Operation Weserübung

Quick Facts: Who was Operation Weserübung?

Subject:

Operation Weserübung

Known for:

Nazi German invasion of Denmark and Norway during World War II, opening the Norwegian Campaign.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Operation Weserübung (Unternehmen Weserübung [ˈveːzɐˌʔyːbʊŋ], (German: "Operation Weser Exercise") was the invasion of Denmark and Norway by Nazi Germany during World War II. Taking place from 9 April – 10 June 1940, it was the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign. In the early morning of 9 April 1940 (Wesertag, "Weser Day"), German forces occupied Denmark and invaded Norway, ostensibly as a preventive manoeuvre against a planned Anglo-French occupation of Norway known as Plan R 4, which developed as a response to a German invasion of Norwegian territory. After the rapid occupation of Denmark, in which the Danish military was ordered to stand down as Denmark's government did not declare war with Germany, German envoys informed the governments of Denmark and Norway that Germany's forces had come to protect both countries against Anglo-French attacks. Significant differences in geography, location and climate between the two nations made the actual military operations very dissimilar.

Career & Major Achievements

The invasion fleet's nominal landing time, Weserzeit (Weser Time), was set to 05:15. By the spring of 1939, the British Admiralty began to view Scandinavia as a potential theatre of war in a future conflict with Nazi Germany. However, the British government was reluctant to engage in another land conflict on the continent in the belief that it would repeat World War I. Therefore, the British began to consider naval blockades against Germany if war broke out. German industry was heavily dependent on the import of iron ore from mines in Swedish Lapland, and most of that ore was shipped through the ice-free Norwegian port of Narvik. Control of the Norwegian coast would serve to tighten a potential blockade against Germany.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In October 1939, the chief of the Kriegsmarine, Grand-Admiral Erich Raeder, discussed with Adolf Hitler the danger posed by potential Allied bases in Norway and the possibility of Germany pre-emptively seizing those locations. The Kriegsmarine argued that a German occupation of Norway would allow control of the nearby seas and serve as a platform for staging submarine operations against the Allies. However, the other branches of the Wehrmacht were not interested, and Hitler issued a directive stating that the main effort would be a land offensive through the Low Countries. Toward the end of November 1939, Winston Churchill, as a new member of the Chamberlain war ministry, proposed the mining of Norwegian waters in Operation Wilfred. This would force the ore transports to travel through the open waters of the North Sea, where the Royal Navy could intercept them.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1939: 1939 Milestone — By the spring of 1939, the British Admiralty began to view Scandinavia as a potential theatre of war in a future conflict with Nazi Germany.
2. 1940: 1940 Milestone — Taking place from 9 April – 10 June 1940, it was the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Operation Weserübung

True or False: “The primary reason for Operation Weserübung was to preemptively seize Allied bases in Norway before any conflict arose.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While seizing bases was a factor, the operation was also driven by German concerns over controlling access to vital iron ore shipments from Sweden.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abbas Kiarostami — Historical peer (Born in 1940) (1940): Master Iranian filmmaker known for blending fiction and documentary styles.
• Abdurrahman Wahid — Historical peer (Born in 1940) (1940): Influential Indonesian politician, Islamic leader, and fourth President known for pluralism.
• Ada Yonath — Historical peer (Born in 1939) (1939): Pioneering crystallographer known for elucidating the structure and function of the ribosome.
• Alan Ayckbourn — Historical peer (Born in 1939) (1939): Prolific British playwright and director known for domestic farce and ensemble pieces.

Frequently Asked Questions about Operation Weserübung