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The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany during the Second World War began on 9 April 1940 after Operation Weserübung.Conventional armed resistance to the German invasion ended on 10 June 1940, and Nazi Germany controlled Norway until the capitulation of German forces in Europe on 8 May 1945.
In the early morning of 9 April 1940 (Wesertag, "Weser Day"), German forces occupied Denmark and invaded Norway, ostensibly as a preventive manoeuvre against a planned Anglo-French occupation of Norway known as Plan R 4, which developed as a response to a German invasion of Norwegian territory. After the rapid occupation of Denmark, in which ...
The invasion and the following occupation are depicted in the John Steinbeck novel The Moon Is Down, although neither Germany nor Norway are referred to by name. Paul Milner , a major character in the television crime drama series Foyle's War that takes place in wartime Britain, served in the Norwegian Campaign and injured his leg there.
1: A final order is given for the German attack on Norway and Denmark; 3: The date for invasion is set for 17 March 1940, although this is later delayed to April. 28: The Allies decide to begin mining Norwegian waters (Operation Wilfred), and to send a military force to Norway to pre-empt German aggression. The Allies assumed that Wilfred would ...
From the start of World War II in 1939, Norway maintained a strict neutrality. [108] Both Britain and Germany realized the strategic location; both made plans to invade Norway, regardless of Norwegian opposition. The Germans struck first and invaded Norway on 9 April 1940 in the so called operation "Weserübung". After furious battles with ...
In order to invade Norway, the Germans divided their naval forces into six groups. The fifth of these, " Kampfgruppe 5," was to pass through the Oslofjord and land troops in Oslo . The group consisted of the heavy cruisers Blücher and Lützow , the light cruiser Emden , the torpedo boats Möwe , Kondor and Albatros and eight minesweepers .
The early phase of the invasion was marked by the German advantage of surprise. Norwegian troops in northern Norway had been called out on a three-month neutrality watch during the winter of 1939/1940, and so they had trained together. From 9–25 April, the Norwegian forces suffered three catastrophes.
Although Norway did not have any major battles beyond those of the Norwegian Campaign, a number of military operations served to subvert the Nazi authorities and contribute to the larger war effort. Milorg started out as a small sabotage unit and ended up building a full military force in time for the liberation.