World
January 9, 2025 09:00
greenland, usa, denmark, arctic, china - The history and importance of Greenland for the USA, from Nazi occupation to China's growing influence in the region.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to purchase Greenland, which is under the sovereignty of Denmark. The underlying reason behind Trump's insistence lies in the US's long-standing plan to establish dominance in the region. This vast island covered in ice holds significance for US security and trade routes.
Even before being sworn in, President Donald Trump, who has frequently raised the Greenland issue during his previous presidency, continues to bring up this matter before his inauguration on January 20. Trump stated that Panama Canal and Greenland's control by the US are crucial for American national security. The President of the USA, who often mentions the option of purchasing Greenland, also left the door open for using military force to take control of these two regions. Moreover, Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr.'s visit to Greenland in recent days further demonstrated how serious the US President is about this matter to the world.
So why is Greenland so important for the USA?
GREENLAND IS A PART OF DENMARK
First of all, it is necessary to talk about the history of Greenland. Although it is located in the North American continent, the island is seen as a part of Europe due to its historical and cultural structure. With a landmass of 2.1 million square kilometers, the territory is almost three times the size of Turkey. The majority of the island is covered with a thick ice sheet reaching up to 4 kilometers. Therefore, the population is very sparse.
When the island was discovered by Norwegian 'Eric the Red' in 982, the Vikings from Europe began to settle on the island. When Norway came under the rule of the Danish Kingdom, the island also became a part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Even when Norway separated from Denmark at the beginning of the 1800s, the island remained under Danish administration. Greenland, which gained autonomy in 1979, is still politically a part of Denmark.
US OCCUPATION AGAINST THE NAZI THREAT AND THE COLD WAR ERA
In 1941, Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany. The US believed that Germany had plans to seize the island and attack the USA. Germany had established a few small bases in the region under the guise of 'scientific' reasons. The proximity of Greenland to the USA threatened American security. As a result, the US announced that it had occupied Greenland.
Establishing the Thule Air Base here, the US expanded the base during the Cold War era due to the increasing Soviet threat and intensified military and espionage activities in the region.
CRITICAL POINT AGAINST CHINA
Today, the political and commercial tensions between the US and Russia, as well as the emerging Chinese threat, reminded the importance of the island for US security. In addition to being an open point of attack for the USA, the island is also crucial for the 'Northern Sea Route' that has gained importance in the last 15 years.
The US secures its security by dominating the vast oceans surrounding it with its massive navy. It tries to control its military and commercial rival China by establishing dominance over critical trade routes such as the South China Sea and the Malacca Strait. Countries such as Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Australia in these regions are either allies of the US or have close relations with the country. The US also has bases in Japan and Australia. Occasionally, the US sends naval forces to these regions.
The importance of controlling the 'Northern Sea Route'
China's trade route with Europe is the key waterway from the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean via the Suez Canal. For example, a ship traveling from the port of Rotterdam to Shanghai covers an average of 10,000 nautical miles on this route. This route has not been fully operational for some time due to attacks on ships by the Houthis in Yemen. Trade ships are taking a longer route of 13,000 nautical miles circumnavigating the African continent. However, the melting of the permanent ice in the Arctic has led to the emergence of a new trade route. Since 2010, Chinese ships have started to use this route. This route has two features. First, this route is shorter for ships compared to the Suez Canal route. Second, this route passes through an area not controlled by the US, that is, the coasts of Russia. The US, wanting to control all trade routes, at least wants to control Greenland to control trade ships coming from this region to Europe.
ATTRACTIVE MINERALS AND OIL DEPOSITS IN THE REGION
Finally, it is known that there have been petroleum, hydrocarbon, and rare metal deposits in the Arctic region for many years. The melting of the glaciers in Greenland also reveals the elements in this region. Especially the minerals in this region attract American mining companies. These minerals are crucial for the production of batteries used in electric cars and other technological devices. In addition, according to a report by the US Geological Survey (USGS) dated 2007, there are potentially 31.4 billion barrels of oil equivalent reserves underground in the northeast of Greenland. According to the US, Denmark does not give enough importance to oil exploration activities in this region. In 2021, Denmark stopped oil exploration activities in the region citing global warming and high costs.
Denmark took into account Trump's statements. The northern country, which is also a NATO member, increased its military investments in the region. Emphasizing that Greenland is his territory every time, Denmark, a northern country, seems to have no intention of handing over the region to the USA.