Norway between East and West in World War II

Abstract

This article sets out to analyse the role accorded to Norway by her three Great Power Allies during the Second World War — The Soviet Union, Great Britain and the United States — and the policy responses of the Norwegian Government. Starting with the proposals for post-war Atlantic cooperation forwarded by the Government- in-exile, the author examines the position of Norway in relation to the changing spheres of influence of the Great Powers, their attitude to the question of small state unions in the post-war European set-up, the choice between Sweden and Great Britain as Nor way's main external supporter, the repercussions of the Soviet liberation of northern Norway and the configuration of external influences in Norway at the time when hostilities ended in Europe. He outlines the problems created for Norway by the lack of coordination between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union, and points out that on several policy proposals Norway was out of step with her main Western Allies. Finally he establishes that Norway, to a greater extent than has so far been recognized, played a role in the delineation of Great Power — i.e. mainly Soviet and British — spheres of influence in Europe at the close of the war.