First Lord of the Admiralty
Churchill's fingerprints were all over the Norwegian
campaign. It wouldn't take much to capture Narvik
and cut Germany off from its iron ore. This one small
victory could have a decisive effect in the course of the
war over the long term. It was worth the gamble.
The iron fields at Gallivare are the real objective.
Germany can get the ore it needs from the harbor at
Lulea once the ice melts in April. The port of Narvik
is no longer of importance. Britain must take Sweden's
iron ore fields if the Allies are to keep this metal from Hitler.
The Royal Navy zigged when they should have zagged.
The Glowworm's sinking by the Admiral Hipper
confirmed to the Admiralty at Scapa Flow that
Germany's warships were making a break for the
British shipping lanes of the Atlantic. The Home Fleet
made a dash to prevent the Reich's battleships and
cruisers from destroying its ocean lifelines.
Turns out the Royal Navy was actually headed
away from the ships they hoped to intercept.
The enemy rarely gives you the battle you want.
The Royal Navy wanted a showdown with the German
Kriegsmarine because such a conflict plays to the
Home Fleet's strength. Certainly Germany's
Admiral Raeder knew his navy wasn't prepared for
such a head on confrontation. The idea is to come
up with something unexpected.
Germany captured Norway's ports, mostly unopposed.
Surprise. Your ports have all been captured by your enemy.
Your militia was sleeping and the British were off chasing
a phantom fleet out to sea.
British battleship sinks flotilla of ten German destroyers.
The Kriegsmarine was pretty much swept from the board
by the Royal Navy in the days that followed.
Admiral Raeder's credibility with Hitler had dropped
to near nothing. U-boats had the proven strategy
and that was the province of Admiral Donitz,
Raeder's rival.
Hitler was about to upend the entire Allied defense.
Norway was a distraction that was easily handled.
In a matter of days British troops abandon their
outpost in Narvik because the entire Scandinavian
campaign had just become irrelevant.
Everyone's attention had suddenly turned to
a small French town in the Ardennes named
Sedan.
* * * * *
OVER EASY
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