Before the outbreak of World War II, Norway followed a policy of neutrality. The goal was to stay out of conflicts on the continent, just as during the First World War. In hindsight, the Norwegian policy has been criticized because the deprioritising of the armed forces had significantly reduced the country’s defence capability, and thus the ability to assert neutrality. Norwegian authorities also did not sufficiently understand the country’s strategic importance for the European great powers.

The German Army Command had three important strategic reasons: 1) The long Norwegian coastline could supply bases for the German navy in a war against Great Britain. 2) Norway was the northern flank in an expected confrontation with the Soviet Union. 3) It was crucial to secure the shipment of iron ore from Narvik to Germany. For the Allies, therefore, it was just as important to prevent the Germans access to the country.

Norway became an involuntary pawn in the great powers’ game.