Europe 277
In late February 1940, preparations began for the operation which was code-named
Operation Weserübung, or Exercise on the Weser. This operation was a unified mission
involving ground forces, German U-boats, and air support. The first German ships set
sail for the invasion of Norway on April 3, and the invasion was successful on April
- Soon after, ships detached from the Norway invasion and headed toward Denmark.
On April 9, the German invasion of Denmark was underway. Denmark became
important because it would help give the Nazi control of the Baltic Sea. Just before
the invasion, the German ambassador to Denmark and the Danish foreign minister
met and discussed German demands of surrender. If the demands were not met, the
German air force would bomb the capital of Copenhagen. Concurrently, German
troops were making advances on the shores, and infantry and air support swarmed
Copenhagen. Faced with the bombing of Copenhagen, King Christian X and the entire
Danish government surrendered in exchange for retaining political independence in
domestic matters. The entire invasion lasted six hours.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from February 26, 1940.
260 German Federal Republic/265 German Democratic Republic
MID#27
Started in July 1961. See the narrative in the 2 United States of America/365 Russia
dyad dispute list.
MID#2219
Dispute Number: 2219
Date(s): November 19, 1961 to August 14, 1962
Participants: 265 German Democratic Republic, 365 Russia/2 United States of
America, 260 German Federal Republic
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: 1–25 deaths
Narrative: On November 22, 1961, an intensified border fortification effort in East
Berlin began when East German forces erected a new barbed wire fence along the
Spree River. This effort triggered an increase in what were already tense relations
between the two Germanys. Border police skirmishes along the border of East and
West Berlin were not uncommon. For example, on April 21, 1962, a brief gun battle
took place when Eastern border police threw tear gas canisters over the border into
West Berlin. The United States joined the dispute on December 3, 1961, when it
deployed troops to monitor the west side of the Berlin wall at the Friedrichstrasse
checkpoint. The Soviet Union joined the dispute on February 15, 1962, when Soviet
MIGs began harassing aircrafts that were too close to East German airspace. The last
incident in this dispute occurred on August 14, 1962, when border police exchanged
fire across the border near Kassel.