by the royal palace. There was a contingent of the Underground Norwegian Army. Hopefully we can eventually find more information. While Norway did not oplay a major combat role in the Allied victory, the large garison force that Hitler maintained in Norway made a valuable cointrinution to the Allied victory by 0.5 million men out of critical combat areas like the coat of France for example. .

Created: 7:51 AM 11/24/2018
Last updated: 7:51 AM 11/24/2018