WAR DEPARTMENT
                  WAR DEPARTMENT GENERAL STAFF
              MILITARY INTELLIGENCE DIVISION, G-2
                       WASHINGTON, D. C.
 
                                        April 24, 1940.
 
 
MEMORANDUM FOR GENERAL WATSON:
 
          Subject: Military Situation as of April 23, 1940.
 
     I. Western Front.
 
     Minor ground activity. Increased aerial reconnaissance 
in past few days. Allied and neutral forces remain vigilant al-
though, due to the Scandinavian situation, tension is somewhat re-
laxed despite the undiminished German concentrations along the 
frontiers.
 
     II. Scandinavian Front.
 
     1. Ground Operations. The town of  Narvik and several 
outpost positions in that vicinity remain occupied by the isolated 
German force estimated at 3500. An attack against this force by 
combined British and Norwegian detachments, supported by naval 
units, seems imminent.
 
                        The German main forces (strength now estimated at 
90,000-100,000) advancing radically from the Oslo area quickly cleared 
southeastern Norway and have now opened communications with other 
German detachments along the southern coast as far as Stavanger. 
The objective of the German main body was to effect an early junc-
tion with the German landing force at Trondheim. The naval inter-
ruption of the line of the communications in the Skagerrak prevented 
the timely arrival of reinforcements, heavy weapons, motor equipment, 
and perhaps munitions. The resistance of weak Norwegian detachments 
north of Oslo gradually stiffened.
 
     These unforeseen interruptions to German plans afforded 
British units landing at Andalsnes time to reinforce Norwegian de-
laying detachments alone the general line Rena--Lillahammer. For 
several days the Germans have been unable to advance beyond this 
line.
 
     Meanwhile other British units advancing from Andalsnes 
closed on Trondheim in the region north of Storen, and a combined