Timeline of the Norwegian campaign facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The Norwegian Campaign, which took place from April 9 to June 10, 1940, was the first time that the armies of the Allies (mainly the United Kingdom and France) fought directly against Nazi Germany on land during World War II. This campaign was a big moment in the war, showing how quickly Germany could move and how difficult it was for the Allies to stop them.

What Was the Norwegian Campaign?
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What Was the Norwegian Campaign?

The Norwegian Campaign was a series of battles fought in Norway between Germany and the Allied forces. Both sides wanted control of Norway because of its important location and resources, especially iron ore, which Germany needed for its war factories.

Planning the Invasion: Early 1940

Before the fighting began, both Germany and the Allies were making plans for Norway.

Germany's Plan: Operation Weserübung

Germany called its plan to invade Norway and Denmark "Weserübung". German leaders, including Adolf Hitler, decided on this operation to secure their supply of iron ore from Sweden, which was shipped through Norwegian ports. They also wanted to use Norway's coast for their navy.

January 27: German planners gave their secret operation the code name Weserübung.
February 21: General Nikolaus von Falkenhorst was chosen to lead the German invasion of Norway. He would stay in command of German forces there for many years.
March 1: The final order for the German attack on Norway and Denmark was given.
April 2: Germany set April 9, 1940, as the date for Weserübung.

Allies' Plan: Helping Finland

The Allies also had plans for Norway. They wanted to help Finland, which was fighting against the Soviet Union in the Winter War. This gave them a reason to send troops into Norway. However, a big reason for their plan was to stop Germany from getting iron ore.

February 5: The Allied Supreme War Council decided to intervene in Norway, using the excuse of helping Finland. Their first idea was to land troops at Narvik.
February 16: A British ship, HMS Cossack, stopped a German ship, German tanker Altmark, in Norwegian waters. They rescued 299 British prisoners of war. This event, called the Altmark Incident, showed Germany that the Allies were serious about getting involved in Norway, which made Germany speed up its own plans.
March 28: The Allies decided to place mines in Norwegian waters (Operation Wilfred) to stop German ships. They also planned to send soldiers to Norway to get there before Germany did. The end of the Winter War meant the Allies lost their main reason for being there. The mining was set for April 8.
April 3: Winston Churchill became the head of the British defence committee. One of his first actions was to get approval for mining Norwegian waters.
April 5: France and the United Kingdom told Norway they might stop Germany from using Norwegian resources.

The Invasion Begins: April 1940

The German invasion began quickly, catching many by surprise.

Denmark Falls Quickly

April 9: Denmark was captured by German forces without much fighting.

Germany Lands in Norway

On the same day, German troops began landing in Norway.

April 9: Egersund and Arendal were captured easily. The German heavy cruiser Blücher was sunk by shore guns near Oslofjord, causing German troops to land further south than planned. German soldiers landed by air and captured the airport in Oslo. Bad weather slowed down but did not stop successful landings at Kristiansand. Paratroopers quickly secured the airfield at Stavanger. Bergen and Trondheim were also captured fast. The German force heading for Narvik avoided British ships and defeated Norwegian vessels in the fjord.

Battles at Sea and Land

April 6: The British Admiralty heard that ten German destroyers were heading to Narvik, but they thought it was unlikely.
April 7: German ships started sailing for Operation Weserübung. Some were seen by British planes and attacked, but without success.
April 8: HMS Glowworm was sunk by the German cruiser Admiral Hipper. A Polish submarine, ORP Orzeł, sank a German transport ship, Rio de Janeiro, off the southern Norwegian coast.
April 10: The First Battle of Narvik happened when five British destroyers entered Ofotfjord. The Germans had ten destroyers defending. Both sides lost two ships, but the German force was more damaged. At Bergen, the German cruiser Königsberg was sunk by air attack. In Oslo, the Norwegian government left, and Vidkun Quisling became the head of a new government.
April 11: German planes bombed the towns of Nybergsund and Elverum, destroying buildings and killing people.
April 12: Kongsberg fell to German forces without a fight.
April 13: The Second Battle of Narvik took place. Nine British destroyers and the battleship HMS Warspite entered Ofotfjord and destroyed all eight German defending destroyers.

Allied Response and Counter-Attacks

The Allies began to land their own forces to fight back.

April 14: British forces landed at Namsos and Harstad. Allied forces prepared to attack German forces at Trondheim and Narvik.
April 14: German paratroopers made a combat jump at Dombås. They blocked roads and railways in southern Norway for five days before the Norwegian Army forced them to surrender on April 19.
April 15: Vidkun Quisling resigned. Ingolf Christensen replaced him. The 24th British Guards Brigade landed at Harstad.
April 16: The British 146th Brigade landed at Namsos.
April 17: British forces landed at Åndalsnes.
April 18: The British 148th Brigade landed at Åndalsnes, and the French 5th Alpine Chasseurs Demi-Brigade landed at Namsos.
April 19: The British 146th Brigade had to pull back from Steinkjer because of German forces.
April 20: German air raids badly damaged Namsos harbour, making it hard to land troops there. German forces moving north from Oslo reached Lillehammer and captured it the next day.
April 22: German forces fought the British 148th Brigade north of Lillehammer.
April 23: The British 15th Brigade landed at Åndalsnes to help the 148th Brigade.
April 24: German forces were surrounded at Narvik.
April 25: German forces continued to push back Allied forces in the Gudbrandsdal valley north of Lillehammer. Norwegian forces attacked the Germans at Narvik.
April 27: Allied forces decided to leave Namsos and Åndalsnes, giving up their effort against German forces at Trondheim.
April 28: French mountain troops arrived at Harstad.
April 29: King Haakon and the Norwegian government left Molde and went to Tromsø. German forces from the south joined up with the Trondheim force.
April 30: Allied evacuations began at Åndalsnes.

Fighting Continues: May 1940

As May began, the Allies continued their efforts, especially around Narvik.

Allies Try to Push Back

May 1: Allies finished evacuating 4,400 troops from Åndalsnes.
May 2: German forces entered Åndalsnes. Mauriceforce evacuated 5,400 Allied troops from Namsos. Anglo-French forces landed at Mosjøen to block German advances toward Narvik.
May 3: Mauriceforce was delayed by thick fog. German Junkers Ju 87 divebombers attacked Mauriceforce, sinking the French destroyer Bison and the British destroyer Afridi.
May 5: French Foreign Legion and Polish forces landed at Tromsø and Harstad.
May 10: Fights took place at Mosjøen as British forces were sent south to strengthen the blockade.

Narvik: A Key Battle

May 13: Norwegian forces, led by General Carl Gustav Fleischer, began to advance on Narvik from Harstad, with help from Allied forces who landed at Bjerkvik.
May 14: The 24th Guards Brigade lost a lot of equipment while moving to positions south of Narvik.
May 17: The British cruiser HMS Effingham ran aground and was lost south of Narvik.
May 21: Allied forces moving towards Narvik captured important positions to the north.
May 26: The British anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Curlew was sunk by air attack near Harstad.
May 27: Norwegian and Allied forces attacked Narvik, entering the town after a short fight.
May 27: German Luftwaffe destroyed Bodø, but only two British soldiers were killed.
May 31: The British force at Bodø was evacuated.

The End of the Campaign: June 1940

By June, the Allies decided to withdraw from Norway.

Allied Withdrawal

June 1: France and the United Kingdom told Norway they planned to leave the country.
June 4: Allied evacuations began at Harstad.
June 7: The Norwegian government went into exile aboard the British cruiser HMS Devonshire.
June 8: German naval forces launched Operation Juno to help the German troops at Narvik. When they found out about the Allied evacuation, they changed their mission to hunt and sink the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious and two escorting destroyers. However, the German ships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau were damaged and returned to Trondheim, leaving the way clear for the main Allied evacuation.

Norway Surrenders

June 9: Norwegian military forces were ordered to stop fighting and go home.
June 10: The surrender was complete, and all resistance ended.