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World War II #28
Battles for Scandinavia
Book 28 of the Time-Life World War II series.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 1981
About the author
John R. Elting
53 books13 followersJohn Robert Elting was a soldier for thirty-five years (1933-1968), with a couple of civilian interludes as a high school instructor. His first commission had been from the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Stanford University in 1932. He combined this with summer duty in Company H (machine-guns), 163rd Infantry Regiment, Montana National Guard, and then as an officer in the Civilian Conservation Corps.
In 1940 Elting became an ROTC instructor at Oregon State College. From then on he was continually in service until 1947 (71st Armored Field Artillery Battalion, the Tactics Department of the Armored School at Fort Knox, Combat Command B, 8th Armored Division in the Rhineland, Ardennes, Alsace, and Central Europe campaigns, 24th Field Artillery Battalion of the Philippine Scouts). In 1948 he was recalled, after a short civilian interlude as a teacher, and was assigned to the Armed Forces Information School and, from there, to the Military Academy, West Point.
In 1954 John Elting's turn for overseas duty came up and he was posted to the J-2 (Intelligence) Division of the Far East Command, returning to West Point in 1957. There he began researching and writing the Military History and Atlas of the Napoleonic Wars, with Colonel Esposito acting as overall editor and advisor.
Between 1965 and 1968, Colonel Elting served as G-2 of the Washington Military District, before retiring in 1968.
After his retirement, Elting turned his attention to writing and research (in his own modest words, he "tried to be a historian"). He was the author, co-author or editor of sixteen books, including The Battles of Saratoga, American Army Life, A Dictionary of Soldier Talk, A Military History and Atlas of the Napoleonic Wars, Swords Around a Throne and Napoleonic Uniforms. He took particular delight in the history of Napoleon's Army - and the French emperor's campaigns - and in the study of the American Revolution, but was a considerable authority on all aspects of military history. His knowledge was deep, and he gave generously of it, and for many he served as an inspiration. He also served as a historical consultant on the Time-Life World War II book series and authored "Battles for Scandinavia" in the series.
In 1940 Elting became an ROTC instructor at Oregon State College. From then on he was continually in service until 1947 (71st Armored Field Artillery Battalion, the Tactics Department of the Armored School at Fort Knox, Combat Command B, 8th Armored Division in the Rhineland, Ardennes, Alsace, and Central Europe campaigns, 24th Field Artillery Battalion of the Philippine Scouts). In 1948 he was recalled, after a short civilian interlude as a teacher, and was assigned to the Armed Forces Information School and, from there, to the Military Academy, West Point.
In 1954 John Elting's turn for overseas duty came up and he was posted to the J-2 (Intelligence) Division of the Far East Command, returning to West Point in 1957. There he began researching and writing the Military History and Atlas of the Napoleonic Wars, with Colonel Esposito acting as overall editor and advisor.
Between 1965 and 1968, Colonel Elting served as G-2 of the Washington Military District, before retiring in 1968.
After his retirement, Elting turned his attention to writing and research (in his own modest words, he "tried to be a historian"). He was the author, co-author or editor of sixteen books, including The Battles of Saratoga, American Army Life, A Dictionary of Soldier Talk, A Military History and Atlas of the Napoleonic Wars, Swords Around a Throne and Napoleonic Uniforms. He took particular delight in the history of Napoleon's Army - and the French emperor's campaigns - and in the study of the American Revolution, but was a considerable authority on all aspects of military history. His knowledge was deep, and he gave generously of it, and for many he served as an inspiration. He also served as a historical consultant on the Time-Life World War II book series and authored "Battles for Scandinavia" in the series.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 11, 2015
In Battles for Scandinavia, John Elton takes readers into the three nations who had the distinct bad luck to lay between the warring powers of World War 2. Norway, Sweden, and Finland lay to the north of Germany, the east of Britain, and the west of Russia, guarding the sea access to both Russia and Germany's heartland. In the opening year of World War 2, Finland and Norway would fall to the Soviets and Nazis respectively, while Sweden armed itself to the teeth and dared the evil empires -- "Molon labe!" Although devoured by separate empires, the Scandinavian nations shared a common plight, and Battles combines three distinct conflicts: Russia's attempted takeover of Finland, the German seizure of Norway and Denmark, and the shoving match between Germany and Russia that entangled Finland once more. In Battles we see three nations over their heads but resisting as best they can.
I knew little of the Winter War except that Finnish soldiers defending their land from Soviet aggression exacted a heavy price from the invading army, inflicting five times as many casualties as they took. Throughout a savage winter, Soviet ineptitude at fighting in novel terrain and Finnish guerilla tactics that made the most of limited resources made Soviet ambition cost them dearly. In the end, their sheer weight of numbers did force the Finns into a settlement, but no sooner had a cease-fire been declared there than did German troops launch an invasion of Norway. They were competing with English troops who wanted to seize key ports to prevent their being used to aid the Nazi war effort, but fortunately the Norwegians overlooked that little detail and welcomed any assistance against their new peril. The English fared well on the high seas, but an attempt to fracture the German offensive at Trondheim ended only in retreat. Norway would remain Germany's for most of the war, providing space for airfields and submarine pens to launch attacks against Britain. Immediately after the conquest of Norway, of course, Germany invaded France and then spent a deadly summer threatening Britain with its own invasion until the weather changed and Germany shifted its focus to invading Russia, instead. When the devils' alliance ended with Panzers racing through the rodina, the Germans found an interesting ally -- Finland, who had not been conquered, merely temporarily pacified. The Germano-Finnish invasion put the Allies in a difficult place: the Finns were counterattacking, not building empire, but Stalin demanded somebody do something to help. Britain did declare war on Finland, but mercifully never crossed swords with it. The book is full of little anecdotes, and a favorite is an Finnish soldier who sighs at the English declaration: "We shall have to shave now, we are fighting 'gentlemen'!" Finland's alliance with the Nazis would ultimately backfire, however; kept alive by English blood and American resources, the Soviets would recover and drive back the Germans. Threatened with Soviet wrath, Finland made a separate peace and found itself ravaged instead by its one-time ally, who slammed the door and burned everything on the way out, with an indignant "Thanks for nothing, 'comrades-in-arms!". Poor Finland -- so far from God, so close to nations with dreams of world conquest.
Battles for Scandinavia also covers Sweden and Denmark, though more briefly. Denmark was taken by Germany so quickly that its dazed population woke up to find Germany already in control of the country; only later did resistance break out. Along among the north countries, Sweden remained free: refusing to entangle itself in alliances, its people and its leaders determined to make themselves as "indigestible" as possible. Sweden became an armed camp, a nation prepared to fight for its life. Much of the combat around Scandinavia happened literally around it, in the sealanes that allowed the Allies to transport war material to Russia. The nearness of combat to the pole made such sea transit doubly dangerous: the Artic seas are harsh and unforgiving, and Allied ships sailed through months wintry gloom under a blackout, waiting for an enemy to shoot from the dark.The Germans were late to realize the importance of the convoys to Russia, but once they do an extensive chapter on naval warfare follows. As with other Time-Life books, photographs here are ample, and include paintings depicting life in the snowy wastes. Maps are very good, and the writing well communicates the suffering of men fighting in intense conditions.
I knew little of the Winter War except that Finnish soldiers defending their land from Soviet aggression exacted a heavy price from the invading army, inflicting five times as many casualties as they took. Throughout a savage winter, Soviet ineptitude at fighting in novel terrain and Finnish guerilla tactics that made the most of limited resources made Soviet ambition cost them dearly. In the end, their sheer weight of numbers did force the Finns into a settlement, but no sooner had a cease-fire been declared there than did German troops launch an invasion of Norway. They were competing with English troops who wanted to seize key ports to prevent their being used to aid the Nazi war effort, but fortunately the Norwegians overlooked that little detail and welcomed any assistance against their new peril. The English fared well on the high seas, but an attempt to fracture the German offensive at Trondheim ended only in retreat. Norway would remain Germany's for most of the war, providing space for airfields and submarine pens to launch attacks against Britain. Immediately after the conquest of Norway, of course, Germany invaded France and then spent a deadly summer threatening Britain with its own invasion until the weather changed and Germany shifted its focus to invading Russia, instead. When the devils' alliance ended with Panzers racing through the rodina, the Germans found an interesting ally -- Finland, who had not been conquered, merely temporarily pacified. The Germano-Finnish invasion put the Allies in a difficult place: the Finns were counterattacking, not building empire, but Stalin demanded somebody do something to help. Britain did declare war on Finland, but mercifully never crossed swords with it. The book is full of little anecdotes, and a favorite is an Finnish soldier who sighs at the English declaration: "We shall have to shave now, we are fighting 'gentlemen'!" Finland's alliance with the Nazis would ultimately backfire, however; kept alive by English blood and American resources, the Soviets would recover and drive back the Germans. Threatened with Soviet wrath, Finland made a separate peace and found itself ravaged instead by its one-time ally, who slammed the door and burned everything on the way out, with an indignant "Thanks for nothing, 'comrades-in-arms!". Poor Finland -- so far from God, so close to nations with dreams of world conquest.
Battles for Scandinavia also covers Sweden and Denmark, though more briefly. Denmark was taken by Germany so quickly that its dazed population woke up to find Germany already in control of the country; only later did resistance break out. Along among the north countries, Sweden remained free: refusing to entangle itself in alliances, its people and its leaders determined to make themselves as "indigestible" as possible. Sweden became an armed camp, a nation prepared to fight for its life. Much of the combat around Scandinavia happened literally around it, in the sealanes that allowed the Allies to transport war material to Russia. The nearness of combat to the pole made such sea transit doubly dangerous: the Artic seas are harsh and unforgiving, and Allied ships sailed through months wintry gloom under a blackout, waiting for an enemy to shoot from the dark.The Germans were late to realize the importance of the convoys to Russia, but once they do an extensive chapter on naval warfare follows. As with other Time-Life books, photographs here are ample, and include paintings depicting life in the snowy wastes. Maps are very good, and the writing well communicates the suffering of men fighting in intense conditions.
August 15, 2015
Gold standard of WW2 histories in my opinion, excellently blending text and pictorial study. Despite its age, it still holds up quite well in being accurate with the information it provides not succumbing to post war myths for either side.
April 20, 2012
This is a great summary of WW2 in the Scandinavian theatre and, like all Time-Life Books, the photos are truely excellent. If this aspect of WW2 history is of interest to you, it's a great intro or summary. The book starts of with a good potted bio of Marshall Carl Gustav Mannerheim, the Finnish military commander and one of the truely oustanding generals of WW2 (and one of the greatest "defensive" generals of all time), covers the the 1939-40 Winter War between the Soviet Union and Finland, then German invasions of Denmark and Norway. Again, with a very good overview of the fighting in Norway and the French-English intervention force.
There's another good summary on Sweden's position and Swedish neutrality, then very good coverage (perhaps the best I've read in English) of the Continuation Was between Finland and the Soviet Union, followed by the Lappland War between Finland and Germany. Also covers briefly the Soviet move into Arctic Norway as the Germans withdrew south. All in all, an excellent book.
There's another good summary on Sweden's position and Swedish neutrality, then very good coverage (perhaps the best I've read in English) of the Continuation Was between Finland and the Soviet Union, followed by the Lappland War between Finland and Germany. Also covers briefly the Soviet move into Arctic Norway as the Germans withdrew south. All in all, an excellent book.
September 4, 2018
A competently researched and written account of the fighting in Scandinavia that took place during World War II. A theater of the war in Europe that hasn't ,traditionally, received much attention in the United States. Since this Time-Life installment was first printed (1981) the situation has been rectified (somewhat) by several English language books as well as some excellent Finnish produced movies about the Winter War and the Continuation War. Nevertheless "Battles For Scandinavia" is a well done overview of the fighting in the north and would be an excellent introduction for somebody not familiar with this part of World War II.
August 31, 2020
A fascinating contrast of four countries that I'm sure would have rather just stayed out of the war. Denmark overtaken in days; Norway fought it out and lost, its occupying Germans becoming a target for British harassment; Sweden bulking up its war power in response and avoided invasion; Finland fighting the good fight against the Soviet Union, then being forced into an unhappy and uneasy alliance with the Germans.
January 6, 2021
Details the fighting and major campaigns in Scandinavia. The book focuses mostly on the role that Finland and Norway played. Very little information is given about the occupation of Denmark and Sweden's neutrality except in passing. The arduous conditions of waging war in the Arctic are provided and truly make this region a unique one for battle. The political reasons for Finland's initial allying with Germany and subsequent surrender to the Soviet Union are explained. The convoy routes that the Allies provided through the Arctic Ocean to the Soviet Union provide some of the worst conditions that people had to endure during the war.
April 11, 2025
Interesting to read about a part of World War II that is mostly not mentioned.
March 3, 2015
Bought this Life Time series in the early 1980's on WWII, a volume came to the house every 2 or 3 months so I could take my reading. It was very informative and enjoyable read, I still use it for reference.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews