| Tittel: | A concise history of the campaign in Norway (1940) | | Ansvar: | Robert Palmer | | Forfatter: | Palmer, Robert  | | Materialtype: | Artikkel | | Signatur: | Digital PDF | | Utgitt: | UK : British Military History, 2019 | | Omfang: | 37 sider - Illustrert | | Klassenummer: | 940.53 | | Emneord: | 2. verdenskrig / Andre verdenskrig / Det britiske felttog / Felttog / Krig / Militærhistorie / Militærvesen | | Geografiske emneord: | England / Narvik / Norge / Tyskland | | Note: | Artikkelen ligger kun som nedlastbar PDF på høyre side. | | Innhold: | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
With the outbreak of the Second World War in Europe on 3 September 1939, Norway opted to remain neutral; as did its neighbours of Sweden, Finland and Denmark. In 1939, Norway was a constitutional monarchy of about three million people; most of whom lived in settlements in the south of the country with the main centres of population being Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim. Inland, amongst the mountains, the country was sparsely populated. The geography dictated that there were few direct roads or railways between the centres of population. The reliance on merchant shipping meant that the country had a large and generally modern mercantile marine. This served the coastal trade that sustained large parts of the country and provided for much international trade.
In terms of defence, Norway had a system of compulsory military service. The Royal Norwegian Navy mobilised at the commencement of the war, but the Army did not. When the Soviet Union invaded Finland on 30 November 1939, the 6th Division (based in the north of the country) mobilised one mixed brigade in case of Soviet invasion. Five divisions covered the rest of the country, each based on a geographic locality, and each charged with raising one mixed brigade in the event of hostilities. The total number of men in the Army was about thirteen thousand.
The United Kingdom and Germany considered Norway as having strategic importance to their national interests. Control of its long coastline posed a threat to the Royal Navy’s control of the North Sea, a matter of which the German Navy was very aware. In addition, Germany viewed the import of iron ore from northern Sweden through the port of Narvik in Norway as important to its war economy. For the U.K., the Royal Navy recognised the importance of controlling Norwegian waters and depriving them to any enemy.
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