I'm trying to understand the logic behind the coup-de-main at Narvik, but the more I look at it the less sense it makes to me. Assume a best case scenario that includes a successful assault and the escape of Gruppe 1 destroyers.
OK...so then what?
The Germans certainly knew the Royal Navy would be out in force, and would essentially own the Ofotfjor from day 1, so seaborne reinforcements were out of the question, and not until central Norway is secured can the Germans fly any substantial reinforcements in.
So Dietl and his 2K men were expected to just sit and wait for the eventual allied counterattack?
What was their estimated timetable for relief?
The logic of Narvik
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Kingfish
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The logic of Narvik
The gods do not deduct from a man's allotted span the hours spent in fishing.
~Babylonian Proverb
~Babylonian Proverb
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Carl Schwamberger
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Re: The logic of Narvik
Good question. As a wild guess they were throwing things at the wall and hoping everything would stick.
This question can be placed against several other of the German forces. Had the RN task forces not been out of position several of the German naval groups would have been sunk & the landing forces drowned. The Germans lucked out getting all their landing parties ashore. In hindsight a third to half never should have made it.
This question can be placed against several other of the German forces. Had the RN task forces not been out of position several of the German naval groups would have been sunk & the landing forces drowned. The Germans lucked out getting all their landing parties ashore. In hindsight a third to half never should have made it.