Introduction to the Norwegian Resistance during WW2, Part I

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Introduction to the Norwegian Resistance during WW2, Part I

The Phony War is over, Norway attacked by Germany

Between now and 8 February 2022 when my next book in The Resistance Girl Series comes out, titled The Norwegian Assassin, I’ll be posting a series of blogs on the Norwegian Resistance movement.

Norway may not be the most well-known country to resist Nazi-Germany because it was governed by one of Hitler’s puppet regimes, Vidkun Quisling’s Nasjonal Samling (NS), but in the course of the war, the Norwegian Resistance developed into one of the toughest and most successful anti-Nazi movements, just because of the hated home regime. It is also one of the most interesting of the entire WW2 period, at least from the standpoint of a historical fiction author.

Not really fun fact, but still worth mentioning: the term “quisling” has become synonymous for “collaborator” or “traitor” in a number of languages and symbolizes the contempt for Quisling’s conduct. And to start with the final outcome right at the start: yes, the villain was found guilty of high treason and was executed in 1945. But in the 5-year occupation of Norway, Quisling’s fascist government facilitated the extremely cruel and relentless Nazi regime. He’s co-responsible for the death of thousands of his countrymen and -women.

The Norwegian Campaign

The occupation of Norway happened in the same way as the Blitzkrieg tactics that the German army would employ in Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg and France one month later. The Campaign ultimately lasted from 8 April – 10 June 1940, in which the Norwegian military forces were helped by Allied forces from Britain, Poland and France.

Planned as Operation Wilfred and Plan R 4, the HMS Renown set out from Scapa Flow (Orkney Islands) for the Vestfjorden (Norway’s West Coast under the Lofoten) with twelve destroyers on 4 April. The German attack on Norway had been expected with fearful anticipation. It would signal the end of the Phony War that had begun with Hitler’s invasion of Poland and Great-Britain and France’s subsequent declaration of war on 3 September 1939. Seven months had passed without real warfare but that period was over as an ally was under threat of attack.

British and German naval forces met at the first Battle of Narvik on 9 and 10 April, and the first British forces landed at Åndalsnes on the 13th. The main strategic reason for Germany to invade Norway was to seize the port of Narvik and guarantee the iron ore needed for critical production of steel.

A British, French and Polish expeditionary force of 38,000 soldiers landed in the north. Together with the Norwegian army they had moderate success at first. However, a rapid strategic retreat took place after Germany’s overwhelmingly quick invasion of France in May. It demoralized the losing armies in the North. The campaign ended with the occupation of the entirety of Norway by Germany on 10 June 1940. Some of the Norwegian forces managed to escape and fought on from overseas.

Norway had two tactical advantages when it came to escaping both the Quisling Regime and the Gestapo. A long coastline for fleeing across the sea and an equally long borderline with neutral Sweden to escape over land. Both turned out to be crucial during the occupation and partly explains the successes of the Norwegian Resistance movement, especially after 1943.

The campaign lasted until 10 June 1940. Meanwhile King Haakon VII, his family and the Norwegian government had sought exile in London.

More soon…