Norway 1940-45: The Resistance Movement

Front Cover, Norway 1940-45: The Resistance Movement by Olav Riste and Berit Nökleby, 1970. GGA Image ID # 17f4ffa0a5

Nor-Media A/S, Norge, Hardcover, 93 Pages, 82-03-22087-8.

Foreword

To those who arc familiar with what has already been written by historians about the Norwegian Resistance, this book does not pretend to bring much information that is new. The aim of the authors—both of whom are historians working on related topics—has been to provide a concise survey based on existing studies and aimed at non-Norwegian readers with a serious interest in the subject.

To the extent that we have succeeded, most of the credit belongs to the historians on whose original research this survey is based. The book’s shortcomings are, of course, our own responsibility.

The authors wish to express their gratitude to the Norwegian Resistance Museum for generous assistance with illustrations.

Olav Kiste and Berit Nökleby

Back Cover, Norway 1940-45: The Resistance Movement by Olav Riste and Berit Nökleby, 1970. GGA Image ID #

Contents

• Foreword
• Interregnum
• Initiatives
• The Struggle Begins
• The Fronts are Established
• A Military Resistance Movement
• Terror Strikes
• Watershed 1942
• Civilian Resistance
• Military Resistance
• 1943: The Long View
• New Dimensions
• The Heavy Water Sabotage
• Looking Ahead
• The Activists
• New Challenges
• The Final Year
• Milorg: Sabotage and Protection
• Civilian Resistance: Preparing for Peace
• The Liberation
• Index
  

The Norwegian Resistence Movement, in General

The Norwegian resistance to Norway's occupation by German Forces began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms:

• Asserting the exiled government's legitimacy, and by implication, the lack of legitimacy of Vidkun Quisling's pro-Germany regime and Josef Terboven's military administration.
• The initial defense in Southern Norway, which was mostly disorganized, but succeeded in allowing the government to escape capture
• The more organized military defense and counter-attacks in parts of Western and Northern Norway, aimed at securing strategic positions and the evacuation of the government
• Armed resistance, in the form of sabotage, commando raids, assassinations, and other special operations during the occupation
• Civil disobedience and unarmed resistance

Library of Congress Catalog Listing

• LC Control No.: 73503398
• Type of Material: Book (Print, Microform, Electronic, etc.)
• Personal Name: Riste, Olav.
• Main Title: Norway 1940-45: The resistance movement. By Olav Riste and Berit Nökleby.
• Published/Created: Oslo, Tanum, 1970.
• Related Names: Nøkleby, Berit, 1939-, joint author.
• Description: 92 p. illus., ports., maps. 21 cm.
• Subjects: World War, 1939-1945 --Underground movements --Norway. Norway --History --German occupation, 1940-1945.
• Series: Tanum’s tokens of Norway
• LC Classification: DL532 .R54
• Dewey Class No.: 940.548/6/481
• National Bibliography No.: N70-21
• Geographic Area Code: e-no---