Wonderful bit of history. Here is another little tidbit. The Danish shipping company AP Moeller (Maersk) did not want their ships to fall into Nazi hands. The company gave bills of sale for their fleet of ships to a New York lawyer with the instructions that the fleet was to be reflagged immediately upon Germany's entrance into Denmark. The ships' captains were instructed to sail to the United States, where the ships were used to support the Allied war efforts.
Thanks for this, although it’s discouraging. The slide into authoritarianism and disrespect for the law in the US is an obvious peril. I believe that the majority of Americans do not want this, but all it takes is for “good men to do nothing.”
Thank you for this. I don’t find the comparison absurd at all. But I am encouraged by the signs of resistance in America which will, I believe, increase as the harm that Trump et al are about to impose on global economies affects more of the credulous fools who voted for him.
Here's a little more "Little Norway" history and bit of irony around allies and Hitler's plans.
My wife is a writer of Canadian historical fiction novels, one of which features Norwegian pilots stationed at Little Norway. From Lighting the Stars, Chapter 14 - Muskoka Summer 1942; "Gravenhurst had thronged with over two thousand excited spectators last month when Norway’s Crown Prince Olav and his wife stopped by to address the citizens before going on to officially open the nearby base, known as ‘Little Norway’.
Ironically, Gravenhurst (near Bracebridge) was also home to a German POW camp, and stories have it that the Norwegian pilot trainees would bomb the camp with potatoes from their inverted trainers.
And in the context of mutual defense, in 1943 President Roosevelt praised Canada for it's wartime contributions, calling it "The aerodrome of democracy", with it's BCATP eventually graduating over 131,000 aircrew for the war effort.
And after the war, that POW camp was transformed into a resort mostly catering to Jewish clientele.
Agree that the comparisons are apt. Another element of the argument being made is that in the future, should Greenlanders vote for independence, there might be Chinese or Russian efforts to curry the new country’s favour. But the US would have many other options, short of taking it over, to maintain Greenland within a NATO security orbit. Denmark would likely need in some way to negotiate with Greenlanders on the nature of independence, such as the application of the US-Denmark defence agreement and the status of the American military base. A more sophisticated US, using political, economic and security diplomacy, would likely be able to offer enough to achieve its security and resources goals. Unfortunately, such an approach is not compatible with the Manifest Destiny, narcissistic tough guy tendencies of the sitting president.
The American position on the Arctic is nonsensical IMO. The US once had major bases all over Greenland, which was a de facto American protectorate. The DEW line stretched from the Aleutian islands, across Canada, Greenland, ending in Iceland. Christmas eve the USAF used to send reports from the DEW line tracking Santa's sleigh as a fun thing.
Look at a flipping globe. The US-led Western alliance had slightly over half of the Arctic frontage in our hands, with the rest in the hands of the Russian bear. Trump has now thrown away the largest piece of this frontage by starting a trade was with Canada and threatens civil war within the Western bloc over Greenland. The men in Moscow and Beijing must be rubbing their eyes in disbelief over how their once-great opponent has simply fallen apart.
Wonderful bit of history. Here is another little tidbit. The Danish shipping company AP Moeller (Maersk) did not want their ships to fall into Nazi hands. The company gave bills of sale for their fleet of ships to a New York lawyer with the instructions that the fleet was to be reflagged immediately upon Germany's entrance into Denmark. The ships' captains were instructed to sail to the United States, where the ships were used to support the Allied war efforts.
Oh, thanks! I didn't know that. What an interesting (and admirable) story.
Thanks for this, although it’s discouraging. The slide into authoritarianism and disrespect for the law in the US is an obvious peril. I believe that the majority of Americans do not want this, but all it takes is for “good men to do nothing.”
Thank you for this. I don’t find the comparison absurd at all. But I am encouraged by the signs of resistance in America which will, I believe, increase as the harm that Trump et al are about to impose on global economies affects more of the credulous fools who voted for him.
Here's a little more "Little Norway" history and bit of irony around allies and Hitler's plans.
My wife is a writer of Canadian historical fiction novels, one of which features Norwegian pilots stationed at Little Norway. From Lighting the Stars, Chapter 14 - Muskoka Summer 1942; "Gravenhurst had thronged with over two thousand excited spectators last month when Norway’s Crown Prince Olav and his wife stopped by to address the citizens before going on to officially open the nearby base, known as ‘Little Norway’.
Ironically, Gravenhurst (near Bracebridge) was also home to a German POW camp, and stories have it that the Norwegian pilot trainees would bomb the camp with potatoes from their inverted trainers.
And in the context of mutual defense, in 1943 President Roosevelt praised Canada for it's wartime contributions, calling it "The aerodrome of democracy", with it's BCATP eventually graduating over 131,000 aircrew for the war effort.
And after the war, that POW camp was transformed into a resort mostly catering to Jewish clientele.
Agree that the comparisons are apt. Another element of the argument being made is that in the future, should Greenlanders vote for independence, there might be Chinese or Russian efforts to curry the new country’s favour. But the US would have many other options, short of taking it over, to maintain Greenland within a NATO security orbit. Denmark would likely need in some way to negotiate with Greenlanders on the nature of independence, such as the application of the US-Denmark defence agreement and the status of the American military base. A more sophisticated US, using political, economic and security diplomacy, would likely be able to offer enough to achieve its security and resources goals. Unfortunately, such an approach is not compatible with the Manifest Destiny, narcissistic tough guy tendencies of the sitting president.
The American position on the Arctic is nonsensical IMO. The US once had major bases all over Greenland, which was a de facto American protectorate. The DEW line stretched from the Aleutian islands, across Canada, Greenland, ending in Iceland. Christmas eve the USAF used to send reports from the DEW line tracking Santa's sleigh as a fun thing.
Look at a flipping globe. The US-led Western alliance had slightly over half of the Arctic frontage in our hands, with the rest in the hands of the Russian bear. Trump has now thrown away the largest piece of this frontage by starting a trade was with Canada and threatens civil war within the Western bloc over Greenland. The men in Moscow and Beijing must be rubbing their eyes in disbelief over how their once-great opponent has simply fallen apart.
A very helpful review of history, thank- you.
It is scary how complacent we can become. 85 years can seem like a long time ago, but let me tell you…I’m 82 and it doesn’t!
The MO and deceitfulness of Trump/Hitler is pretty clear. One only has to open your eyes!
Thanks for this Dan!
Trumpler; I’ve been using this most appropriate moniker for almost 10 years now.
Stunning parallels between these times, separated by a scant 80 to 90 years.
The fascist’s dream, an ignorant propagandized voter base.
Let’s all get up off our butts and rock the streets so these asshats hear us.