So You Want to Own Greenland?: Lessons from the Vikings to Trump

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Synopsis
Why have foreigners over the centuries kept wanting to own Greenland? The fascinating, calamitous story of the many who&’ve tried . . . and uniformly failed . . .An indispensable guide to Greenland—why it matters, and how it could become the next global flashpoint.Ever since its discovery Greenland has been a frontier for human exploration, empire and geostrategic competition. This book delves into that rich history and complex politics, revealing how a country of just 56,000 inhabitants, 80% of which is above the Arctic Circle, has shaped—and been shaped by—the world.Elizabeth Buchanan&’s short history begins with Erik the Red and the Vikings, Greenland&’s first colonizers—whose settlement of over 2,000 people mysteriously disappeared. She explores the island&’s evolution from a Danish possession into an autonomous territory, and its role in the World War II, when soldiers from the U.S. helped Greenland&’s 15-man army, operating on dogsleds, capture Nazis trying to set up secret, remote surveillance outposts. She details how Greenland became a strategic hot spot in the Cold War arms race between the U.S. and Russia — when the U.S. built a nuclear-powered base under the Greenland icesheet, and President Kennedy devised Project Iceworm, a plan to deploy 600 ballistic ice-hidden missiles there.Finally, she dissects Greenland&’s position today at the center of a new &“great game,&” featuring Cold War belligerents the U.S. and Russia and now China, and the mounting domestic pressures for independence—not to mention President Trump&’s agenda to acquire the landmass.Buchanan poses provocative yet compelling scenarios for Greenland&’s future, providing an essential read for anyone curious about this frozen frontier and its place on the world stage.
Copyright:
2025

Book Details

Book Quality:
Publisher Quality
Book Size:
224 Pages
ISBN-13:
9781685892562
Related ISBNs:
9781685892555
Publisher:
Melville House
Date of Addition:
Copyrighted By:
Elizabeth Buchanan
Adult content:
No
Language:
English
Has Image Descriptions:
No
Categories:
History, Military, Nonfiction
Submitted By:
Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:
This is a copyrighted book.

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