Talk:Directives for military officers and military commanders in the event of an armed attack on Norway

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An Alternate translation of the same Norwegian article follows:

Royal resolution of June 10 1949 “Directive for military personnel, all ranks above corporal and for commanding officers in case of an armed attack on Norway”

The directive[edit]

It specified and affirmed the duty for all Norwegian Armed Forcers Officers and NCO to:

  • Take up arms against any enemy, foreign or domestic that attempt

to take over Norway by illegal means, by any means necessary and without delay.

  • Any attack will result in a general mobilization which can’t be countermanded.
  • To resist even if all seems lost, one stands alone or if the enemy threatens with reprisals if fighting continues.
  • To keep up armed struggle even if there is made proclamation to surrender, issued in the name of the King / Government, if there a possibility that they are killed or taken prisoner.
  • If it’s not unavoidable, never to give up a single part of Norway. And if so; escape or retreat and join other units still fighting.
  • If the hole or parts of the country is occupied, all able body person who are prevented in reaching there original mobilization units, shall join other Norwegian Armed forces still fighting in Norway or if they have retreated/evacuated to another country where one can join Norwegian or allied forces.
  • Never to give a parole / word of hounor to the enemy if taken prisoner of war.
  • Special provisions to ensure protection/defence against 5th columnist activities.

Tradition[edit]

In Norwegian this directive is best known as “Plakaten på veggen“ (The poster on the wall). This due to a tradition, that one example of this directive shall be hung on the wall and visible in every offices/barracks in the armed forces.

7 June 1967[edit]

Only one time in Norwegian history has this directive almost been put into action.

On 3 June 1967, The Leningrad military District (LEMD) in the Soviet Union was placed on alert state. Within days a total force of 11 000 men of the Red Army, 210 medium battletanks, 500 infantry figthing vehicles, 265 Artillery Cannons and 1300 trucks + 4000 Soviet Marines In addition 50 fighters og 20 transport aircrft type AN-12 Cub were assembled in the Pechenga - Murmansk region.


During the nigth of June 6, engien noise was heard all along the Russian-Norwegian border. But due to bad weather there was no posibilities to observe movments from the Norwegian side towards the Soviet union. Norwegian borderguard belonging to the Garrison in Sør-Varanger (GSV) reported the noise. And on the early hours of June 7 The Commanding Officer of GSV put his forces on alert and deployed GSV forces into there pre-designated battle positions.

When the weather cleared during first ligth on June 7, the full scope of the Soviet build up along the border became clear. The Commanding Offcer phoned the Minister of Defence, still in bed, and asked for guidance. The telephone conversation was never been recorded, but the popular myth about it, is as follows:


The minister: Have you read the poster on the wall?

CO GSV: Yes I have

The minister: You know then what is the proper response is, if the Soviets crosses the border...

CO GSV: Yes minister, that means war, goodbye"

The stand off between Norway and the Soviet Union continued untill 10 June, when the soviet forces were pulled back from the border.

This is an interesting "incident" and I think it perhaps warrants an article of its own. A defence study was made about some years back. But, what should such an article be called? "The Soviet-Norwegian border stand-off of June 1968"? It is a little on the long side perhaps, but as far as I know there is no established name. -- Nidator T / C 12:36, 28 November 2007 (UTC)[reply]
The incident happened in 1968, not 1967 as previously mentioned... - anon —Preceding unsigned comment added by 124.81.132.62 (talk) 10:50, 8 February 2008 (UTC)[reply]

The rank and file[edit]

Even if the text of the directive does not directly apply to the rest of the rank and file of the armed forces, the duty to defend Norway, is "De Jure" based on the Norwegian Constitution §85 (Defence against treason or acts against the Storting) and §109 (Conscription), in short, both articles clearly states that one shall defend Norway against any threat, foreign or domestic.

”De facto” the directive is taught to all conscripts and is subsumed to be equal applicable to all personnel regardless of rank.

In Denmark the King and the government were surprised by German troops in their homes in the night and made no resistance.[edit]

In Denmark the King and the government were surprised by German troops in their homes in the night and made no resistance. That is true, but the Danish defense plans were based on the fact of the country's inability to defend itself in the case of a German attack. That was the lesson learned from Second Schleswig War of 1864. The Danish defense would be strong enough to deter any third power to use the country as a staging area for attacking Germany, thereby preventing the Germans for occupation Denmark as a precautionary measure. So even if the Danish government would have been informed about the attack, it would not have ordered any military resistance. Hence its irrelevant in a Norwegian context. I will therefore remove the sentence.

As a digression, I may add, that comparing Denmark's situation April 9, 1940, a country the size of a Norwegian county, and with a land border with Germany, with Norway's situation the same date, is like comparing apples and oranges. Creuzbourg (talk) 16:44, 20 March 2021 (UTC)[reply]

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