What trouble would two Danish 7,640-ton light cruisers with nine six-inch guns cause in 1940?
Short answerThey might escape to Allied service or interfere with the Norway operation, adding useful six-inch cruisers against a German weakness.
NotesThe cruisers would not necessarily stop the invasion of Denmark, but their location when Germany attacked would determine their usefulness. One or both might already be at sea and escape rather than fall under German control. They could join a Free Danish force, cooperate with the Royal Navy, or warn Norway after spotting German movements. Their nine six-inch guns would also add a cruiser capability in which the German fleet was comparatively weak.