Why did Germany invade Denmark and Norway?

Answer 1

Primarily, so that Germany could continue to receive Swedish Iron Ore deliveries by way of the coastal shipping near Norwegian waters. More info below:The Invasion of Denmark & Norway: PreparationsØ 10 Oct. 1939: German Admiral Raeder first proposes to Hitler the occupation of Norway, to use for Naval Bases. Denmark would have to be seized to provide the necessary bases to support operations in Norway. Norway & Denmark are neutral countries.

Ø 1939-1940: British Lord of the Admiralty Churchill proposes mining Norwegian coastal waters to prevent Swedish Iron-Ore from reaching Germany. Also if the Allies plan to help Finland in its war against the USSR, then it would be necessary to secure a logistical line through Norway & Sweden.

Ø 11 Dec. 1939: Hitler & Raeder meet with Vidkun Quisling a former Norwegian Defense Minister that is pro-Nazi. Quisling urges German occupation of Norway to prevent a British intervention. He falsely claims that the Norwegian government would secretly support the German occupation. Three days later, Hitler orders preliminary planning for a Norwegian invasion.

Ø 16 Feb. 1940: Altmark incident in Norwegian territorial waters.

Ø 21 Feb. 1940: German planning for the invasion of Norway (Operation 'Weserubung') begins in earnest.

Ø 1 March 1940: Hitler issues orders to invade Denmark & Norway on 17 March (later delayed until April)

Ø 28 March 1940: The British & French Supreme War Council decides to mine Norwegian coastal waters & prepare an Allied expedition to go to Norway if Germany interferes. This operation is scheduled for 5 April (later delayed to 8 April).

1 April 1940: Hitler approves the final plans for invasion & sets the start date as 9 April.

The Invasion & Defeat of Denmark & Norway: April to June 1940: Ominous foreshadowing

Ø April 9, 1940 4:15am: Denmark is invaded to acquire air bases that can support German naval landings of troops in Norway. The German achieve the element of surprise.

Ø Norway: Germans use entire surface combat fleet, 6 Divisions, 400 combat aircraft, 500 transport aircraft, and many troop transport ships for the invasion. Six locations will be seized by parachute troops and/or troops landed by ships. Airfields are key.

Ø This is the first major direct encounter between the western allies ground units and the German ground forces. Germans are mostly successful getting to their target areas despite the fact that the British naval units have arrived on the scene at about the same time.

Ø Norwegian government does not surrender; instead it evacuates and sets up government-in-exile in Britain.

Ø 14 April 1940: Some British troops begin arriving in Norway. Eventually French mountain troops will arrive before the campaign ends.

Ø The Germans have command of the air, and the ground forces make considerable gains against the Norwegians & Allies. This German air superiority will help prevent the British navy from having more success.

Ø The Norwegians and the British navy inflicts heavy losses on German surface ships, while also suffering large losses.

Ø 10 June: German success on the ground and air cause the Allies to evacuate their forces out of Norway & force Norway to surrender. Note: France has already been invaded.

Ø Allied Casualties:

Ø German Casualties: 3,800 killed, and 1,600 wounded. Luftwaffe lost about 100 aircraft. The Kriegsmarine lost 1 heavy cruiser, 2 light cruisers, 10 destroyers & 6 submarines.

The Defeat of Denmark & Norway: Consequences

Ø The relatively heavy losses of the moderate-sized German surface fleet will reduce its ability to play any major role in the immediate future.

Ø May 8, 1940: The early German successes cause British Prime Minister Chamberlain to resign.

Ø May 10, 1940: Winston Churchill becomes Prime Minister.

Ø The Danish Faroe Islands are occupied by British forces on April 12 to prevent a German occupation.

Ø Iceland, a territory of Denmark, declares independence to avoid German occupation and permit Allied help.

Ø May 3, 1940: Greenland, another Danish territory, is declared under the protection of the United States as part of the Western Hemisphere neutrality zone.

Ø The American government & public are shocked and concerned by the invasion of the two neutral nations.

Ø The rapid German successes and the inability of the Allies to stop Germany were clearly ominous signs to American leaders. President Roosevelt's already pessimistic view of French & British military capability is reinforced by these events.

Ø Norway would remain in German hands for the rest of the war.

Ø The potential German military threat to Sweden adds another dimension to Sweden's original voluntary alignment with Germany.

Ø German air and naval units operating from bases here would be a threat to Allied shipping, especially that traveling to/from Murmansk. German ships would also have easier access to the North Atlantic.

Ø German troops would be required to garrison the country, which in 1944 peaked at about 400,000.

Answer 2

The Germans invaded Norway in WW2 to prevent the British from doing so. The British did land at Narvik in the north, but were unable to defend against the Germans & were made to withdraw. The occupation of Norway secured the supply of Swedish Iron Ore to the Germans. A railway line from the iron ore fields in Sweden ran to Narvik which is ice free in winter, whereas the Baltic ports were frozen.
Norway was invaded in World War II because it has a large and distinct Jewish population. During Hitler's reign (Third Reich of Germany), fought and took over most of Europe (intended goal: the whole world). Many of the Jews were kidnapped and but in death camps. Poland, France, and many other countries with Norway were a victim in this cruel act. The Third Reich of Germany was fighting to control the world. They took the land for themselves but not for long.

Answer 3

Denmark was a stepping stone to Norway: The Germans arrived there to deny it to the British ! The British landed forces at Trondheim & Norway but were soon forced to withdraw because of poor resources & lack of support.

Answer 4

* Germany wanted to stop Britain and France interfering with Norway. * Germany wanted ice-free harbours which they could use to send naval forces into the North Atlantic. * Germany wanted to make sure they could get iron ore from mines in Sweden. * Germany wanted to show the German people that they were serious about making a Gerrmanic Empire

Answer 5

Adolf Hitler claimed Germany had to protect Scandinavia from Britain and its allies. But, the real reason was to safeguard a supple of Sweden's iron ore for the Germany's was factories via the seaports of Norway and to give Germany and use of Denmark's and Norway's ports and airfields. With control of these two countries, Nazi submarines and warships could reach the Atlantic safely via the North Sea and not have to risk using the narrower and heavily protected English Channel. The rich farmland of Denmark would also provide the food needed to keep an army well fed. Only Sweden, which had no shoreline on the Atlantic, was free of Germany's occupying forces.

Answer 6

It wanted Norway's Ice free harbors and access to iron ore from mines in Sweden. It invaded Denmark so it would be easier to invade Norway.

Answer 7

It wanted Norway's ice free harbors and access to iron ore from mines in Sweden.