View source for Operation Alphabet

{{Short description|1940 evacuation of Allied troops from Narvik during the Nazi invasion of Norway}}
{{About|a World War II operation|the 1960s television program on literacy|Operation Alphabet (TV series){{!}}''Operation Alphabet'' (TV series)}}
{{No footnotes|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict    =
| width       =
| partof      =
| image       = Norwegian troops greenock.JPG
| image_size  =
| alt         =
| caption     = British troops returning to the UK at [[Greenock]] in June 1940.
| date        = June 4–8, 1940<br />({{Age in years, months, weeks and days|month1=06|day1=04|year1=1940|month2=06|day2=06|year2=1940}})
| place       = [[Narvik]], [[Norway]]
| coordinates = <!--Use the {{coord}} template -->
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| result      = Allied evacuation complete, Norwegian defeat & surrender
| status      =
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| combatant1  = {{flag|United Kingdom}}<br>{{flagcountry|French Third Republic}}<br>{{flagcountry|Polish government-in-exile}}<br>{{flag|Norway}}
| combatant2  = {{flagcountry|Nazi Germany}}
| combatant3  =
| commander1  = {{flagicon|UK}} [[William Boyle, 12th Earl of Cork|William Boyle]]<br>{{flagicon|Norway}} [[Carl Gustav Fleischer]]
| commander2  = {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Eduard Dietl]]
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| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Norwegian Campaign}}
}}

'''Operation Alphabet ''' was an evacuation, authorised on 24 May 1940, of [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] (British, French and Polish) troops from the harbour of [[Narvik]] in northern [[German occupation of Norway|Norway]] marking the success of [[Operation Weserübung]] (the [[Nazi Germany|German]] invasion of 9 April) and the end of the [[Allied campaign in Norway]] during [[World War II]]. The evacuation was completed by 8 June.

The evacuation was prompted by the ''[[Wehrmacht]]''{{'}}s assault on [[Belgium in World War II|Belgium]], the [[Netherlands in World War II|Netherlands]], [[Luxembourg in World War II|Luxembourg]] and [[France during World War II|France]] in the spring of 1940, which reduced the relative importance of Germany's iron ore provision and of [[Scandinavia]]. Several nights after the final military evacuation, the civilians of the town were rescued by British Sub-Lieutenant [[Patrick Dalzel-Job]]. Against orders, he organised local fishing boats to remove the population just before a German reprisal bombing. Much of the town was destroyed but only four people were killed. The Royal Navy wanted to discipline Dalzel-Job but was unable to, after King [[Haakon VII of Norway|Haakon VII]] awarded him the [[The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav|Knights Cross of the Order of Saint Olav (First Class)]]. Later in the war, he served with [[Ian Fleming]]. Many sources cite Dalzel-Job as the inspiration for the [[James Bond]] character.

A consequence of the evacuation of Allied troops from Norway was that [[Sweden during World War II|Sweden]]'s and [[Finland in World War II|Finland]]'s position ''vis-à-vis'' Nazi Germany was weakened. An agreement was reached in June leading to extensive transfers of (unarmed) Wehrmacht troops on Swedish railways – probably Sweden's chief digression from her policy of [[neutral country|neutrality]] between the parties of the war – and in August Finland concluded a secret agreement according to which Finland could acquire weapons through Germany and Germany could transfer (armed) troops by truck<!-- and station personnel for their supply and security - this is factual but not really important yet in August --> through northernmost Finland. Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, still united by the [[Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact]], had excluded other international powers from influence in [[Northern Europe]].

== See also ==
* [[List of British military equipment of World War II]]
* [[List of French military equipment of World War II]]
* [[List of Norwegian military equipment of World War II]]
* [[List of German military equipment of World War II]]

==Sources==
* Hauge, Andreas (1995)  ''Kampene i Norge 1940'' (Sandefjord: Krigshistorisk Forlag) {{ISBN|82-993369-0-2}} ''Norwegian''
* Kristiansen, Trond (2006) ''Fjordkrigen – Sjømilitær motstand mot den tyske invasjonsflåten i 1940'' (Harstad: Forlaget Kristiansen) {{ISBN|82-997054-2-8}} ''Norwegian''

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Alphabet, Operation}}
[[Category:Norwegian campaign]]
[[Category:1940 in Norway]]
[[Category:Evacuations during World War II]]
[[Category:Arctic naval operations of World War II]]
[[Category:Naval battles and operations of World War II involving the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:May 1940 events in Europe]]
[[Category:June 1940 events in Europe]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1940]]