Westerwald tests Norwegian neutrality

The first book is a large chronological reference for the naval war of 1939-45. Its November 1939 example follows the German supply ship Westerwald after it replenished Deutschland in the North Atlantic and Norwegian torpedo boats stopped it on the way home. German diplomatic pressure secured the ship's passage through Norwegian waters, establishing a precedent before the better-known Altmark incident. No Royal Navy ship was present to block the passage, leaving Norway to handle the confrontation while trying to keep both belligerents balanced. The incident shows how limited naval power made neutrality difficult to enforce.