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the Greater German Reich, he would be compelled to gird
himself against such an undertaking. In order to counter-
balance increasing enemy propaganda activity, he promised
Quisling financial support of his movement, which is based
on Greater German ideology. Military exploitation of the
question now raised was assigned to the special military staff,
which transmitted special missions to Quisling. Reichsleiter
Rosenberg was to take over political exploitation. Financial
expenses were to be defrayed by the Ministry for Foreign
Affairs [Ribbentrop's organization], the Minister for For-
eign Affairs [Ribbentrop] being kept continuously informed
by the Foreign Affairs Bureau [Rosenberg's organization].
"Chief of Section Scheidt was charged with maintaining li-
aison with Quisling. In the course of further developments
he was assigned to the Naval Attache in Oslo. Orders were
given that the whole matter be handled with strictest se-
crecy." (007-PS)

Here again is a further indication of the close link between the
Nazi politicians and the Nazi service chiefs.

D. Operational Planning

The information available on the events of January 1940 is not full, but it is clear that the agitation of Raeder and Rosenberg bore fruit. An order signed by Keitel, dated 27 January 1940, marked "Most Secret, five copies; reference, Study 'N'", (an earlier code name for the Weseruebung preparations) and classified "Access only through an officer," stated:

"C-in-C of the Navy [Raeder] has a report on this

"The Fuehrer and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces wishes that Study 'N' should be further worked on under my direct and personal guidance, and in the closest conjunction with the general war policy. For these reasons the Fuehrer has commissioned me to take over the direction of further

preparations.

"A working staff has been formed at the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces Headquarters for this purpose, and this represents at the same time the nucleus of a future operational staff.”

"All further plans will be made under the cover name 'Weseruebung." (C-63)

The importance of that document, to the signature of Keitel upon it, and to the date of this important decision, is this: Prior

to this date, 27 January 1940, the planning of the various aspects of the invasion of Norway and Denmark had been confined to a relatively small group, whose aim had been to persuade Hitler of the desirability of undertaking the operation. The issuance of this directive of Keitel's on 27 January 1940, was the signal that the Supreme Command of the German Armed Forces, the OKW, had accepted the proposition of the group that was pressing for the Norwegian adventure, and had turned the combined resources of the German military machine to the task of producing practical and coordinated plans for the Norwegian operation. From January onward the operational planning for the invasion of Norway and Denmark was started through the normal channels. Certain entries in the diary of Jodl reveal how the preparations progressed (1809-PS). The entry for 6 February commences:

"New idea: Carry out 'H' [Hartmundt, another code word for the Norwegian and Danish invasion] and Weser Exercise only and guarantee Belgium's neutrality for the duration of the war." (1809-PS)

The entry for 21 February reads:

"Fuehrer has talked with General von Falkenhorst, and charges him with preparation of 'Weser Exercise.' Falkenhorst accepts gladly. Instructions issued to the three branches of the armed forces." (1809-PS)

The entry for 28 February reads:

"I propose, first to the Chief of OKW and then to the Fuehrer, that Case Yellow [the code name for the invasion of the Netherlands] and Weser Exercise [the invasion of Norway and Denmark] must be prepared in such a way that they will be independent of one another as regards both time and forces employed. The Fuehrer completely agrees, if this is in any way possible." (1809-PS)

It will be observed that the new idea of 6 February, that the neutrality of Belgium might be preserved, had been abandoned by 28 February.

The entry for 29 February reads:

"Fuehrer also wishes to have a strong task force in Copenhagen and a plan, elaborated in detail, showing how individual coastal batteries are to be captured by shock troops. Warlimont, Chef Landesverteidigung, instructed to make out immediately the order of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and Director of Armed Forces to make out a similar order regarding the strengthening of the staff." (1809-PS)

Then came Hitler's order to complete the preparations for the invasion of Norway and Denmark (C-174). It bears the date of 1 March 1940, and reads as follows:

"The Fuehrer and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Most Secret.

"Directive for Fall Weseruebung.

"The development of the situation in Scandinavia requires the making of all preparations for the occupation of Denmark and Norway by a part of the German Armed ForcesFall Weseruebung. This operation should prevent British encroachment on Scandinavia and the Baltic; further, it should guarantee our ore base in Sweden and give our Navy and Air Force a wider start line against Britain.

"In view of our military and political power in comparison with that of the Scandinavian States, the force to be employed in the Fall Weseruebung will be kept as small as possible. The numerical weakness will be balanced by daring actions and surprise execution. On principle we will do our utmost to make the operation appear as a peaceful occupation, the object of which is the military protection of the neutrality of the Scandinavian States. Corresponding demands will be transmitted to the Governments at the beginning of the occupation. If necessary, demonstrations by the Navy and the Air Force will provide the necessary emphasis. If, in spite of this, resistance should be met with, all military means will be used to crush it."

"I put in charge of the preparations and the conduct of the operation against Denmark and Norway the Commanding General of the 21st Army Corps, General von Falkenhorst.

"The crossing of the Danish border and the landings in Norway must take place simultaneously. I emphasize that the operations must be prepared as quickly as possible. In case the enemy seizes the initiative against Norway, we must be able to apply immediately our own counter-measures.

"It is most important that the Scandinavian States as well as the Western opponents should be taken by surprise by our measures. All preparations, particularly those of transport and of readiness, drafting and embarkation of the troops, must be made with this factor in mind.

"In case the preparations for embarkation can no longer be

kept secret, the leaders and the troops will be deceived with fictitious objectives." (C-174)

The section on "The Occupation of Denmark" which is given the code name of "Weseruebung Sued", provides:

"The task of Group XXI: Occupation by surprise of Jutland
and of Fuenen immediately after occupation of Seeland.
"Added to this, having secured the most important places,
the Group will break through as quickly as possible from
Fuenen to Skagen and to the east coast." (C-174)

There then follow other instructions with regard to the operation. The section on "The Occupation of Norway", given the code name of "Weseruebung Nord", provides:

"The task of the Group XXI: Capture by surprise of the most important places on the coast by sea and airborne operations.

*

"The Navy will take over the preparation and carrying out of the transport by sea of the landing troops. The Air Force, after the occupation has been completed, will ensure air defense and will make use of Norwegian bases for air warfare against Britain." (C-174)

Whilst these preparations were being made, and just prior to the final decision of Hitler, reports were coming in through Rosenberg's organization from Quisling. The third paragraph in Annex I, the section dealing with Norway, has this information:

"Quisling's reports, transmitted to his representative in Germany, Hagelin, and dealing with the possibility of intervention by the Western Powers in Norway with tacit consent of the Norwegian Government, became more urgent by January. These increasingly better substantiated communications were in sharpest contrast to the views of the German Legation in Oslo, which relied on the desire for neutrality of the then Norwegian Nygardszvold Cabinet, and was convinced of that government's intention and readiness to defend Norway's neutrality. No one in Norway knew that Quisling's representative for Germany maintained closest relations to him; he therefore succeeded in gaining a foothold within governmental circles of the Nygardszvold cabinet and in listening to the cabinet members' views. Hagelin transmitted what he had heard to the Bureau [Rosenberg's bureau], which conveyed the news to the Fuehrer through Reichsleiter Rosenberg. During the night of the 16th to 17th of February, English destroyers attacked the German steamer 'Altmark' in Jessingjord.* *" (007-PS)

*

(That is a reference to the action by the British destroyer Cossack against the German naval auxiliary vessel Altmark, which was carrying three hundred British prisoners, captured on the high seas, to Germany through Norwegian territorial waters. The position of the British delegation with regard to that episode is that the use that was being made by the Altmark of Norwegian territorial waters was in fact a flagrant abuse in itself of Norwegian neutrality, and that the action taken by H.M.S. Cossack, which was restricted to rescuing the three hundred British prisoners on board, no attempt being made to destroy the Altmark or to capture the armed guards on board her, was fully justified under international law.)

The Rosenberg report continues:

"The Norwegian Government's reaction to this question permitted the conclusion that certain agreements had been covertly arrived at between the Norwegian Government and the Allies. Such assumption was confirmed by reports of Section Scheidt, who in turn derived his information from Hagelin and Quisling. But even after this incident the German Legation in Oslo championed the opposite view, and went on record as believing in the good intentions of the Norwegians." (007-PS)

And so the Nazi Government preferred the reports of the traitor Quisling to the considered judgment of German diplomatic representatives in Norway. The result of the receipt of reports of that kind was the Hitler decision to invade Norway and Denmark. The culminating details in the preparations for the invasion are again found in Jodl's diary. The entry for 3 March relates:

"The Fuehrer expressed himself very sharply on the neces-
sity of a swift entry into N [Norway] with strong forces.
"No delay by any branch of the armed forces. Very rapid
acceleration of the attack necessary." (1809-PS)

The last entry for 3 March reads:

"Fuehrer decides to carry out 'Weser Exercise' before case 'Yellow' with a few days interval." (1809-PS)

Thus, the important issue of strategy which had been concerning the German High Command for some time had been decided by this date, and the fate of Scandinavia was to be sealed before the fate of the Low Country. It will be observed from those entries of 3 March that by that date Hitler had become an enthusiastic convert to the idea of aggression against Norway.

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