Editing Winter War (section)

===Franco-British intervention plans===
{{Main|Franco-British plans for intervention in the Winter War}}
[[File:Lapland1940.png|thumb|alt=A drawing shows that the Allies had two possible roads into Finland: through Soviet-occupied Petsamo or through Narvik in neutral Norway.|Franco-British support was offered on the condition their forces could pass freely from [[Narvik]] through [[Neutral country|neutral]] Norway and Sweden instead of the difficult passage through Soviet-occupied [[Pechengsky District|Petsamo]].]]

France had been one of the earliest supporters of Finland during the Winter War. The French saw an opportunity to weaken Germany's resource imports via a Finnish counteroffensive, as both Sweden and the Soviet Union were strategic trading partners to Germany. France had another motive, preferring to have a major war in a remote part of Europe rather than on French soil. France planned to re‑arm the [[Polish Armed Forces in the West|Polish exile units]] and transport them to the Finnish Arctic port of Petsamo. Another proposal was a massive air strike with Turkish co-operation against the [[Caucasus]] [[oil field]]s.<ref name="Trotter_235-236" />

The British, for their part, wanted to block the flow of iron ore from Swedish mines to Germany as the Swedes supplied up to 40 per cent of Germany's iron demand.<ref name="Trotter_235-236">[[#Trotter2002|Trotter (2002)]], pp. 235–236</ref> The matter was raised by British Admiral [[Reginald Plunkett]] on 18 September 1939, and the next day [[Winston Churchill]] brought up the subject in the [[Chamberlain war ministry|Chamberlain War Cabinet]].<ref name="Edwards_141">[[#Edwards2006|Edwards (2006)]], p. 141</ref> On 11 December, Churchill opined that the British should gain a foothold in Scandinavia with the objective to help the Finns, but without a war with the Soviet Union.<ref name="Edwards_145">[[#Edwards2006|Edwards (2006)]], p. 145</ref> Because of the heavy German reliance on Northern Sweden's iron ore, Hitler had made it clear to the Swedish government in December that any Allied troops on Swedish soil would immediately provoke a German invasion.<ref name="Trotter_237">[[#Trotter2002|Trotter (2002)]], p. 237</ref>

On 19 December, French Prime Minister [[Édouard Daladier]] introduced his plan to the General Staff and the War Cabinet. In his plan, Daladier created linkage between the war in Finland and the iron ore in Sweden.<ref name="Edwards_145"/> There was a danger of Finland's possible fall under Soviet hegemony. In turn, Nazi Germany could occupy both Norway and Sweden. These two powers could divide Scandinavia between them, as they had already done with Poland. The main motivation of the French and the British was to reduce German war-making ability.<ref name= "Edwards_146">[[#Edwards2006|Edwards (2006)]], p. 146</ref>

The Military Co-ordination Committee met on 20 December in London, and two days later the French plan was put forward.<ref name="Edwards_146"/> The [[Anglo-French Supreme War Council]] elected to send notes to Norway and Sweden on 27 December, urging the Norwegians and Swedes to help Finland and offer the Allies their support. Norway and Sweden rejected the offer on 5 January 1940.<ref name="Trotter_237"/> The Allies came up with a new plan, in which they would demand that Norway and Sweden give them right of passage by citing a League of Nations resolution as justification. The expedition troops would disembark at the Norwegian port of Narvik and proceed by rail toward Finland, passing through the Swedish ore fields on the way. This demand was sent to Norway and Sweden on 6 January, but it was likewise rejected six days later.<ref>[[#Trotter2002|Trotter (2002)]], pp. 237–238</ref>

Stymied but not yet dissuaded from the possibility of action, the Allies formulated a final plan on 29 January. First, the Finns would make a formal request for assistance. Then, the Allies would ask Norway and Sweden for permission to move the "volunteers" across their territory. Finally, to protect the supply line from German actions, the Allies would send units ashore at [[Namsos (town)|Namsos]], [[Bergen]], and [[Trondheim]]. The operation would have required 100,000 British and 35,000 French soldiers with naval and air support. The supply convoys would sail on 12 March and the landings would begin on 20 March.<ref>[[#Trotter2002|Trotter (2002)]], pp. 238–239</ref> The end of the war on 13 March cancelled Franco-British plans to send troops to Finland through Northern [[Scandinavia]].<ref name="Trotter_239">[[#Trotter2002|Trotter (2002)]], p. 239</ref>