Operation Kalmar-Hevn

Operation Kalmar-Hevn was the Norwegian and Nazi invasion of Jan Mayen that began in April 16th as a Norwegian annexation of Jan Mayen. The operation started on April 16th, 1920, after a final rallying speech was held by Gunnar Knudsen for a "swift, simple Norwegian victory!", due to his unfavourable position in the 1921 Norwegian parliamentary elections. The plan for Operation Kalmar-Hevn was for the Norwegian Navy to land approximately 650 Norwegian and German men to beaches near the Høybergodden fortifications to later take Høybergodden itself. Due to the unfavourable terrain that would come ahead, a second landing at Ullerengsanden and Crimea was planned before a final invasion at Haugenstranda.
The operation ended with a total and decisive Norwegian strategical failure, losing all major locations in the western half of Jan Mayen, losing over half their army sent to the Mayens.
The codename "Kalmar-Hevn" (literally Kalmar's Revenge) was chosen due to the failure that the Kalmar Union had while trying to take the island in the 16th century.
== Prelude ==
The roots for Operation Kalmar-Hevn were planted after an ultimatum was sent to Jan Mayen, demanding annexation from Jan Mayen into Norway. The relations between Norway and Jan Mayen were already negative before the ultimatum was sent, due to Jan Mayen being one of the reasons for the downfall of the Kalmar Union, and being "claimed and proud Norwegian land".
On April 13th, the ultimatum would be sent to Jan Mayen, which would be refused the next day. Following this answer, Knudsen prepared the Royal Norwegian Navy with final exercises before landing at Jan Mayen. On April 15th, 5:00 AM, the final preperations from Operation Kalmar-Hevn were ready, as the Norwegian navy began to set sail to Jan Mayen.
== The War ==
On April 16th, 3:30 AM, the 2nd Norwegian Marines Corps would land at Lillekurisk BeachA Norwegian codename for a beachhead that means "Little Curonian". The name comes from the Curonian Spit, a long stretch of Dune that spreads for ~90km., meeting minuscule resistance from the Mayen garrisons. A declaration of war was sent between Norwegian and Mayen embassies, formally beginning the Second Mayen-Norwegian War. Lillekurisk Beach would be taken after 5 hours of battle, beginning the Battle of Høybergodden. Further advances was made before reaching a climax at Jan Mayen's capital city of Olonkinbyen that would result in a massive Norwegian retreat from Jan Mayen.
=== Høybergodden ===
The Battle of Høybergodden began one day after the Norwegians secured the landings at Lillekurisk Beach, after a Norwegian regiment would direct itself north from Lillekurisk to Høybergodden. The town was defended by its proper and organized garrison force, and Høybergodden's natural rocky terrain, however the garrison was smaller than the Norwegian regiments sent there. The battle started almost immediately after the secure Norwegian conquest of Lillekurisk, due to the minuscule proximity of both locations, being only ¾ of a mile apart.
The battle began with a swift Norwegian advance into the rocky terrain of the south of Høybergodden before reaching moderate Mayen resistance. Fighting between both parties began swiftly with a Norwegian victory seeming achievable. Field Marshall Satyr would order a the beginning of the formal Battle of Høybergodden. The Mayens would seem dire, with reinforcements either being too untrained to come, or too far away from Høybergodden to be on time, although an attempt was tried after an order for general Njord to be reassigned from the SIMThe SIM's full name is Sentralhæren I Mayen, which means "Central Mayen Army" as reinforcements for the quickly advancing Norwegians. Njord would not arrive on time, as the Mayens would quickly lose the fight for Høybergodden, ending only after three days of formal fighting.
=== Ullerengsanden ===
Ullerengsanden was the second landings that the Royal Norwegian Navy planed to land in, due to it being a stronghold and one of the few inhabited towns in Nor-Jan. The Norwegians would land quickly after the fall of Høybergodden, taking it with no resistance. However, due to the harsh terrain, and the civil unrest contained in Ullerengsanden, the Norwegians would have troubles holding the land, later leading into a stalemate.
=== Titelbukta ===
Titelbukta was a sparsely populated and slightly defended town two miles away from Høybergodden. The elevation of the surroundings of Titelbukta were hills, meaning that the Mayens would have a strategic terrain advantage against the Norwegians. The battle began with a swift transition from General Satyr's overwhelming advance into Høybergodden, and with half of the defenses being tired and weakened regiments from Høybergodden, the battle would last for four days, ending with a Norwegian conquest.
=== Haugenstranda ===
Haugenstranda was chosen as the final landing spot for the Norwegians (well, besides Crimea), due to its distance from the other landing spots, and it's highly defended navy blockading the city, with artillery as support. Despite all these setbacks, the Norwegians would struggle to take Haugenstranda in a two-week long battle, capturing it, and starting a massive breakthrough, causing an encirclement in Nor-Jan.
=== Puppebu ===
Puppebu was a trading port next to the beaches of Haugenstranda, known for being the territory that the Kalmars used to attack the Norwegians in the 1500's, and with that knowledge, the Norwegians would siege the port in the longest battle ever fought in the Second Norwegian-Mayen war, lasting for four months, giving Puppebu the nickname of "Little Verdun". The battle would see approximately two hundred Mayens to die, while 150 Norwegians were killed in action to take the port. Eventually the town would be lost to the Norwegians, in August 2nd, 1920.
=== Olonkinbyen ===
Uhh... they lost really badly at this one. Like, really badly. Like, so badly that they retreated everything out of Jan Mayen.
== Aftermath ==
After the humiliating Norwegian loss in Jan Mayen, the Mayens would prepare for another operation, to take several coastal cities in Norway, and to later capitulate them.
== Notes ==