Figure 1.--This Norwegian boy with the family possessions is as a result of the German invadion being moved to safety (April 1940). Unfortunately we have no further detail. we think he is being prepared vor a family trip to Britain by boat.

Norwegian officials were intent on maintaining the country's neutrality as they had done in World War I. Norway had no professional army and only a poorly trained militia. Officals had seen the German newsreels of what had happened in Poland and were intent on maintaining the country's neutrality. In fact they persued this course even after the NAZI invasion was underway (April 1940). German sea and airborne units while their comrads rolled into Denmark, launched their invasion of Norway (April 9). The Germans in a single day launched multiple seaborn ar airborn attacks to the complete surprize of the completely unprepared Norwegians. [Greene and Massignani] The Germans targeted Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, Stavanger, and Narvik. The German Narvik operation was especially daring as it was located in the far north of the country and involved a naval operation against the far superior Allied naval forces. It was accomplished by a German destroyer squadron moving ground forces all the way to Narvik. This German force succeeded in holding the town even after the the British sank the destroyers (April 13). The Norwegians were stunned by the German invasion, but managed to organize some resistance. Three German cruisers and four troopships were sunk. The Allies land an expeditionary force landed in southern Norway (April 16–19), but were eventually forced to withdraw (May 3). The Germans steadily reinforce their foothold. After the Allies with drew from the south, the Norwegians have no real hope of resisting the Germans on their own. The Germans steadily reinforce their foothold. After the Allies with drew from the south, the Norwegians have no real hope of resisting the Germans on their own. When the Germans took the key rail center of Dombas, organized Norwegian resistance rapidly ceased. A British ground force retook Narvik (May 28), but was eventually withdrawn. The superiority of the Luftwaffe and developments in France were the deciding factors (June 10).

Norwegian Neutrality

Norway remained neutral in World War I and there was a strong national consensus that it should remain neutral again when Hitler launched World War II by invading Poland. The Germans had respected Norwegian neutrality in World War I and most Norwegians while having misgivings about the NAZIs, assumed that their neutrality would again be respected. The same attitude was prevalenbt in other neurtral countries (Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland). Thus no real steps were taken to prepare for a possible German invasion. No talks were held with the Allies about possible military cooperation least in insite German reaction. Norway had a very small military, but it was generally assumed thst an invasion was beyond German military capabilities.

Germans Surprise Strike (April 9)

German sea and airborne units launch their invasion of Norway (April 9). The Germans in a single day launched multiple seaborn and airborn attacks to the complete surprize of the completely unprepared Norwegians. [Greene and Massignani] The Germans targeted Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, Stavanger, and Narvik.

Norwegian Resistance

The Norwegians were stunned by the German invasion, but managed to organoize some resistance. Three German cruisers and four troopships were sunk.

Norwegian Government

Prime Minister Johan Nygaardsvold and most of his cabinent were astonished when they were awoken in the early hours to lean that the Germans were invading their country (April 9). Only foreign minister Halvdan Koht and minister of defense Birger Ljungberg had some advanced warning. Nygaardsvold's Government had made no plans for such an invasion, with the exception of removing some of the country's gold reserve Oslo vaults. German Ambassador Curt Bräuer delivered an ultimatum just as the first German troops began landing. Although unprepared, Nygaardsvold's Government adamently refused to surrender to the Germans. The ultimatum demanded thst Norway accept the "protection of the Reich". Foreign Minister Koht and the government rejected Hirler's ultmatum out of hand before dawn. Koht's response was "Vi gir oss ikke frivillig, kampen er allerede i gang." (We will not submit voluntarily; the struggle is already underway.) The Government anticipating German plans to capture the Government, royal family, and parliment members, quickly evacuated Oslo before the Germans were able to seize control. The Royal Family, the cabinet, and the Storting boarded a special train at the Oslo Eastern Railway Station and headed northwards. Some headed nort in cars. They headed to Hamar and then on to Elverum. There an emergegency session of the Storting (Norwegian parliament) was held. Storting President C.J. Hambro helped push through tghe Elverum Authorization, an emergency measure which invested full authority to the King and his ministers until the Storting could reconvene. Thus the King Haakon had the full constitutional authority to reject the the German ultimata to accept German rule. The Germans as they became more established attempted to capture or kill the King and his ministers. They successfully evaded the Germans, traveled through the sparsely populated Norwegian interior. King Haakon as the disaster unfoled in France and the Allies began to evacuate Norway had a difficult decesion to make. He could as King Leopold and King Christian decided, stay and collaborate with the Germans. He decided to resist. King Haakon, Crown Prince Olav and the Government departed from Norway on the British heavy cruiser HMS Devonshire (June 7).

Allied Expeditionary Force (April 16-19)

The Allies land an expeditionary force landed in southern Norway (April 16–19), but are eventually forced to withdraw (May 3).

Narvik

The Narvik operation was especially daring as it was located in the far north of the country and involved a naval operation against the far superior Allied naval forces. It was accomplished by a German destroyer squadron moving ground forces all the way to Narvik. This German force succeeded in holding the town even after the the British sank the destroyers (April 13). The Germans steadily reinforce their foothold.

Withdraw North

After the Allies with drew from the south, the Norwegians have no real hope of resisting the Germans on their own. When the Germans took thev key rail center of Dombas, organized Norwegian resistance rapidly ceased. A British ground force retook Narvik (May 28). Operation Weserubing was a stuning military triumph fror the Reich. Gen. Jodel played a key role, counseling Hitler to let the forces in Narvik fightb it out when the issue was in doubt. It wwas Germany's firest jointb (air, sea, and land operation. It was a master piece of good planning by OKW and imprivization and aggressive action by the units deployed. [Greene and Massignani]

Allied Withdrawl

Despite taking Narvik, the Allies eventually withdrew. The superiority of the Luftwaffe and developments in France were the deciding factors (June 10).

German Reich-commissariat

The NAZIs placed a Reich-commissar in charge of Norway which took over the legal administration of the country. The Reich-commissar dissolved all Norwegian political parties except the pro-NAZI Nasjonal-Samling (September 25). The occupation regime was run administered by 13 commissars. The German occupation would last until the NAZI surrender (May 7, 1945)

Sources

Greene, Jack and Allesandro Massignani. Hitler Strikes North: The Nazi Invasionn of Norway and Denmark, April 1940 (2013), 352p.

Created: 7:03 PM 9/11/2010
Last updated: 9:50 PM 4/6/2014