Norway faced the Soviet threat, an increasingly aggressive Germany, and a Britain concerned that German use of the Norwegian coast could open access to the North Atlantic. British consideration of intervention rested partly on the belief that Norway lacked the forces to protect its own neutrality. Norwegian governments nevertheless counted fortresses, ships, torpedoes, and aircraft as capabilities without properly assessing whether they remained ready. Political leaders treated the existence of old weapons as proof that defence requirements had been met. The criticism is that they misjudged both Norway's strategic value to other powers and the strength of the defences they had built. Domestic and coalition spending priorities help explain the choices, but peaceful intent could not remove the country from great-power planning.
Chapter · 44:24-48:27
Norway misread its strategic value and its paper strength
Both Britain and Germany saw Norway as strategically important, while Norwegian governments treated the existence of old weapons and units as proof that defence was adequate.