THE BATTLE OF NARVIK

The Battle of Narvik took place from April 9 to June 10, 1940. Even in year 2020 people are interested in reading about the battle. The main reason for the public interest of the battle is that the German military forces were defeated for the first time during the Second World War. Some years ago I paid a visit to the headquaters of the French Foreign Legion situated in Aubagne in France. The Battle of Narvik was not forgotten by the French Foreign Legion. The military contribution of the French Foreign Legion was described in details by the museum where an exhibiton of the battle was made.

In 2018 a new book about the famous battle was published written by Asbjørn Jaklin. The title of the book is: « Kampen om Narvik. 62 desperate dager «. In 2013 Frode Lindgjerdet wrote a book about the same subject:» Kampen om Narvik»

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My concern for the time being is the book written by Asbjørn Jaklin. He has managed to give the reader a realistic view of what went on in the Northern part of Norway in 1940.Inviduals who took part in the fighting have given good reports of their private experiences. The author has also presented reports made by civilians who were active during the fight.

SOME HISTORICAL FACTS ABOUT THE BATTLE OF NARVIK

Nazi-Germany and Great Britain were both interested Norway in 1940 but the reasons for the attentions differed. Great Britain wanted the put an end to the transport of ore from Sweden to Narvik where the ore was tranported to Nazi-Germany to be used in the military industry.

Nazi-Germany was intersted in the coast of Noway to wage war against Great Britain and to protect the tranport of ore from Sweden.  The Norwegian government wanted to avoid a military conflict with both of the fighting nations. An attack on Norway could also come from Great Britain to finish the transport of ore from Sweden without occupying the whole country. The British military and politican attitude to a war in Norway were limited to British interests only.

THE ALLIED MILITARY FORCES IN NARVIK IN 1940

The Norwegian military forces consisted of about 10.000 soldiers. About 14.000 British soldiers took part in the fighting. The Polish and the French military contribution were about 11.700 soldiers.

About 25.800 Allied soldiers were stationed in the Northern part of Norway to fight the German forces.

How was the military situation in Norway in 1940?

The official information given to all after the end of the war was that we were not prepared for the war at all. The author, Asbjørn Jaklin, does not agree with the standard information about the military situation given. On page 289 he is publishing facts revealing the wrong information about the standard of the military forces of Norway:

-The number of soldiers armed is a figure between 17000 and 21 000.

-The army had mobilized four infantry divisions in the Southern part of Norway and five infantry divisions in the Northern part of the country.

-Eight batteries in field artillery

-The marine had mobized two old warships (panserskip), four modern corvettes, twenty fast attack crafts, nine submarines, two minelayers, and one support ship.

-Coast artillery had mobilized about 500 men who were stationed in the Fjord of Oslo, Kristiansand, Bergen and Agdenes.

- The Norwegian air force consisted of about ninety aicrafts.

THE GERMAN FORCES IN NARVIK

About 6000 soldiers  were under the command of the German General Edvard Dietl.

THE MILITARY DEFEAT

While  reading the book , I asked myself some critical questions challenging my own decisions about the strategy and the chairing of the battle. First of all I must make it clear that I admire the Norwegian untrained soldiers who did a good work. I think the strategy of the Norwegian General Carl Gustav Fleischer (1883-1942) was correct. Attack, attack and once more, attack the enemy all the way. Splendid strategy in contrast to the battle of the Southern part of Norway where the Germans got time to build up forces for attack.

The military campaign in the Northern part of Noway was administrated by General Carl Gustav Feischer. The campaign in the Southern part of the country was led by General Otto Ruge.

CONCULSION

My main question is: Why could not the Norwegian forces go on with the fighting by finishing the battle once and for all? Why did not the Polish and the French forces remain in the battle field making a joint attack with the Norwegian army towards the Germans? Did the Norwegian authorites any approach making an agreement witht the Polish and the French forces to continue the fight? Why not bring all the Polish soldiers in England to Norway paid by the Norwegian government who had brought « the gold» out the country? We had money to pay the bills.

None of the dominating Norwegian generals showed great leadership. General Fleischer was too much a military leader. He did a great work making the Northern part of Norway ready for war. But he was not a « Julius Cæsar». General Otto Ruge was defeated  due to the facts that he did not attack the enemy as quick as possible. He gave the Germans time to organize the campaign, above all:He believed in the support from the British forces. Too many mistakes at the time.

For those of you who are interested in administation of conflicts,the readings of reports and books about the battle of Narvik is recommended as a warning about how to avoid a defeat in the future. I will also recommend a study of the battle of Poltava where the Swedish King Karl 12 lost the battle.

Asbjørn Jaklin: Kampen om Narvik. 62 desperate dager.Gyldendal.2018. 448 pages.