United States military presence in Greenland
During the Cold War, the United States maintained military personnel and installations in Greenland, including Thule Air Base in the island's north.
6 facts · 1 storiesDocument updatedEstablished facts
The 1951 Defense of Greenland agreement granted the United States the right to expand its military presence in Greenland beyond World War II levels.
Verified · 1951In 1941, Danish ambassador Henrik Kauffmann acted independently while Denmark's government was under Nazi control and signed a defense agreement granting the United States broad authority to build airstrips and ports and station military personnel in Greenland.
Verified · 1941After Germany invaded Denmark in 1940, the United States feared that Germany might also invade Greenland, then a Danish colony, and use it as a North American base of operations.
Verified · 1940Thule Air Base was the largest addition associated with the expansion authorized by the 1951 agreement and was staffed by more than 10,000 US troops at the height of the Cold War. This is a historical garrison figure.
VerifiedAfter the Soviet Union acquired nuclear weapons in 1949, the United States and its NATO allies sought a stronger military presence in the Arctic to detect Soviet bombers; Greenland consequently had strategic importance in their early Cold War defense planning.
Verified · 1949
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