20th Mountain Army (Wehrmacht)

The 20th Mountain Army (German: 20. Gebirgs-Armee) was a German army level command of the Wehrmacht during World War II. It was primarily responsible for operations in the Arctic regions of Norway and Finland, specifically along the Arctic Front against Soviet forces.

Formed in January 1942 from Armeeabteilung Norwegen (Army Detachment Norway), the 20th Mountain Army's initial mission was the defense of northern Norway and Finland against a potential Soviet offensive. It comprised several Gebirgsjäger (mountain infantry) divisions, which were specialized for fighting in mountainous and arctic terrain.

The army participated in Operation Silver Fox in 1941, an unsuccessful attempt to seize Murmansk and cut the Soviet supply lines to the Arctic. Throughout the war, the 20th Mountain Army was engaged in a static defensive war along the Arctic Front, fighting against the Soviet Karelian Front. Due to the difficult terrain and harsh climate, fighting was often slow and arduous.

In late 1944, following Finland's armistice with the Soviet Union, the 20th Mountain Army was ordered to withdraw from Finnish territory during Operation Nordlicht. This withdrawal involved scorched earth tactics, causing significant damage and destruction in northern Finland, an area later known as Lapland. The army retreated into Norway, where it continued to resist until the German surrender in May 1945. The 20th Mountain Army then surrendered to Allied forces.