What did Raeder think of Norwegian neutrality?

The German naval staff held that Norway's neutrality was the best protection for the iron ore trade, while Raeder, the Navy's commander-in-chief, advocated a more aggressive line. Hitler made the decision to invade Norway on 14 December 1939, after his conversations with Admiral Erich Raeder and with Norway's Vidkun Quisling.

The Altmark had been the supply ship of the pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee and was trying to return to Germany with the prisoners of war captured by the Graf Spee, for which it illegally used Norwegian waters to evade the British blockade. The incident between the British destroyers and the German ship took place on 16 and 17 February 1940, in what were neutral Norwegian waters. The German government claimed the boarding had violated international law and Norwegian neutrality.

On 19 February 1940 Hitler ordered the planning of attacks against Norway and Denmark to be intensified; these eventually took place on 9 April 1940 under the codename Operation Weserübung. On 21 February General von Falkenhorst received command of the operation. On 1 March Hitler issued a directive concerning the Weser Exercise, that is, the operation against Norway and Denmark.