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Denmark and Norway 1940: Hitler's boldest operation (Campaign) | 
 enlarge | Author: Doug Dildy
Creator: John White
Brand: Osprey Publishing
Category: Book
List Price: $19.95
Buy New: $14.96
You Save: $4.99 (25%)
New (14) Used (3) from $12.45
Rating:  4 reviews
Sales Rank: 323087
Media: Paperback
Pages: 96
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 9.6 x 7.2 x 0.3
MPN: OSPCAM183
ISBN: 1846031176
Dewey Decimal Number: 940.542181
EAN: 9781846031175
ASIN: 1846031176
Publication Date: April 24, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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Product Description
Denmark/Norway 1940
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A Very Well Put-Together Campaign Summary May 3, 2007
R. A Forczyk (Laurel, MD USA)
21 out of 21 found this review helpful
The German invasion of Norway and Denmark is a fascinating subject in military history that unfortunately has not received a great deal of attention from English-speaking historians since the British Official History was published decades ago. Readers looking for an unbiased account of the military campaign were hard put to find a good single volume reference. However, Douglas C. Dildy, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, provides that sorely needed reference in Osprey's Campaign No. 183. Not only does the author provide a well-balanced summary of the operations in Norway, but he also details the little-known operations in Denmark, as well. This is a very well put together campaign summary.
In the opening sections, the author lays out the origins of the campaign and the genesis of the German and Allied plans for Norway. The section on opposing commanders covers 3 German army leaders, 1 naval and 1 Luftwaffe leader, but skims over Norwegian leadership and then describes 3 British and 1 French leader. This section was a bit unbalanced, with French General Bethouart - the only Allied leader who accomplished anything of substance in the campaign getting only a nod (no photo), while British commanders who did little (e.g. Mackesy and Auchinleck) get more than their due. This unbalanced perspective is probably a result of over-reliance on the British official history, which slights the contributions of French, Norwegian and Polish officers while exaggerating the role of people who exercised only paper commands. The section on opposing forces is weightier, with 10 pages discussing relevant air, land and sea forces from all participants. A 2-page order of battle is also included.
Graphically, the volume includes five 2-D maps (Deployment of naval forces, 8 April 1940; the invasion of Denmark, 9 April 1940; Deployment of Royal Navy forces to counter the invasion of Norway, 9 April 1940; the German capture of Southern and Central Norway, 12 April - 3 May 1940; Deployment of forces for the Battle of Narvik, 10 May 1940), three 3-D BEV maps (seaborne assaults in Oslo fjord, 9 April 1940; the battles around Lillehammer, 20-24 April 1940; Allied forces recapture Narvik, 12-28 May 1940) and three battle scenes by John White (the destroyer battle in Narvik Harbor, 10 April 1940; the NBFZ B Heavy tank in the Battle of Kvam, 25 April 1940; FAA Skua attack on the Scharnhorst in Trondheim Fjord, 13 June 1940). The author also provides an excellent bibliography.
The campaign narrative lays out the opening German invasion moves in Norway and Denmark with a commendable level of detail for a volume this size. Coverage of the invasion of Denmark is particularly noteworthy, since few works address this subject (although the author does not really discuss why the troops in Jutland failed to defend the border but the palace guards defended the capital). The author then covers each invasion area in about a half-page, with emphasis on the capture of Oslo. The next sections deals with the Royal Navy's response, the arrival of Allied troops in Norway, the Luftwaffe's air superiority and the recapture of Narvik. Final sections cover the Allied evacuation and the last air-sea battles in Norwegian waters. The photographs supporting the text were excellent throughout the volume.
The author sees the German invasion of Norway as a Pyrrhic victory that crippled the Kriegsmarine for the rest of the war, but "as a joint campaign it set the standard and pattern for all other air-land-sea offensives that followed." I'm not sure that the war's outcome would have been much different if the cruiser Blucher and the 10 destroyers lost at Narvik had survived the campaign - after all, the Royal Navy had the Kriegsmarine outgunned before the invasion, so losses in the campaign could hardly be credited with altering the naval balance. The diversion of numerous divisions to guard Norway's coastline was probably more damaging for the German war effort, since about 10 badly-needed infantry divisions sat on the war on a sideshow front. Overall, this is a terrific effort, with the only significant omission being the lack of data on personnel casualties suffered in the campaign or aircraft losses.
A more complete study than most you'll find. April 9, 2008
Richard Peterson (San Diego, CA, USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I have read quite a bit about the Norwegian campaign, but this slender volume covers much that is new to me. Too often, the focus is on the initial invasion and the naval actions. The land side typically only rates brief mention about how the lack of air cover doomed the Allied counter-invasion. However, Doug Dildy instead focuses on the land side, detailing how the Germans managed to conquer Norway on a shoe-string. It is a remarkable story. There are plenty of maps to help understand the complex operation, the 3-D maps in particular being used to show critical actions in detail. He shows how German airpower was actually employed to help decide the battles; but it is also clear that German aggressiveness, tactical superiority and ability to out-maneuver their opponents was not limited to their panzer divisions.
The naval side is hardly slighted and Dildy also covers the invasion of Denmark, something usually completely ignored. It is very impressive how he was able to cram so much in just 96 pages; this book ranks among the best of the Osprey Campaign series.
Marked a turning point not just in one battle, but in military strategy as a whole July 7, 2007
Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Douglas C. Dildy's DENMARK AND NORWAY 1940: HITLER'S BOLDEST OPERATION tells of an assault which represented the first joint air-land-and-sea campaign in the history of warfare, and thus marked a turning point not just in one battle, but in military strategy as a whole. The campaign led to Winston Churchill's appointment as British Prime Minister and was a key event beyond the ordinary: as such this history needs a place in any serious World War II or general military bookshelf.
One of the Best Osprey Campaign Books July 11, 2008
Stephan Bullard (Hartford, CT USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is one of the most thorough accounts available of the 1940 northern campaigns. Although of vital importance, little has been written about operations in Denmark and Norway during World War 2. The Germans invaded both countries in April 1940 to ensure a continued flow of iron ore from Scandinavia and to secure additional northern naval bases so that their fleet would not be bottled up as it had been during the First World War. The campaign covered a huge area, involved some intense combat and was one of the only German operations to involve all military branches.
The author seamlessly weaves together a narrative of the complex naval, air and land actions of the campaign. The writing is exceptionally clear and easy to follow. The 2D maps are fantastic. They include: an overview of the operational area and initial fleet movements; the invasion of Denmark; the Royal Navy's response to the invasion; land movements from April 12 to May 3; the Battle of Narvik. This is a excellent account of a little known World War 2 campaign. It is also a example of the Osprey Campaign Series at its very best.
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