British politics towards Norway from 1st September, 1939 to 9th April, 1940 Cover Image

Polityka Wielkiej Brytanii wobec Norwegii w okresie od 1 września 1939 r. do 9 kwietnia 1940 r.
British politics towards Norway from 1st September, 1939 to 9th April, 1940

Author(s): Jordan Siemianowski
Subject(s): Diplomatic history, Economic history, Political history, Economic policy, International relations/trade, Interwar Period (1920 - 1939), WW II and following years (1940 - 1949)
Published by: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Mikołaja Kopernika
Keywords: Political history; Norway; Britain; Economic history; International relations; Diplomacy;

Summary/Abstract: During the interwar period, as a typical maritime country with a tonnage of 4.8 million GRT, Norway was under the influence of Great Britain, both in terms of politics and economics. The location of Norway was complicated after World War II when the country proclaiming its neutrality was subjected to the British pressure. London demanded from the neighbor overseas the tonnage of merchant fleet, especially oil tankers, as well as a favorable trade agreement. In addition, it had been trying to dominate the Norwegian foreign trade through the use of blockade. Norway, being subject to the British pressure, decided to supply London with a large part of its merchant fleet under the agreement signed on November 11, 1939. Although the agreement signed by the Norwegian Shipowners Association having a private nature, it contributed to accusations of Oslo by the Third Reich on breaking with the status of neutrality. Then, on March 11, 1940 Norway concluded another agreement with Great Britain, this time strictly commercial, in which it committed not to import a number of goods needed to be at war. This commitment concerned all the countries except Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden. Apart from the policy, having a purely economic dimension, since November 1939 London and Paris had been making a military plan against Norway, Sweden and Finland.

  • Issue Year: 20/2012
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 201-234
  • Page Count: 34
  • Language: Polish