Evening star., 1942-10-08
scandinavian Crisis

scandinavian Crisis
Grave events in Norway and Den
mark during the past few days indi-
cate a new crisis in the relations of
those German dominated countries
and the Nazi Reich. Indeed, the re-
percuSsions of those events tend to
strain further the already tense
situation between Germany and neu-
trail Sweden. So it is fair to say that
all Scandinavia is involved.
The wave of militant unrest that
has passed over the whole of Ger
man occupied Europe during recent
months is clearly evident in Norway.
There, the vicious circle of popular
resistance and Nazi repression is seen
in extensive sabotage centering in
Trondheim Province, answered by
the imposition of martial law and
bloody reprisals before firing squads.
Trondheim, situated In Central Nor
way, is one of the chief German
strongholds. Its deep, sheltered
fjords have been favorite hide-outs
for the German battle fleet, with ex-
cellent dockage and repair facilities.
Damage to those harbor installations
by Norwegian saboteurs and killings
of Gestapo agents have drawn down
the vengeful fury of the German oc-
cupation authorities. Mass arrests
and threats of severer measures over
large part of Norway indicate the
gravity with which the Germans
view the internal situation. 1t
should be understood that the Ger
mans are chronically nervous lest
Norway be selected by the Allies as
the place to launch their projected
second front. An Allied conquest of
Northern Norway, especially, would
safeguard the supply route via the
Arctic to the Russian ports of Muir
mansk and Archangel, thus easing
the strain on the Soviet Union.
The situation in Denmark is less
spectacular but has important i'm
plications. Unlike Norway, Denmark
made no armed resistance to the sud-
den German invasion in the spring
of 1940 1t was therefore rewarded
by being allowed to retain a large
measure of Self-government In fact,
the Reich used Denmark as sort
of Exhibit-A to persuade other peo-
Piles how generous" Germany was
to those who submitted without a
fight. However, Denmark's immuni-
ties have been rapidly whitfield away
under the spur of German economic
necessities Denmark has been sys-
tematically exploited by its Nazi
masters, and popular resistance
naturally has grown under resultant
hardships and humiliations. Berlin
is threatening that unless the Danes
become more amenable and "co-
operative" they may, lose their re-
naming privileges and be subjected
to full -fedged Nazi rule.
Behind these local situations there
is the possibility that Hitler soon may
put into operation his reported plan
for the creation of an extension of
the present Reich into a federation
which will include Denmark, Nor
way and the Netherlands, to be
known as Greater Germania." Such
an amalgamation of the SO-called
"Nordic" lands would be a most
alarming portent for Sweden, which
hardly could hope to escape the
Fuehrer's implacable logic. That the
Swedes have no intention of being
swallowed into such a "Nordic" fed
Grafton is shown by their ceaseless
strengthening of the national de-
fenses. Sweden stands in a state of
virtually complete mobilization, with
over 100000 troops under arms, we'll
equipped by excellent munitions
plants. The Swedes have no desire
to be drawn into the dread mael-
strom of the war that RACES on all
their borders, but they unquestion-
ably would fight to maintain their
cherished independence. And each
new complication in the neighboring
lands makes Swedish neutrality more
precarious. Scandinavia is today a
powder keg. A spark may set off
general explosion.