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 |