Amphibious readiness could have changed Britain's Norway choice

The closing discussion treats British concern about Norway as contingency planning rather than proof of a settled decision to invade before Germany moved. British planners recognized Norway's strategic importance and worried that its government was less prepared to defend neutrality than it had been during the First World War. They might have occupied the Faroe Islands, postured nearby, and waited for a German violation rather than initiating a full invasion. A ready amphibious force would not settle the political choice, but it would have given Britain more credible options and less preparation time once the decision was made.