the run up to Operation Barbarossa, when the route was used to deploy five Wehrmacht divisions in northern Finland. Timeline 9 April 1940 Germany invades Denmark and Norway Sweden accepts German demands for import and export of products to/from Norway as before—i.e., no war material. 16 April 1940 Food and oil supplies permitted transport to northern Norway to "save the population from starvation" after the war had emptied the reserves. Troops, including 40 "red-cross soldiers" were denied transit. 18 April 1940 The 40 "red-cross soldiers" were accepted for transit together with a train loaded with sanitary material. However, when this turned out to contain 90% food, according to the Swedish customs, further requests for transit of "sanitary material" were rejected. April to June 1940 Norway protests that Sweden is taking the neutrality too seriously, expecting more support for Norway. German civil sailors were given individual transit visas. Wounded soldiers were transported through Sweden, and 20 further "red-cross soldiers" and a physician were allowed to pass together with five wagons with food. 18 June 1940 As the war in Norway concluded, German demands for transit were repeated with greater emphasis. The Swedish parliament did formally modify the neutrality policy according to the German demands. (The United Kingdom and France were informed before the parliament debate.) 7 July 1940 Sweden's Prime Minister admits the transit in a public speech in Ludvika. 8 July 1940 Swedish agreement with Nazi Germany formalized: 1 daily train (500 man) back and forth Trelleborg–Kornsjø. 1 weekly train (500 man) back and forth Trelleborg–Narvik. The agreement with Germany was later expanded. 9 July 1940 The Soviet Union demands troop transfer rights through Finland. 15 July 1940 Protests from Norway's exile Cabinet, and from the United Kingdom's government, against Swedish concessions for German demands. August 1940 After the Soviet occupation of the Baltic Republics, they are annexed to the Soviet Union, making the Soviet Union a dominant power at the Baltic Sea beside the Third Reich. 18 August 1940 A German envoy agree on troop transfer rights with Finland's leadership: The Wehrmacht is granted rights to use the ports of Vaasa, Oulu, Kemi, and Tornio. rail lines from the ports to Ylitornio and Rovaniemi. roads from Ylitornio and Rovaniemi to northern Norway, and to establish depots along the roads. The agreement was later expanded to include the port of Turku. 6 September 1940 The troop transfer treaty between Finland