The Atlantic Wall (2): Belgium, The Netherlands, Denmark and Norway (Fortress 89)

Germany's Atlantic Wall was the most ambitious military fortification program of World War II. Following its conquest of Western Europe, Germany had to defend some 5,000 kilometers of Atlantic coastline from the Spanish border to the Arctic Circle. The United States' entry into the war and the inevitability of an Anglo-American landing in Western Europe resulted in the fortification of this coastline along its entire length. Focusing on the northern Atlantic Wall in the Low Countries and Scandinavia, this title addresses the special defensive features and unique aspects of fortification in these countries, such as the early focus on fortifying Norway, due to early British commando raids; the greater use of turreted naval guns; and the establishment of first-line Flak defenses in the Low Countries to counter the Allied strategic bombing campaign. Germany's Atlantic Wall was the most ambitious military fortification program of World War II. Following its conquest of Western Europe, Germany had to defend some 5,000km of Atlantic coastline from the Spanish border to the Arctic Circle. The United States'entry into the war and the inevitability of an Anglo-American landing in Western Europe resulted in the fortification of this coastline along its entire length. Focusing on the northern Atlantic Wall in the Low Countries and Scandinavia, this title addresses the special defensive features and unique aspects of fortification in these countries, such as the early focus on fortifying Norway, due to early British commando raids; the greater use of turreted naval guns; and the establishment of first-line Flak defences in the Low Countries to counter the Allied strategic bombing campaign. COVER......Page 1 CONTENTS......Page 5 INTRODUCTION......Page 6 DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT......Page 7 Coastal artillery......Page 14 Coastal artillery radar......Page 17 Controlled submarine minefields......Page 22 Coastal commando units......Page 23 Belgium......Page 26 The Netherlands......Page 29 Norway......Page 37 Denmark......Page 50 The Scheldt campaign......Page 54 K-Verbande in the Netherlands......Page 57 The last battle......Page 59 THE SITES TODAY......Page 62 FURTHER READING......Page 63 GLOSSARY......Page 65 INDEX......Page 66 COVER......Page 68 Bogen giver en kortfattet gennemgang af Atlantvolden i Belgien, Nederlandene samt Danmark og Norge under 2. Verdenskrig