Monday, January 7, 2013

MILITARY COUP D'ETAT IN NORWAY 1940?

The year is 1940. Germany has attacked Norway. If you make a study about the military actions during the campaign, you might ask critical questions about why the Norwegian army failed? Why did the officers give up the fight without fighting? Some of the questions about the military and political situation in Norway in 1940 are answered or explained in a book published recently: Lars Borgersrud: Like gode Nordmenn. Den norske militærfascismens historie II.Spartacus Forlag AS. 648p. 2012. A military coup d'etat might have taken place. The number of officers who supported the German attack on Norway, were a lot .They did not support the Norwegian government. The officers supported Vidkun Quisling who had made a " Radio-Coup " transmitting on radio his approach to end the fighting. The radio was used to stop any military actions decided by the Norwegian King and the government. The coup of Vidkun Quisling is well-known because his speech is recorded. 500 ofiicers are prisoners of war at the Southern part of Norway. The fight is still not ended in the Northern part of the country. Norway is still at war with Germany. On friday May 17 1940 a message is transmitted  by a Norwegian and a British radio station asking Norwegians to join the fighting against the German soldiers in the Northern part of the country. The reactions of many officers were negative. A speech was given to about 500 officers in prison at the camp called: "Grini" . The speech contenting a demand to stop the fighting, asking the King to return to Oslo and  to accept a political programme made by right-wing politicians in Norway. Norway is still at war. The King is fighting. Lars Borgersrud is a Norwegian historian working for years with issues of the Second World War. The news about the officers making an attempt to put an end to the war by the support of King Haakon has been known to a few only. An act of treason. The speech was not talked about after the war. A secret so to speak. How many secrets are still to be found in the National archive? How many people want to protect pro-German support at a time when the King needed all the help he could get? Thank you, Lars Borgersrud. History is thrilling for all of us.

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