Op-ed: Security for the High North, How Did We Get Here?

This is an opinion piece written by external contributors. The views expressed are the author's own.

Since our discussion is about security for our region, let us begin with a review of recent and relevant history. A wise person once said, “The only thing new in the world is the history that you don’t know.”

World War I saw Scandinavia outside of the conflict zone, and the region managed to defend its neutrality in a Europe consumed by war. This policy served us well, and the fact that we had not been involved in major armed conflict since the Napoleonic wars helped set the precedent for the region.

Even though tensions were rising in Europe in the 1930s, rearmament and military preparations did not come to the fore as one might expect. The success of avoiding the “great war” led many policymakers to believe that declaring neutrality would again help to avoid armed conflict.

Norway welcomed the 1940s with the world’s fourth-largest merchant marine fleet. She traded with many nations but was especially connected to Great Britain through commerce and transportation. Of course, the famous Norwegian fjords and the topography of the nation made sea transportation the primary means of communication, especially in the rugged High North.

Communications were delayed and unclear: no internet, no satellite phones, only unsecured radio comms, and messenger. This resulted in major confusion in the days leading up to the war. Great Britain commenced to lay mines in the critical sea lanes leading from Denmark to the North Sea.

Norwegian patrol boats confronted the British and protested the laying of mines in their sovereign waters. The Altmark incident happened, where the Royal Navy forced this German ship into a Norwegian fjord and rescued 300 British sailors being returned as POWs to Germany. This looked like collusion at a time when Norway was really trying to demonstrate that it was protecting its neutrality.

Just before midnight on April 8, German Task Force 5 entered the Oslofjord in the dark, surrounded by heavy fog. The modern German Cruiser, Blücher, was in the lead, loaded with Nazi troops intent on capture of the capital and the government. The Oscarborg fortress was commanded by Colonel Birger Eriksen, who had to make a split-second decision. 

He chose to fire on the darkened warship and, in doing so, gave the government and the Royal family time to evacuate the capital. Norway’s long peace, some historians argue, for 126 years had just come to an end.

In the North, the Norwegian 6th Infantry Division plus the independent Alta Bn. were among the best-trained units in the army. The Germans overran the radio station and government buildings in Oslo, causing more confusion and hampering the effective call to mobilization nationwide.

King Haakon VII and the government moved North, and thanks to Major O. Helset, a hastily mobilized Norwegian Army unit defeated a German
Paratrooper Company at Midskogen. A narrow passage between Hamar and Elverum. The Luftwaffe bombed the King, and this was the third attempt to kill or capture the Royal family since the start of hostilities.

It was in the High North were the critical battle of Narvik would be fought. The Germans wanted Narvik for the iron ore that was transported 170 kilometers from Kiruna, Sweden, via rail during the winter. They also coveted access to the North Atlantic for future submarine warfare. The Royal Navy fought well and in the littoral battle around Narvik, sank or damaged 10 German destroyers, almost half of the total in the Kriegsmarine.

The British had assembled a unit of French Legionnaires and Polish troops to assist their Army units. Communications remained poor but along with the Northern Norwegian Army, Narvik was captured from Nazi troops on 28 May 1940 resulting in the first Allied victory of World War II.

In a shameful display of misunderstanding, the British had listened to a radio broadcast announcing Vidkun Quisling had sided with the Nazi invaders and he and his National Unity party had taken command in Norway. In truth, Quisling had few supporters in Norway, and you might say he was a legend in his own mind. 

Winston Churchill and his commanders falsely believed that there were many fascist sympathizers in the Norwegian military. When the British decided to evacuate Narvik, they tried to withdraw other allied forces without consulting their Norwegian brothers. The feeling of betrayal was palpable, but they shared a common enemy and pushed it aside. Norway had fought a valiant struggle for 62 days.

With no time to consider hurt pride, the King and government relocated to Great Britain to form a government in exile. The Norwegian Merchant Fleet supported the allied cause, as Norway built an Armed Forces in exile. 

The Norwegians were an ever-present contribution to the war effort. On D-Day, the Norwegian Destroyer Svenner was sunk with the loss of 32 killed and 15 wounded. Norwegian blood flowed at Normandy along with the allies.

Lessons Learned:

When King Haakon was awakened by his orderly, who announced Norway was at war, the King replied, “Against whom?”

-This is an uncertain world; it is sometimes difficult to access future threats.

-World War I allowed the Scandinavian countries to remain neutral. This caused a false sense of security in 1940.

-In 1949, when NATO was being conceived, Norway became a charter member. A trained and ready military can thwart the will of an aggressor or prove the commitment of a nation.

-Collective memory was clear; Norwegians would be ready to protect themselves in the future. The confusion at the beginning of the war reinforces the need to work with allies before hostilities to understand shared mission sets.

-Communications were and remain a critical issue. Today’s computers and satellite phones are only a means to communicate. The intent of our NATO alliance must complement national strategy to counter any threat and protect the homeland. The Nordic countries have excelled at learning this lesson and have set an example for interoperability and trust among colleagues.