Norway was a campaign of repeated missed opportunities because a risky German invasion encountered insufficiently alert defences. The comparison with a hypothetical Operation Sea Lion fails because British ports, garrisons, and higher command were more prepared and alert by 1940-41. Norway still relied on ageing coastal-defence ships that had not received the replacement or modernization their role required. The speculative alternative gives newer vessels modern heavy guns, secondary batteries, anti-aircraft weapons, armour, and workable torpedoes, illustrating the capabilities neglected without prescribing one exact design. Readiness had declined under multiple governments and parties, while senior-command personalities converted that accumulated weakness into operational failure.
Notable Point · 39:00-43:21
Norway's long-term defence problem before 1940
The campaign's surprises grew from long-running weaknesses in Norwegian readiness, coastal defence, and senior leadership rather than one decision in April 1940.