The King's Choice an alternative Norway

The Norwegian Film the King's Choice was recently shown of Channel 4 based on the dilemma facing Haakon V11 when Germany invaded Norway in 1940. The foreign minister sought accommodation with the Germans but the invading forces were impatient and sought to impose Quisling on the country also there had been resistance by the navy.

Neighbouring Denmark was occupied relatively peacefully by an army of civil servants and had virtual home rule with a social democrat government. Was a Danish solution feasible? What would have happened if an accommodation was reached. Norway had the worlds 4th largest ocean going merchant fleet which carried on the fight supplying vital shipping space in the Battle of the Atlantic. Would the ships be seized by the Royal Navy? Germany also had to provide an army of occupation to control a hostile population.
 
The Norwegian Film the King's Choice was recently shown of Channel 4 based on the dilemma facing Haakon V11 when Germany invaded Norway in 1940. The foreign minister sought accommodation with the Germans but the invading forces were impatient and sought to impose Quisling on the country also there had been resistance by the navy.

Neighbouring Denmark was occupied relatively peacefully by an army of civil servants and had virtual home rule with a social democrat government. Was a Danish solution feasible? What would have happened if an accommodation was reached. Norway had the worlds 4th largest ocean going merchant fleet which carried on the fight supplying vital shipping space in the Battle of the Atlantic. Would the ships be seized by the Royal Navy? Germany also had to provide an army of occupation to control a hostile population.

Norway had to be directly controlled by the Germans for one reason: iron ore. In the early stages of the war, Germany and Britain were effectively in a race to control the Swedish ore that came through the Norwegian port of Narvik. If Germany allowed Norway to effectively govern itself, then there was a chance that Britain could intercept those ships, effectively strangling Germany of it's source of ore. Norway was also valuable as a potential base for the Kriegsmarine to conduct operations against the Royal Navy.

Germany treated Denmark so leniently for mostly, economic reasons. Denmark supplied surplus agricultural products to Germany and it was feared that a forceful German occupation could lead to a economic collapse. Aside from that, Denmark was worthless when it came to natural resources, so the Germans could afford Denmark it's somewhat autonomous status. That doesn't fly for Norway.


but the invading forces were impatient and sought to impose Quisling on the country

Not really. To the Germans, Vidkun Quisling was a absolute joke. They thought they could trust him, but when he bungled his coup against King Haakon, the Germans threw up their hands and imposed Josef Terboven on Norway as it's Reichskommissar instead. Remember, Quisling came to them and offered to help them invade his own country. They didn't go to him.
 
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