Norway 1940

by François Kersaudy

In the late 1930s, as Europe moved toward war, the peaceful kingdom of Norway found itself strategically vital to the interests of Germany, France, and Great Britain. Though Norway was strictly neutral, in April 1940 Britain and France mined Norwegian territorial waters to prevent supplies from reaching Germany. Immediately, the German Reich invaded the militarily weak Norway. Norway 1940 shows the country fighting valiantly, assisted by the Allies in a two-month campaign that has become a textbook example of confused aims and faulty coordination. François Kersaudy delved deeply into the archives of the nations involved to offer the most balanced account to date. He depicts the glaring political and military errors of the campaign and goes on to consider large questions about its conduct and consequences.

Genres: History, Military History, Nonfiction, World War II

284 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Le professeur François Kersaudy, historien polyglotte et biographe de Churchill, Goering et Mountbatten, est aussi l'auteur du seul ouvrage au monde sur les relations entre de Gaulle et Churchill (Perrin). Dans la collection Maîtres de Guerre, il a également écrit Hitler, Staline et MacArthur.

Reviews

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to read this since I knew so little about Norway in WWII, but this book was so damn boring. I found myself skipping a lot of pages. Super dry.

[Jonathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This concise history of one of the Second World War's most disagreeable fiascoes (if you're British, French or Norwegian) is, perhaps because of space limitations, unsatisfying. While the author does take the time to narrate the strategic and political decisions that went into carrying out the simultaneous invasions of Norway by both the Germans and the Allies, there is very little attention paid to the actual fighting, especially at sea and in the air. And while the British and French showed almost unbelievable incompetence in the campaign, the Norwegians must also shoulder their share of the blame for ignoring the need to prepare for the defense of their country before the fighting began. Of course, the Germans carried out their operations with a crisp professionalism and lack of friction between their various arms of service that can still draw our admiration today, not that the author pays much attention to that aspect of the campaign here. The maps are barely adequate; they lack places and terrain features mentioned in the text. Still, the text is written with verve and occasional dry wit that eases its passing, but it is still not the work to turn to for a history of the military aspects of the campaign.

[Erik Graff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the most detailed account I've read of the British and German invasions of Norway in 1940 and of the decision of the Norwegian government and King Haakon to flee the country and ally with the British.

My mother, an early teenager in Oslo at the time of the German invasion, told of how her classmates participated in the transportation of the nation's gold reserves, driving their parents' automobiles across the country to waiting allied ships on the western coast.

[Erik Empson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A totally devastating critique of an appalling episode of failure of leadership. My only criticism is that Churchill gets off a tad lighter than he perhaps should have.
Confusion about objectives, indecision, terrible communication, lies, lack of transparency, betrayal, and cowardice characterised Britain's behaviour with regard to Norway in the first full year of WWII. The admixture of arrogance and incompetence was a toxic brew only eclipsed by the utter failure of the Allies to adequately meet Hitler's western offensive in Belgium and France.
A superlative work that deserves to be standard reading in every history classroom in Britain.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a good book on the subject. More time is spent on the political side, as it should be, and not as much on the military portion. Though, that was short lived and unsuccessful. There may be more detailed accounts of the fighting out there, but, this book will give the reader a sense of what was going on in this very turbulent time.

[Anthony Hare · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why tf did the British thing they could mine a fjord in Norway that supplied like 80% of axis iron ore and not have to face military repercussions. They spent like a month deciding where to land and when they did they were missing vital equipment (like ski bindings for ski-bound soldiers). Interesting book overall but could have been shorter.

[Kevin Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you ever wanted to see what command indecision is, read this book. The Allies inability to make a command decision was the reason for the loss of Norway. This book explains this all to well. Very good read.

[Erik Tolvstad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well researched and written history of the 1940 Campaign in Norway. Kersaudy often takes the British, French, and Norwegian leadership to task for repeated fumbling of information handling and see-saw decision making contributing to the disaster.

[Joseph Ficklen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, great maps. Narrative mainly focuses on the Allied response to the German invasion of Norway. Both sides had strategic interests in the country, the Allies because in both World Wars neutral Norwegian waters had been used by the Germans to skirt the blockade; and the Germans because their vital iron ore shipments from Sweden passed through the northern port of Narvik. On April 9th, 1940, unbeknownst to either side, they both began go execute their plans. The Germans intended to quickly occupy Norway, as they had done in Denmark, but it was only by a strange act of providence that they managed to miss the Allied naval forces steaming towards the country to mine its coastal waters. British and German naval task forces missed each other by mere hours and the Germans made unopposed landings in several areas around the country. For British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, who insisted that “Hitler has missed the bus,” the ensuing debacle over the Norwegian campaign would see the end of his government and the rise of Churchill. The Norwegians themselves, blissfully ignorant of the forces threatening their national sovereignty, were slow to respond to the German invasion in its first days. Although somewhat tardy in their valor, the Norwegians would prove to the Germans that they did not intend to be another Poland or Czechoslovakia. One of Germany’s best ships, the heavy cruiser Blücher, was sunk in the Oslofjord by antiquated Norwegian coastal artillery. The King of Norway, fleeing his capital under constant air attack, managed to make it safely away and began organizing the defense of his country, offering to resign his crown should the politicians give the country over to the Germans without a fight. All the while, the shadow collaborationist government of Vidkun Quisling waited to take power over the ashes.

What makes the Norwegian campaign special, is that it sees the first time Allied and German troops have gone toe to toe in combat. Czechoslovakia and Poland had been conquered and the Western powers had looked on impotently. But their response in Norway, although delayed and hampered by slow decision making, gave the Germans their most difficult conquest yet. Norway also saw the debut of the German Kriegsmarine, which, though much smaller than the Royal Navy, was used to great effect to delivering and defending German troops to Norway. However the attrition was terrible, and in addition to the sunken cruiser Blücher, two naval battles in the waters around Narvik saw 10 of Germany’s destroyers sunk to enemy action. Germany’s navy was used very effectively, but at the cost of being completely shot for the rest of the war, crucially unable to support German land forces during Sealion later that year. The Norwegian campaign should be a lesson to all democratic societies that go to war with totalitarian powers. A war effort that must be directed by committee will always fail in the face of war makers who are simply more willing to roll the dice with the lives of their men. Germany took incredible chances in Norway and it ultimately paid off for them.

[Monty Milne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping narrative which incorporates a devastating critique of British military and political incompetence. Heroic leadership was provided by the Norwegian King and General Ruge, their commander. Churchill and the Admiralty were unlucky, but the windbaggery of the French and the dithering of the rest of the British were verging on the criminally incompetent.

I've read numerous accounts of this campaign which tend to focus on the naval side of operations so it's good to read something that is focused on the land campaign, and where the role of the Norwegians themselves is emphasised.

Although the book is quite short there are nevertheless some brilliantly gripping passages, such as when the King and his party have to make a run for it while German bombers try to kill them by destroying the village they were in and shooting up the snowy woods where they are hiding. Another one is the battle south of Trondheim on St George's day when German tanks and armoured vehicles are destroyed by a detachment of British soldiers holding out in a doomed defensive battle. By a curious co-incidence, two days after finishing this book I came across an obituary in the Telegraph of the soldier who had fired the anti-tank rifle which knocked out two panzers. His name was Sergeant Major John Sheppard and he was 99 years old when he died.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Norway 1940 succinctly and expertly explores the strategic importance of Norway and the Nazi invasion and British response that helped shape the early days of World War II. Kersaudy focuses on a diverse array of topics including the Norwegian response, Nazi thinking and British indecision/confusion over Norway. What was agreed by all was that Norway was a key site for the waterway control to Russia and Scandinavia that had to be held by one side or the other. The British were unable to commit significant reserves but there tenacity and threat to return forced Hitler to turn Norway into a formidable base and keep large numbers of troops stationed there throughout the war that could have otherwise been used against the Allies. Overall this is a concise and straight to the point narrative that takes the British to task for operational failures and outlines Norwegian options during the opening stages of the war. If you are interested in World War II this is a great addition to any historiography on the subject.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slim but solid history of the 1940 conquest of Norway by Nazi Germany. Portrays the confusion in Allied ranks really well, and makes plain the terrible gulf in decisionmaking efficiency between them and the Germans at this time of the war. Could have used a bit more background on the Norwegian side though - the emphasis is, as the title says, on 1940, but a couple of chapters on Norwegian military preparedness and foreign policy would have added much needed context. Also, there's a few questionable editing choices - the Blucher, for instance, is described as being hit once by a shore-defence gun, and then a paragraph ends and a couple of chapters later we're told in passing that the ship actually sank. Some more detail (what happened? Were there survivors?) are almost necessary here, it was a very odd thing to gloss over. Worth a read, regardless - this is a very much neglected piece of history.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in stuffy British, you really have to work to get through this puppy. The author really takes the British to task here for fouling up their half-hearted attempts to aid the Norwegians during and after the German invasion of April 9, 1940. Sure the Norwegians underestimated the German threat, but the Brits and their paralysis in decision making just about left Norway swinging in the breeze. Interesting insights but a tough read.

[Tom Kurtz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Norwegian soldiers and mid-ranks fought well. Command structure bad. Britain dropped the ball.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

"when the clamour of the gun dies away, the clamour of the history writer begins" (page 255)

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good operational history.