Often stated, the first duty of Governments is security of the nation. Domestic strategic distraction, as proved in Norway, can lead to failure of this core duty. Sailing up Oslo Fjord, just before the city itself, you pass through Drøbak Sound, the site of the spectacular sinking of the German cruiser Blücher on 9 April 1940. As well as an account of this incident, this article describes the strategic background, concurrent and subsequent events. At the outbreak of war in September 1939, Hitler had not included Scandinavia in his plans for conquest. But, as the months passed, the significance…
