Part II - The Jutland War - Chapter 9

The Jutland War

Part I

Like most European wars, the Jutland War started over something that, in retrospect, seems rather petty to was lives over. Some wars have been over money, others over the beliefs of people. The Jutland conflict was fought for the most popular excuse for conflict, land.

Denmark was once the sole power of the Baltic. With the emergence of Sweden and Russia as powers in the early 18th Century, and then Prussia in the Late 18th Century, this power was severely diminished. The Rostock Purchase, in King Christian IX's eyes, served only to weaken further the Danes' already weak hold on Baltic Trade.

Christian IX let the Swedish government know of his displeasure over the purchase in an Ultimatum, starting that "Denmark considers Rostock and the area around it to be of Prussian belonging." and that, "If any Swedish force attempts to make landfall in the province." that, "military action will be taken at all haste to restore the province to Prussian hands.
Needless to say, King Charles XV was not satisfied with this, although no reply was sent stating so.

King Christian IX of Denmark

After some time, with no movement into the Rostock Purchase reported, the Danes felt that had won the affair, until three brigades of Swedish infantry arrived in Rostock ot assume control of the new Swedish acquisition. This news throughly shocked King Christian, who promptly issued a statement starting that "On this date, Febuary 27th, 1871, a state of war officially exists between the Kingdom of Denmark and the Kingdom of Sweden and Norway.

The Jutland War had begun.

The Swedish General Staff had anticipated a conflict with Denmark for some time. They had decided long before the declaration of War that the key to defeating Denmark lay in the pennisula of Jutland, not the island and capital city of Copenhagan. Before anything could be done however, the Danish fleet had to be eliminated. The Danish Navy was larger than it's Swedish counterpart, but the large majority of her vessels were of wooden construction, vastly obsolete compared to the largely ironclad Swedish Navy. This was Sweden's trump card in the Naval war, and she planned to use it well.

The first action was taken my the Danes. Immediatly after the declaration of war, the straits and channels between Copenhagan and Sweden were heavily mined to ensure no landing could take place without heavy losses in ships. Large cannons were also brought up and a spordiac bombardment of the city of Malmo began. In retilation, the Swedes started a bombardment of Copenhagan.

Large Mortar Brought in to Bombard Malmo

Meanwhile, the handover of power from Prussia to Sweden int he Rostock Purchase was proceeding very smoothely. Local administration was being handed over without incident.