Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1950-11-22
Denmark
ARMY AND NAVY
Pre-Nar status

Pre-war status
From antiquity and far up
through the ages, Denmark possess
sed armed forces by land and sea
which gave her opportunities of
strongly asserting herself in mil
itary sense. This led in certain
periods to a powerful expansion.
In the modern age, the small
ness of the country and, perhaps,
more particularly the lack of raw
materials necessary for the tech
nioue of war. such as iron and
other metals, etc. have constituted
a natural hindrance to any major
military development. The country
therefore. has been content to
maintain an army and a navy, the
principal tasks of which have been
those of guarding and controlling
the frontier and territorial waters
of the kingdom. During the last
100 years the national defence has
been organized upon the basis of
CONSUMPTION.
During War Time
Al the beginning of the war
Denmark was only able to mobilize
q relatively small army: neverthe-
less. the people felt fairly safe.
among other reasons because OF
the treaty Of aggression con-
Guided with Germany. Consequent
", il was not 10 be wondered at,
that the Danish army and navy
were only for a short while cap
able of standing up against the
blow which the German oppres
sors so treacherously and without
any warning whatever directed
against the Danish frontiers.
A large proportion of the per-
sonnet of the army and navy soon
joined the underground movement
that sprang up in resistance
against the German yoke, and on
the 2oth of August 1e4S this fact
in conjunction with the ever-g grow
ing tension between the Danish
government and the German OPP
pre>SorS led to a new German a.
tack on the military and naval
forces, as also against other Dan
ISL authorities. The upshot OF this
waS the complete disarmament O.
the forces 81 which large numbers
were iIterned-
During the subsequent period the
struggle against the Germans
grew ever more intense in the
form Of sabotage activities against
lines Of communication and the
factories engaged in war produc-
ton. The number q railway Saoo-
taseS through September. October
and November ran into lo4. and
when in le45 these activities
reached their climax. 2.l56 were
attained. with the result that the
greater part Of German transport
activities II Denmark were inter
rupted OF at least seriously hanp-
cred
BY the time an invasion ii this
country had become likely. close
on sc. ooo men had enlisted in the
underground movement, which was
equipped with modern automatic
arms and other equipment that
had been procured partly from
England. brought; across by Brit
ish aeroplanes and received by the
men q the underground at places
previously agreed upon; ard part
IL from Sweden whence the ue-
;erial was transported by Illegal
routes
As matters turned out, Denmark
ESCAPED becoming the scene % SC
tual fighting and 50 the under
ground also avoided direct engage
rnen:s Of any importance with the
Germans During the penod Of
transition Until a regular army
could again be established the re-
sistsnce movement however. prov
ed useful help for the police and
as guards at the i1terument
camps. etc Important service n
this connection was rendered by
the corps which had been trained
and perfectly equipped as a mill
tsry force II Sweden ard now re
turned ho-ae after their Iuvolu--