The United States and the Soviet Union worked closely together during World War II to defeat Hitler's Germany. However, the Allied standoff and ruthless competition for Nazi weapons technology began behind the scenes even before the end of the war and escalated rapidly. The superpowers are also seeking a stronger foothold in the Arctic.

The technological race between the superpowers is intensifying as rocket development and nuclear testing is carried out with the help of scientists imported from Germany. The need for intelligence is enormous and spy balls and spy planes are flying around the North Pole and the northern skies. Finland, the Soviet Union's neighbor, becomes an arena for active intelligence activities.

The size of nuclear tests is increasing and bombers and spy planes are flying further north. The United States increases its activities in Greenland, while the Soviet Union opens a nuclear test site in the north. Increasing espionage leads to border and airspace violations in Finland. Norway strengthens its defensive line in the north and increases the number of troops in response to the growing threat of attack. Sweden is seen as a potential future nuclear power. It also has the fourth strongest air force in the world.

The superpower race is moving to a new level. The Soviet Union has active space and missile technology development in the North. It is opening a nuclear submarine base in the Arctic and submarines are already sailing to the North Pole. The US is building radar networks for bombers and intercontinental missiles. The Nordic countries are waking up to the growing threat of nuclear war and worrying about the impact of large-scale nuclear tests in the region. In Norway, the revelation of US spying activities is causing a major crisis.

The East and the West are failing in their attempts to limit the threat posed by nuclear weapons. The Soviet Union increases missile activity on the Kola Peninsula. The United States builds an extensive nuclear weapons network under ice and prepares for a Soviet attack with a plan to drop thousands of nuclear weapons. The Nordic countries are also on the list of nuclear targets. The superpower race is wreaking havoc in the Arctic and claiming lives in space. Finland is under pressure to cooperate militarily and President Kekkonen's role is being questioned abroad. Norway tries to mend relations with the Soviet Union.

There is deep mistrust between the two sides and the Cold War becomes volatile. The Soviet Union threatens NATO with a neutron bomb and actively exercises in its border areas. NATO deploys more missiles in Europe and organises a massive military exercise. Soviet submarines invade Swedish and Finnish waters. Sweden increases its readiness in the north and Norway builds bunkers. Finland strengthens its air force and control of Lapland. A Soviet missile strays into Finland. In the end, nuclear war was just a push of a button away.

The scale of the Second World War increases as the United States joins the war. Allied commandos strike the Norwegian coast. Spy bases are set up in the border regions and Norwegian resistance forces are activated. An invasion of Norway is also planned. Hitler becomes concerned and moves more resources northwards.

Hitler decides to take a risk and invades the Soviet Union. In the north, the aim is to seize the Petsamo mine, the port of Murmansk and the Murmansk railway. Finland enters the war alongside Germany.

The Allies are planning the invasion of Normandy and are preparing a major deception operation in the north. Commando raids continue and resistance movement increases. Hitler continues his massive building projects in Norway, despite the threatening situation. He intends to hold on to the iron ore transports and the Petsamo nickel mine until the end.

The German war industry is in desperate need of more iron ore. Hitler turns his attention to the Norwegian coast, and in particular the port of Narvik, through which iron ore mined in Sweden is transported. The British Winston Churchill also makes his own plans to invade the Norwegian coast.

The Germans launch a retreat of thousands of kilometers on the eve of the Arctic winter. The Soviets launch a major offensive in the north while the Finns press the Germans into the massive Sturmbock defensive line.

After the First World War, Europe is divided. The alliance between Germany and the Soviet Union, Hitler and Stalin triggers the Second World War. At the same time, the Arctic War begins, with Finland as the first theater.