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These interviews with American and Norwegian policymakers, security experts, and diplomats offer a first-hand window into understanding diplomatic relations between the two nations, and the impact of U.S. foreign policy both at home and abroad.This project explores Norway's involvement the Global War on Terror, the role of individual personalities in shaping Norway’s foreign relations, U.S. and Norwegian public opinion, and potential lessons to be learned for other small state actors.

Click on the profiles below to find the video interviews, transcripts, and additional resources for each oral history.

51���� Project Leaders

LaiYee Leong (Project Leader), Brian Franklin (Editor), and Polina DeClue & Wardah Alvi (Student Research Assistants)

"Firsthand History" Podcast

Season 1 - Cross Currents

"Cross Currents" is the first season of our new podcast series "Firsthand History." In this 4-episode series, CPH fellow LaiYee Leong explores the relationship--and tension--that developed between the United States and its longtime NATO ally Norway after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Each episode weaves narrative with pieces of the oral histories Dr. Leong conducted with Norwegian and U.S. officials, including prime ministers, ambassadors, journalists, scholars, and more.

You can find the entire season of "Cross Currents" here.

Project Description

For a detailed description of this oral history project on U.S.-Norway, click here

Interviewees: 

Kjell Magne Bondevik Prime Minister of Norway (1997-2000, 2001-2005)	Kristin Krohn Devold Minister of Defence (2001-2005)
Kristoffer Egeberg Editor-in-Chief of Faktisk.no and author of Fredsnasjonen Norge (The Peace Nation Norway, 2017)	Espen Barth Eide Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (2000-2001) Deputy Minister of Defense (2005-2010) Minister of Defense (2011-2012) Minister of Foreign Affairs (2012-2013)
Kristin Halvorsen Minister of Finance (2005-2009) Minister of Education (2009-2013)	Hilde Frafjord Johnson Minister for International Development (1997-2000, 2001-2005)
John Ong U.S. Ambassador to Norway (2002-2005)	Jan Petersen Minister of Foreign Affairs (2001-2005)
Jonas Gahr Støre Minister of Foreign Affairs (2005-2012) Minister of Health (2012-2013)	Sven Erik Svedman Ambassador to France (2003-2005) Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2005-2007) Ambassador to Germany (2007-2014)
Rolf Tamnes Director of Norwegian Institute for Defense Studies (1996-2012)	Asle Toje Research Director at the Norwegian Nobel Institute (2014-2018) Member of Norwegian Nobel Committee (2018-present)
Knut Vollebæk Foreign Minister (1997-2000) Ambassador to the U.S. (2001-2007)	Morten Wetland Ambassador to Germany (1998-2003) State Secretary, Prime Minister's Office (2005-2008) Ambassador to the United Nations (2008-2012)
Benson Whitney U.S. Ambassador to Norway (2006-2009)