The Southland Times FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 1940. The Campaign in Norway

Southland Times, Issue 24105, 19 April 1940, Page 6

The Southland Times FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 1940. The Campaign in Norway

THE MILITARY situation in Norway must remain obscure until more information is available about the size and disposition of the opposed forces. Germany’s invading army has been estimated to number anything from 20,000 to 100,000 men, but according to American official sources in Europe there are only 10,000 Nazi troops, plus the reinforcements that are being transported by air. The weakness of air transport is that it can handle troops and limited supplies of munitions, but must leave heavier equipment—including guns and tanks—for shipment by sea. Germany has lost control of the narrow waters between Denmark and Norway, and although a few vessels might escape British .mines and submarines any largescale defiance of the blockade is out of the question. Moreover, air transport will be much less effective now that the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force have seriously damaged the aerodrome at Stavanger. In a mountainous country, landing grounds have an importance commensurate with their rarity. With the Stavanger field out of action, the Nazis would have difficulty in maintaining even a thin stream of reinforcements. Internal Dangers

It should be noted, however, that the problem to be faced by the Allies is not only a military one. Disclosures made a few days ago indicated the extent to which the Norwegian fighting services and civil departments have been honeycombed with Nazi “cells.” Disquieting messages reveal the possibility that treachery is not yet extinct in Norway. Even if these dangerous tendencies can now be checked, the subversive actions of men in key positions must have done a great deal to disorganize the country’s defence system. The same dangers may be even more acute in Sweden. Steps have been taken to round up all persons, suspected of Nazi sympathies, who may have the power to support a conspiracy planned in Berlin. But these precautions have been left to a late hour, and it is still not certain what Sweden’s attitude will be if she is presented with a German ultimatum. The possibility of an attempt to coerce Sweden is recognized in London, where the Minister of Economic Warfare has just been remarkably outspoken. Mr Cross is reported this morning to have stated his belief that Germany “will bluff Sweden for one precious month,” and that later, when the Baltic ports are ice-free, she “will try a sharp, treacherous attack.” This public warning will not be relished in Stockholm, but it is a welcome indication that the British Government at last understands the Nazi methods of conspiracy. Meanwhile the operations in Norway are being closely watched by two Powers that are known to be unfriendly to the Allies. According to The Times, news from Italy and Russia shows “that both countries will probably shape their policies when they see how events in Norway are turning.” If the Allies are unable to establish themselves quickly enough to prevent the Germans from consolidating their positions, or if Swedish neutrality collapses under pressure from

Berlin, the pro-Nazi countries might be tempted to believe that the time has come for the abandonment of “non-belligerency.” The Allies must therefore strike hard and often if they are to convince the world—and especially the neutrals—that the Nazi march has been stopped.

Key to the South

Recent cable messages have shown that the British Government clearly recognizes the dangers as well as the opportunities of the Norwegian campaign. The landing at Narvik appears to have been successful, and although the Germans may fight hard to retain their foothold in the far north it seems certain that the Allies will soon dominate this region. But the main strategic zone is further south. Trondheim is still in the hands of the Germans, and at this point the distance from the head of the fiord to the Swedish frontier is barely 50 miles. If the Nazis continue to advance from the south they might soon be able to construct their defences at the waist of Norway. A successful attack on Trondheim would force them to retreat into the wider territories of the south, where their communications would be much harder to protect, and where—if they are denied any large reinforcements —it would be easier to weaken their grip on the country. Trondheim has already received the attentions of the Royal Air Force, and there may shortly be news of more serious operations. The work will not be easy, for the Germans have the use of shore batteries and of natural defensive positions. But if Stavanger aerodrome has been badly damaged, and if Narvik is in the hands of the Allies, Trondheim becomes the obvious military objective. On the struggle for this position

may depend large issues. The friends and the enemies of the Allies are watching and waiting. A decisive blow would have echoes in Sweden, in Italy and in Russia. In the words of The Times, “all the news reaching official quarters in London shows that time is running short in Norway.” The next few days may not bring decisive results; but they will certainly bring strong and determined action.