Description
Why have foreigners over the centuries kept wanting to own Greenland? The fascinating, calamitous story of the many whove tried . . . and uniformly failed . . .
An indispensable guide to Greenlandwhy 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 shapedand been shaped bythe world.
Elizabeth Buchanans short history begins with Erik the Red and the Vikings, Greenlands first colonizerswhose settlement of over 2,000 people mysteriously disappeared. She explores the islands evolution from a Danish possession into an autonomous territory, and its role in the World War II, when soldiers from the U.S. helped Greenlands 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 Greenlands 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 independencenot to mention President Trumps agenda to acquire the landmass.
Buchanan poses provocative yet compelling scenarios for Greenlands future, providing an essential read for anyone curious about this frozen frontier and its place on the world stage.
Author: Elizabeth Buchanan
Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Melville House Publishing
Published: 09/16/2025
Pages: 208
Weight: 0.5lbs
Size: 7.60h x 4.80w x 0.70d
ISBN: 9781685892555
Language: English
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