On April 9, 1940, Nazi Germany launched Operation Weserübung, a swift and coordinated military campaign to invade Denmark and Norway during World War II. The dual invasion was aimed at securing strategic positions in Scandinavia, particularly access to vital iron ore shipments from Sweden that were transported through the Norwegian port of Narvik, and to preempt a possible British invasion of the region.

Denmark, facing overwhelming German force and desiring to avoid widespread destruction, surrendered within six hours, making it one of the quickest capitulations of the war. The German army encountered minimal resistance, and Denmark was occupied with its monarchy and government allowed to remain in place under German oversight Denmark and Norway.

Norway, on the other hand, put up a more stubborn and prolonged resistance. German troops landed at several key Norwegian cities including Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, and Narvik, while German paratroopers and naval forces secured other strategic points. The Norwegian government, led by King Haakon VII, refused to surrender, choosing instead to resist with the support of British and French troops who were sent to assist Denmark and Norway.

Despite early successes by the Allies in northern Norway, German air superiority and reinforcements ultimately forced Allied withdrawal. The campaign ended in a German victory by June 1940, with Norway under full occupation and a puppet government established under Vidkun Quisling, whose name would later become synonymous with “traitor.”

The invasions of Denmark and Norway marked a turning point in the early stages of World War II, showcasing Germany’s use of blitzkrieg tactics and its willingness to extend the war to neutral countries in pursuit of strategic advantage. It also triggered a shift in British and French wartime strategy, highlighting the importance of controlling critical supply routes and geographic positions Denmark and Norway.