 It turned out that they kept German troops away from mainland Europe and thus helped to end the war more quickly.Considered an essential part of the Atlantic Wall in anticipation of an Allied invasion, the fortifications in Norway were primarily based around coastal artillery, but also included elements of anti-aircraft batteries, tank and infantry forces.There were as many as 400,000 German troops in Norway during the occupation, a large proportion of whom were dedicated to the defence of the Northern flank of the Atlantic wall.