How the United States Has the Upper Hand in the Greenland Issue: Geopolitical Game During the Cold War

The world order rapidly evolved after the end of World War II. As Soviet influence continued to expand, the United States began to reassess the strategic importance of the Arctic region. Greenland, this icy continent, suddenly became a chessboard for great power competition.

From “Purchase” to “Agreement”: America’s Shift to a Less Confrontational Approach

In 1946, the U.S. State Department proposed a bold idea—buy Greenland directly from Denmark. At the time, Secretary of State Byrnes even handed a memorandum to Denmark’s Foreign Minister Rasmussen during a high-level secret meeting in New York, casually suggesting: Since the U.S. strategically needs this territory to counter the Soviet threat, and Greenland is just an economic burden for Denmark, it might be better to sell it outright—simple and straightforward. The U.S. even offered to exchange one hundred million dollars plus the Barrow Peninsula in Alaska.

This proposal was ultimately rejected by Denmark. On the surface, it appeared to be a matter of national sovereignty and territorial integrity, but deeper reasons are worth pondering.

The Shadow of the Soviet Union: Denmark’s True Considerations

At that time, Soviet power was at its peak, casting a shadow over all of Europe. If Denmark handed over Greenland to the U.S., it would not only mean complete American control over the Arctic but could also provoke the Soviet Union, possibly leading to retaliation against Denmark’s mainland in the Baltic Sea. Faced with the Soviet threat, Denmark found itself in a dilemma.

Military Bases: The U.S. Ultimately Gained

Although the purchase plan was abandoned, the U.S. did not give up. Through pressure, the U.S. ultimately pushed Denmark to sign the U.S.-Danish Greenland Defense Agreement. According to the agreement, the U.S. gained the rights to build military bases in northwestern Greenland, which is today’s Thule Air Base (now renamed Pituffik Space Base).

From a strategic perspective, although the U.S. did not spend the $100 million to acquire the land, it obtained exclusive military rights through the agreement, completely avoiding the enormous costs of managing local livelihoods and economy. In the grand chess game of the Cold War, the U.S. completed its geopolitical layout through diplomatic negotiations. The core driving force behind all this was to contain and defend against Soviet expansion.