The Practice Of Operational Art In Operation Weserübung The German Invasion Of Norway 1940

Author : Anonim
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 19 pages
File Size : 43,9 Mb
Release : 2007
Category : Electronic
ISBN : OCLC:227945836

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The Practice of Operational Art in Operation Weserubung: The German Invasion of Norway 1940 by Anonim Pdf

In April of 1940, the peaceful and neutral country of Norway became a battleground between Germany, France, and England in their desire to control it for their own war objectives. The Battle of Norway and as the Germans called it, Operation Weseruebung, was the first major military operation in history to utilize naval, ground, air, and airborne forces in the assault phase of the attack. The German success in this operation provides an outstanding example of the application of operational art and the principles of war by Germany in the early stages of World War II. The principles of surprise and security were the most critical in this German military success. Operation Weseruebung included both the invasion of Denmark and the invasion of Norway. The first phase of the operation was the invasion of Denmark; its air bases were needed for the invasion of Norway, and it fell in a single day. The focus of this paper will be on the Norwegian portion of Weseruebung. German military planning took into account and exploited the operational factors of time, space and force, another key element in why this operation is worthy of further analysis and study. The operational lessons learned that could be applied from the belligerents' experiences further illustrate several important lessons that are applicable today. From the Germans one learns the importance of planning around apparent disadvantages, command and control as it relates to operational objectives and commander's intent, and the importance of initiative in military operations. From the British one learns the pitfalls of mirror imaging and that a lack of decisiveness can prove fatal in military operations. Lastly, from the Norwegians, one can see the importance of national defense for maintaining a nation's self-determination against outside belligerents.

Author : Lieutenant Mark A. Rice
Publisher : Pickle Partners Publishing
Page : 23 pages
File Size : 43,7 Mb
Release : 2014-08-15
Category : History
ISBN : 9781782898160

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The Practice Of Operational Art In Operation Weserübung: The German Invasion Of Norway 1940 by Lieutenant Mark A. Rice Pdf

The planning and execution of Operation Weserübung was the first major joint operation of its kind in history utilizing naval, ground, air, and airborne forces. Its conduct proves to be one of the most noteworthy applications of operational art and the principles of war during all of World War II. The principles of surprise and security were the most critical in the German success. The German planning taking into account and exploiting the operational factors of time, space and force are another key element in why this operation is worthy of further analysis and study. Additionally, the operational lessons learned that could be applied from the belligerents’ experiences further illustrate several important lessons that can apply today. From the Germans we saw the importance of planning around apparent disadvantages, command and control as it relates to operational objectives and commanders intent, and the importance of initiative in military operations. From the British, the pitfalls of mirror imaging and a lack of decisiveness can prove fatal in military operations. Lastly, from the Norwegian side we see the importance of national defense for maintaining a nations’ own self-determination against outside belligerents.

Author : Major Michael W. Richardson
Publisher : Pickle Partners Publishing
Page : 83 pages
File Size : 51,9 Mb
Release : 2015-11-06
Category : History
ISBN : 9781786250780

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Forcible Entry And The German Invasion Of Norway, 1940 by Major Michael W. Richardson Pdf

The air-sea-land forcible entry of Norway in 1940 utilized German operational innovation and boldness to secure victory. The Germans clearly met, and understood, the conditions that were necessary to achieve victory. The central research question of this thesis is: What lessons concerning setting the conditions for present day forcible entry operations can be gleaned from the successful German invasion of Norway in 1940? Forcible entry is the introduction of an aggregation of military personnel, weapons systems, vehicles, and necessary support, or a combination thereof, embarked for the purpose of gaining access through land, air, or amphibious operations into an objective area against resistance. This aggregation of military force attempts to set conditions that cripple the enemy’s ability to react decisively to, or interfere with, the forcible entry operation. The German emphasis on surprise and speed, an effective psychological campaign, and combined operations under a unified command in the invasion of Norway rendered the Norwegian and Allied intervention forces (including the Royal Navy which dominated the seas in the area) incapable of seriously interfering with the German forcible entry.

Author : Major Timothy F. Lindemann
Publisher : Pickle Partners Publishing
Page : 63 pages
File Size : 40,6 Mb
Release : 2014-08-15
Category : History
ISBN : 9781782898061

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Joint Operations Case Study. Weserübung Nord Germany's Invasion Of Norway, 1940 by Major Timothy F. Lindemann Pdf

In the history of modern warfare, Weserübung Nord, the German invasion of Norway in 1940, occupies a distinguished station as the first campaign “jointly” planned and executed by ground, sea, and air forces. This paper examines the origins, concept, and planning of Weserübung Nord, as well as the execution of the landings. Brief attention is given to the defense of the landings against Allied counterstrokes and to issues associated with unified planning and direction. The origins of the campaign are found in the German naval experience in the First World War, interwar naval strategy debates, and the persona of Grand Admiral Erich Raeder, who was determined to secure a decisive role for the German Navy in the Second World War. Raeder capitalized on the fortuitous opportunities the Russo-Finnish War and the Norwegian traitor Vidkun Quisling presented to win Hitler over to his naval plans. Raeder and the Navy heavily influenced the concept development and planning of the campaign in concert with the High Command of the (German) Armed Forces, which also had a vested organizational interest in a military solution of the Norwegian issue. In executing Weserübung Nord, the German Armed Forces encountered major problems only at Oslo and Narvik. However, the operational-level success of the campaign tends to draw attention away from fundamental problems regarding unified planning and direction which emerged during the preparation and execution of the campaign. “When the first [German] mountain troops in parachutes were dropped behind Narvik, it occurred that one fell directly in the water. The General [Dietl] came up to him as a petty officer was pulling him out of the water.” “So soldier, how do you end up here?” “With the help of the three branches of the Armed Forces, Herr General,” shouted the man quick-wittedly, “the Army sent me up here, the Air Force transported me, and the Navy pulled me out of the water.”-General Dietl: das Leben eines Soldaten

Author : Major Brian T. Baxley
Publisher : Pickle Partners Publishing
Page : 39 pages
File Size : 48,9 Mb
Release : 2014-08-15
Category : History
ISBN : 9781782897057

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9 April 1940 German Invasion Of Norway - The Dawn Of Decisive Airpower During Joint Military Operations by Major Brian T. Baxley Pdf

Operation Weserübung, the German invasion of Norway during the Second World War, is considered by many military historians to be the first joint military operation involving the combined planning and execution of air, land, and sea forces. After a brief introduction and an explanation of the significance of Norway, Chapter Three will analyze the planning process and strategy used by the Germans in late 1939 and early 1940 for devising this joint operation. Chapter Four examines, primarily from an airpower perspective, the plan itself and its execution during the first day of the operation by the Germans, and the British response. Chapter Five determines how German airpower was used, and in particular, what effect the Luftwaffe attack on 9 April against the British Home Fleet had against Britain’s campaign strategy to control the North Sea. The final chapter examines three important lessons United States military planners should extract from Operation Weserübung and apply to operations in the 21st century. They are: 1) the joint operation of air, land, and sea assets produce a synergetic effect greater than the sum of their parts; 2) a difficult part of joint operations is the air command and control; and 3) airpower can decisively deny the enemy use of the land or the sea.

Author : Geirr H Haarr
Publisher : Pen and Sword
Page : 446 pages
File Size : 45,8 Mb
Release : 2011-03-30
Category : History
ISBN : 9781783469673

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The German Invasion of Norway, April 1940 by Geirr H Haarr Pdf

“Tremendous . . . zeroes in on the critical first days of Weserübung and offers a minutely detailed account of the unfolding action.”—World War II This book documents the German invasion of Norway, focusing on the events at sea. More than most other campaigns of WWII, Operation Weserübung has been shrouded in mystery, legend and flawed knowledge. Strategic, political and legal issues were at best unclear, while military issues were dominated by risk; the German success was the result of improvisation and the application of available forces far beyond the comprehension of British and Norwegian military and civilian authorities. Weserübung was the first combined operation ever where air force, army and navy operated closely together. Troops were transported directly into battle simultaneously by warship and aircraft, and success required cooperation between normally fiercely competing services. It was also the first time that paratroopers were used. The following days were to witness the first dive bomber attack to sink a major warship and the first carrier task-force operations. The narrative is based on primary sources from British, German and Norwegian archives, and it gives a balanced account of the reasons behind the invasion. With its unrivalled collection of photographs, many of which have never before appeared in print, this is a major new WWII history and a definitive account of Germany’s first and last major seaborne invasion. “This is the author’s first book but he has a fine natural talent for maritime history. This is a magnificent work.”—Work Boat World “A very impressive piece of work that comes highly recommended.”—HistoryOfWar.org

Author : Douglas C. Dildy
Publisher : Osprey Publishing
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 41,8 Mb
Release : 2007-04-24
Category : History
ISBN : 1846031176

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Denmark and Norway 1940 by Douglas C. Dildy Pdf

On 9 April 1940, German forces invaded Denmark, and then Norway, in an attempt to secure the vital mineral resources of Scandinavia for their war industry. This assault, Operation Weserübung, represents the first joint air-land-and-sea campaign in the history of warfare, and was the only such campaign planned, launched, and completed by the three services of the Wehrmacht. It also included the use of the rarest of German armoured vehicles, the Naubaufahrzeug NbFz.A/B (PzKw V/VI) experimental 'land battleship'. This book describes the events of this tumultuous campaign of World War II (1939-1945) that not only led to Winston Churchill's appointment as British Prime Minister, but also saw the crippling of the German Kriegsmarine as a fighting force, as it was reduced to a fleet of submarines and a handful of heavy warships used as commerce raiders.

Author : Adam R. A. Claasen
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 406 pages
File Size : 52,6 Mb
Release : 2001
Category : History
ISBN : UOM:39015050705147

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Hitler's Northern War by Adam R. A. Claasen Pdf

Adolf Hitler had high hopes for his conquest of Norway, which held both great symbolic and great strategic value for the Fuhrer. Despite early successes, however, his ambitious northern campaign foundered and ultimately failed. Adam Claasen for the first time reveals the full story of this neglected episode and shows how it helped doom the Third Reich to defeat. Hitler and Raeder, the chief of the German navy, were determined to take and keep Norway. By doing so, they hoped to preempt Allied attempts to outflank Germany, protect sea lanes for German ships, access precious Scandinavian minerals for war production, and provide a launchpad for Luftwaffe and naval operations against Great Britain. Beyond those strategic objectives, Hitler also envisioned Norway as part of a pan-Nordic stronghold—a centerpiece of his new world order. But, as Claasen shows, Hitler's grand expectations were never realized. Gring's Luftwaffe was the vital spearhead in the invasion of Norway, which marked a number of wartime firsts. Among other things, it involved the first large-scale aerial operations over sea rather than land, the first time operational objectives and logistical needs were fulfilled by air power, and the first deployment of paratroopers. Although it got off to a promising start, the German effort, particularly against British and arctic convoys, was greatly hampered by flawed strategic thinking, interservice rivalries between the Luftwaffe and navy, the failure to develop a long-range heavy bomber, the diversion of planes and personnel to shore up the German war effort elsewhere, and the northern theater's harsh climate and terrain. Claasen's study covers every aspect of this ill-fated campaign from the 1940 invasion until war's end and shows how it was eventually relegated to a backwater status as Germany fought to survive in an increasingly unwinnable war. His compelling account sharpens our picture of the German air force and widens our understanding of the Third Reich's way of war.

Author : David Stahel
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 457 pages
File Size : 52,8 Mb
Release : 2018
Category : History
ISBN : 9781316510346

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Joining Hitler's Crusade by David Stahel Pdf

A ground-breaking study that looks at why European nations sent troops to take part in Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union.

Author : Lawrence Paterson
Publisher : Greenhill Books
Page : 311 pages
File Size : 40,5 Mb
Release : 2021-12-22
Category : History
ISBN : 9781784386115

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Fallschirm-Panzer-Division 'Hermann Göring’ by Lawrence Paterson Pdf

A history of the development and role during World War II of the private army of the Nazi Luftwaffe’s commander-in-chief. In the early years of the Third Reich, Hermann Göring, one of the most notorious leaders of the Third Reich, worked to establish his own personal army to rival Himmler’s SS and Reichswehr. The result: a private Prussian police force which grew into one of the most powerful armored units in Nazi Germany’s Wehrmacht. This unit fought throughout the Second World War, meeting Anglo-American forces in vicious battles across the European theatres of Tunisia, Sicily, and Italy before finally being defeated by the Red Army on the Eastern Front. This book incorporates technical details of these battles with the turbulent politics and Machiavellian maneuvering of Hitler’s inner circle, giving military-history enthusiasts fresh insights into the development and role of this unusual division through the war. Drawing on first-hand accounts and extensive archive material, World War II historian Lawrence Paterson presents a comprehensive and unbiased history of the establishment of the famous 1st Fallschirm-Panzer Division. Praise for Fallschirm–Panzer Division ‘Hermann Göring’ “A fine study, well written, thoroughly researched and highly readable.” —The Journal of Military History “An important contribution to an otherwise little-known but fascinating unit.” —History of War “For anybody interested in the role of this elite unit, it is a ‘must read’ and as part of an understanding of the campaigns it fought, it offers a wider perspective of its interaction with adjoining units.” —Michael McCarthy, Battlefield Guide

Author : Geirr H Haarr
Publisher : Seaforth Publishing
Page : 846 pages
File Size : 51,9 Mb
Release : 2013-09-24
Category : History
ISBN : 9781473831315

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The Gathering Storm by Geirr H Haarr Pdf

“A top-of-the-line examination of operations in north European waters during the first eight months of [WWII] . . . by far the best work on that subject.”—Stone & Stone The term “the phony war” is often applied to the first months of the Second World War, a term suggesting inaction or passivity. That may have been the perception of the war on land, but at sea it was very different. This new book is a superb survey of the fierce naval struggles, from 1939 up to the invasion of Norway in April 1940. The author begins the book with the sinking of the German fleet at Scapa Flow in 1919 and then covers the rebuilding of the Kriegsmarine and parallel developments in the Royal Navy and summarizes relevant advances in European navies. The main part of the book then describes the actions at sea starting with the fall of Poland. There is a complex, intertwined narrative that follows. The sinking of Courageous, the German mining of the British East Coast, the Northern Patrol, the sinking of Rawalpindi, small ship operations in the North Sea and German Bight, the Altmark incident are all covered. Further afield the author deals with the German surface raiders and looks at the early stages of the submarine war in the Atlantic. As with his previous books, Geirr Haarr has researched extensively in German, British, and other archives, and the work is intended to paint a balanced and detailed picture of this significant period of the war when the opposing naval forces were adapting to a form of naval warfare quite different to that experienced in WWI.

Author : Shannon Caudill,Air University Press
Publisher : Military Bookshop
Page : 444 pages
File Size : 50,7 Mb
Release : 2014-08
Category : History
ISBN : 1782666850

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Defending Air Bases in an Age of Insurgency by Shannon Caudill,Air University Press Pdf

This anthology discusses the converging operational issues of air base defense and counterinsurgency. It explores the diverse challenges associated with defending air assets and joint personnel in a counterinsurgency environment. The authors are primarily Air Force officers from security forces, intelligence, and the office of special investigations, but works are included from a US Air Force pilot and a Canadian air force officer. The authors examine lessons from Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other conflicts as they relate to securing air bases and sustaining air operations in a high-threat counterinsurgency environment. The essays review the capabilities, doctrine, tactics, and training needed in base defense operations and recommend ways in which to build a strong, synchronized ground defense partnership with joint and combined forces. The authors offer recommendations on the development of combat leaders with the depth of knowledge, tactical and operational skill sets, and counterinsurgency mind set necessary to be effective in the modern asymmetric battlefield.

Author : Jolande Withuis,Annet Mooij
Publisher : Amsterdam University Press
Page : 385 pages
File Size : 44,7 Mb
Release : 2010
Category : History
ISBN : 9789052603711

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The Politics of War Trauma by Jolande Withuis,Annet Mooij Pdf

This study compares the policies and attitudes toward the health consequences of World War II in eleven European countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, East Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and West Germany. It shows the remarkably asynchronous development in these countries of health care financing and treatment for war survivors, and of the patients’ perception of their own health. Using an innovative and multidisciplinary approach, Withuis and Mooij analyze postwar health care in the context of the European political climate at that time.

Author : Franöois Kersaudy
Publisher : U of Nebraska Press
Page : 292 pages
File Size : 51,8 Mb
Release : 1998-01-01
Category : History
ISBN : 0803277873

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Norway 1940 by Franöois Kersaudy Pdf

En forholdsvis nyforsket redegørelse for det, som det, som anmelderne benævner den ødelæggende og inkompetente allierede kampagne, som franske og engelske styrker, støttet af nordmændene udførte til Norges forsvar i 1940. Der er fokus på politiske og militære fejl i kampagnen og dennes konsekvenser.

Author : Benjamin Franklin Cooling (III)
Publisher : Washington, D.C. : Office of Air Force History, United States Air Force
Page : 722 pages
File Size : 46,7 Mb
Release : 1994
Category : History
ISBN : UOM:39015032628854

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Case Studies in the Achievement of Air Superiority by Benjamin Franklin Cooling (III) Pdf