Evening star., 1940-04-30
Nazi Force in Norway
Believed 10 Exceed
Allies by ; 10 |
Germans Prestige
Gains Enormously as
Foes Suffer Loss
Nv LELAND STOWE.


OSTERSUND, Sweden, April 30
(By Radio Three weeks after
Germany's invasion of Norway the
allied expeditionary force on Nor
wegian soil is believed to be less
than $4,000 men, even taking into
account the Decentralization of new
troops reputedly effected the last
three days.
1t appears almost certain that
the Nazis' army of occupation-far
better equipped and backed by
strong air forces installed in all
Norway airports-is still double the
Anglo-French forces and may pos
sibly outnumber them almost three
to one.
This means that the Western
powers are facing the most hazard
Gus campaign and may yet find it
too costly to attempt a real coun-
ter invasion anywhere south of
Irondhelm. In any case, unless
the allies are going to confine them
selves to holding ingloriously a line
from Namos. across Norway's thin
upper Waistline, they'll be forced
to embark on a prolonged military
venture.
Two Choices for Allies.
Most observers agree on this:
Either the allies will have to abandon
to the Germans virtually all stra-
tegic and productive Norway from
Trondheim southwark or must swift
ly organize an expeditionary force
OF at least 100000 men-perhaps
eventually more than 100000. That
would mean long and difficult
summer campaign But for London
and Paris the only choice seems
abandonment of all Scandinavia
either to Nazi possession or economic
domination.
This threatens to be the heavy
price of the allies lack of military
organization. lack of audacity and
persistence in playing safe while the
Germans take startling risks and
willingly accept serious losses in
order to gain their objectives.
In Norway the contrasts are the
most striking. In exactly three weeks
the British have landed and ad-
Vanced a few thousand troops about
60 miles from Andalsnes to the
vicinity of Dombas. Together with
the French they have placed several
thousand men near Namsos above
Trondhelm In the same period the
high-geared Germans have shot mo-
fNrlZnH nnl,lr,rc of
miles of roads and have clinched
their hold on virtually all of Norway
that counts.
Psychological Advances.
The Germans have made brilliant
military gains. But psychologically,
SO far as both the Norwegians and
SWedes are concerned, their gains
are even more important. In both
these countries the British have suf-
fered a catastrophe loss of prestige
while the Nazi regime has gained
enormously.
II the allies had put big imposing
force into Norway during these three
weeks, Sweden might have adopted
at least an extremely benevolent
neutrality to the British and French.
Any inducements in that direction
are now exceedingly slender, if not
impossible. for reasons of geography
and immediate Swedish self interest.
The allies are now faced by the
cold fact that Germany has won
the entirety of Sweden's export
products, as we'll as being assured
OF its supply of Swedish iron ore
unless the Anglo o-French expedi-
tlonaries are able to cut across Gen.
trail Norway very soon. Since such
q development seems improbable for
a time to come, the stream of Swed-
ish foodstuffs and all kinds of sup
plies has been completely DETECTED
to Germany. This hard reality may
yet compel the allies to launch
large-scale, energetic campaign in
Norway, despite the serious obstacles
which intervene.
Morse Do Not Want to Fight.
But the French and British will
not have fighting people rallying
to their support in Norway. The
attitude of a great many Nor
wegians is summed up in the re-
mark of one man who declared
frankly:
I'VE do not want to lose our lives.
We will keep ourselves aside as we'll
as we can and leave the rest to the
English This feeling is very wide
spread, and those Norwegians who
want to fight represent a gallant
but definite minority.
From every angle, the allied pros
poets in Norway are far from en-