On September 1, 1939, Germany attacked Poland. On September 3, Britain and France declared war on Germany; on February 24, 1940, the German Supreme Command approved the attack plan, Belgium, and the Netherlands; on April 9, the German invasion Norway and Denmark, Denmark surrendered.
The general historical information about the German occupation of Norway in the early stage of World War II is such a stroke. Compared with the previous occupation of Poland and subsequent attacks on France and Dunkirk, this is only a small occupation by the Germans, and it is not enough. Write even one paragraph. Norway is at the westernmost point of Scandinavia, and it is very important to Germany's strategy of protruding into the Atlantic, not to mention iron ore. The United Kingdom has laid minefields in Norwegian waters since the declaration of war to prevent German submarines and warships from passing through the North Sea. Germany occupied Denmark (Denmark was in northern Germany. After the German forces broke through the national border, the Danish army was almost helpless. You can refer to Denmark in 2015. After shooting the film "War Day"), he used Denmark as a springboard to launch a war against Norway. Here is the most famous incident of the bombing and sinking of the heavy cruiser Blücher in the early days of World War II. This German cruiser, the latest cruiser after the war began, wanted to conquer Norway in the North Sea and even the Atlantic Ocean and the British Navy. However, only 6 months after serving, it was on the first day of the invasion of Norway’s Weserburg in Germany. During the Battle of the Lebak Strait, it was sunk by heavy artillery by Norwegian coastal defense fortresses.
After the Norwegian King Haakon VII learned of the surrender of his own brother, King Christian X of Denmark, he and his son and his family began to flee. Because the capital Oslo is located at the coast, the German landing forces can hardly be troublesome. Entering the capital, in fact the German occupation of Oslo was even faster than imagined. They evacuated all the way to the northern Norwegian-Swiss border by train and car, but the speed of the German chasing troops was terrifying, and the troops behind the palace had little power to parry.
On the other hand, the German ambassador to Norway was desperately seeking opportunities to negotiate with the king. In the end, he was finally able to negotiate face-to-face with the king. This is the culmination of this 2-hour movie. Two excellent actors. , Denmark’s Jesper Christensen and Austria’s Karl Markovics contributed a wonderful performance to us. The old king insisted on the principles of democracy and freedom pursued by this country. He wanted to fight the invaders to the end, while diplomats did not. It is hoped that this country, which cannot compete with the German army at all, will be plunged into the quagmire of war.
After the negotiations broke down, the Luftwaffe launched an air strike against the king and the government. This attack resulted in the death of 34 civilians. In the face of all this, King Haakon VII made his own choice-resist to the end and never compromise.
The movie is over, but the battle in Norway is still going on, the king and the crown prince all the way north, even close to the Arctic Circle. A large number of Norwegian merchant ships and civilian ships fled to Britain to take refuge, while the German forces quickly occupied Norway’s deep-water ports. These ports later became the forefront of the German navy’s advance to the Atlantic and became the biggest nightmare for the Allied Navy to reinforce the Soviet Union from the Atlantic and northern waters. After occupying Norway, the United Kingdom once planned a plan to land in Norway, but it was not fully realized due to the commander's sudden heart attack. In May 1940, the British army assembled 20,000 people and marched towards the port of Narvik, the landing target, while the German army was only a few thousand. The German army assembled in Norway headed for the port of Narvik and stubbornly withstood a full British army. Month, this also gave Hakon VII and his son a breathing opportunity.
When the time came to June, the German forces on the European continent were advancing like a bamboo. The British and French forces were surrounded by Dunkirk. For the sake of the overall situation, the United Kingdom had to abandon the Norwegian plan, and Haakon VII and his sons evacuated to the United Kingdom with the government in exile. Facing the defeat of the Allied forces, the Swedish government had to bow to Germany. Princess Martha (the daughter-in-law of Hakon VII), who had retreated to her natal family, took her daughter and son to the United States for refuge until the end of World War II.
After the fall of Norway, Germany built a heavy water plant in Norway, which became an important raw material for its research and development of atomic bombs. In the end, Britain sent airborne troops to destroy the heavy water plant and stifled Germany’s atomic bomb technology. I remember that there was a movie about this. But the shots are ugly.
Of course, regarding Norway's performance in World War II, military fans will remember the Norwegian Corps in the Viking Division.
Appendix: The performance of European royal families in World War II
Denmark. Denmark was the first country with a royal family to be invaded by Germany, and Christian X had no time to resist and escape. Speaking of Christian X, he was very unlucky. He came to the throne in 1912, and immediately encountered a war. Because of the border with Germany, he called on the three northern countries (only Denmark, Norway and Sweden at the time, and Finland was still in Russia) to maintain neutrality. Fortunately, Germany at that time was not very interested in the north, and the three northern countries also allowed the German navy to pass through its waters. After the First World War, Denmark gained great benefits, especially part of Schleswig's territory lost in the Pudan War. After World War II, Christian X was forced to surrender, but he did his best to protect the Jews in the country, supported the resistance movement, and even handed over overseas territories (Iceland, which was also Danish territory, etc.) to the allies.
Sweden bowed its knees to Nazi Germany very early. After Denmark and Norway were occupied by Germany, Sweden promised to open seas and supply iron ore to Germany and gained neutrality. Sweden became a bridge of informal communication between the Axis powers and the allies in World War II. .
The Netherlands, the Netherlands declared defeat and surrender a few weeks after the German attack. Queen Wilhelmina spoke to the country after the war, declaring no compromise. A few days later, Parliament asked the Queen's family to go into exile in Britain. During the time in Britain, the Queen and the government-in-exile organized a resistance movement together. , Like Norway, in order to ensure the royal blood, Crown Prince Juliana took a few children to Canada for refuge.
Belgium, Belgium copied the tragedy of the First World War, because it was just in the north of France and had to be a tool for the German army to "borrow". The choice made by King Leopold III of Belgium between going and staying was to stay by himself and the government to go. Leopold III believed that only if he stayed could he deal with the Nazis to help his people. During the whole World War II, Leopold III had been in entanglement and even wanted his children to seek refuge in Britain, but was robbed by the German army, and finally had no choice but to hide in the deep palace. Because Leopold III went to Germany to meet Hitler during World War II, Leopold III suffered a ruling crisis after World War II. In the end, Leopold III abdicated and allowed his eldest son Baudouin to ascend the throne.
Luxembourg, the Luxembourg royal family was also forced to go into exile a few days after the war. The Grand Duke Charlotte was with the government-in-exile in the UK, while Crown Prince Jean went to the United States to study. In the late World War II, the Crown Prince Jean joined the Irish Guards in London, although he did not go. On the front line, but after the restoration of Luxembourg, the fully-armed prince was welcomed by the crowd.
Britain, the United Kingdom is the natal family of Queen Maud, the wife of Hakon VII, and King George VI is Maud’s nephew. Because Maud lived in England in his later years, Crown Prince Olaf had many opinions about his mother (also in the movie reflect). King George VI and his family stayed in the palace during World War II. The Queen Mother refused to seek refuge in Canada, but was evacuated to the English countryside. Crown Prince Princess Elizabeth and his sister Margaret also refused to seek refuge in Canada. In 1940, the 14-year-old Elizabeth broadcasted to the public for the first time, calling on the children in refuge nationwide to face the shadow of war and help the country defeat the enemy as much as possible. The two underage princesses also participated in the logistics work.
Italy, there was a royal family in Italy at that time, Mussolini was the prime minister of the Kingdom of Italy, and King Vittorio Emanuele III was just a puppet. Vittorio Emanuele III was unwilling to be a puppet, especially the Italian army’s performance on the front line was very bad, and considering Nazi Germany’s distrust of former members of the German royal family, he even sent some royal nobles into concentration camps. (One of them is a princess married to Italy). The king and the political forces opposed to Mussolini tried many times to overthrow the fascist rule. In 1943, Mussolini was imprisoned and later rescued by Germany. Italy fell to the Allied forces. In order to alleviate public opinion, Vittorio Emanuele III declared his son Umberto the regency. With the end of World War II, there was a wave of imperialism in Italy, Vittorio Emanuele Lei III announced his abdication and Umberto II ascended the throne, but the people did not buy it, and a referendum abolished the monarchy. Umberto II, who had only taken the throne for more than a month, announced his abdication and exile.
Romania, the King of Romania during World War II was Carol II (this man’s deeds are almost bizarre). In 1940, Romania encountered the same situation as Poland. Several areas were crushed by heavy German and Soviet forces. Romania was forced to take Basara. Biya and Northern Bukovina were ceded to the Soviet Union, Northern Transylvania was ceded to Hungary (which is equivalent to Germany), and Carol II was condemned in the country. He transferred power to the soldier Antoni After Skoo fled. Carol II’s son Mihai I became king, and Antonescu fell to the Nazis and declared war on the Soviet Union. Mihai I was anti-war. He and his mother protected some Jews in the country. In the latter part of World War II, when the Red Army attacked Romania, Mihai I and anti-German political forces arrested Antonescu. After avoiding airstrikes by the Luftwaffe, Mihai I handed over power to the Soviet Union. Stalin also granted him A medal. After World War II, Romania became a country behind the iron curtain. Mihai I announced his abdication and lived in exile in Switzerland and the United States. After the great changes in Romania, Mihai I returned to his motherland and spent his retirement life in the Elizabethan Palace where he had lived.
Yugoslavia, King Peter II of Yugoslavia was not an adult when he became a king, and was regent by Prince Paul, Prince Paul’s prince, and the surrounding countries all fell to the Axis. Yugoslavia joined the Axis on March 25, 1941, but Peter II A coup was launched to oppose this policy. Prince Paul then seized power again. The many transfers of power caused Hitler's dissatisfaction. German troops directly invaded Yugoslavia. Royal family members fled to other countries. Yugoslavia was divided by Germany, Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria, and the independent state of Croatia.
Bulgaria, Boris III of Bulgaria saw that the surrounding countries were reduced to Axis powers or occupied by the Germans. He had no choice but to put aside his neutral position and deal with Germany. Boris III ceded the land and allowed German trains to pass. The order to send the army finally died bizarrely after returning to Bulgaria from Germany on August 26, 1943. The queen and some members of the cabinet insisted that the king was killed by the Germans. After the death of Boris III, his son Simeon became the throne and was regent by his uncle Kirill. Kirill almost maintained his brother's policy. In the late World War II, the Bulgarian government was pro-British and American. After the Soviet Red Army entered Bulgaria, Prince Kirill was arrested and executed. The young Simeon and his family went into exile in Spain. Simeon is an economic talent. He has served as a director of a home appliance subsidiary for many years. After the great changes in Eastern Europe, he returned to Bulgaria to organize a political party to participate in the election and became prime minister from 2001 to 2005.
Greece, the Kingdom of Greece successfully drove the Italian invaders out of Greece in 1941, but failed to withstand the German attack. King George II went into exile to the United Kingdom, and most of the royal family members went into exile in other countries (because Greece has long experienced a ruling crisis) , The royal family members have been scattered in various European countries), a small part of them stayed in Athens, such as the mother of the current Queen of England's husband Prince Philip, Princess Alice of Battenberg, she protected the Jews from the Nazis in Athens. For this reason After the war, Israel named her a "righteous man of the world."
Among the former royal nobles in Germany, some joined the Nazis, some joined the Wehrmacht, and some were imprisoned in concentration camps against the Nazis. Some of them died in the front lines, some died in the concentration camps, and some who lived after World War II were also imprisoned. When being interrogated, I will not list them one by one.
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