When "Neutral" America Occupied "Neutral" Iceland During WWII

On this episode of Our American Stories, Iceland's strategic location made it difficult to remain neutral during World War II. Here’s the History Guy with the story.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:10):
This is Lee Habib and this is Our American Stories,
the show where America is the star and the American People.
And to search for the Our American Stories podcast, go
to the iHeartRadio app, to Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
get your podcasts. Up next, the story comes to us
from a man who's simply known as the History Guy.

(00:33):
His videos are watched by hundreds of thousands of people
of all ages on YouTube. The History Guy is also
a regular contributor for us here and Our American Stories.
Iceland's strategic location made it difficult to remain neutral during
the events of World War II. Here's the History Guy

(00:53):
with the story.

Speaker 2 (00:58):
Iceland is an island in the North Atlantic of approximately
one hundred three thousand square kilometers. Its population of about
three hundred and fifty thousand people today makes it the
most sparsely populated nation in Europe, and in nineteen forty
its population was just one third that number. Iceland had
gained independence from Denmark in nineteen eighteen through the Danish
Icelandic Act of Union. In the Act, the two states

(01:20):
had formed a personal union, meaning that Iceland recognized the
King of Denmark, but Iceland gained full control of state affairs.
Iceland controlled its internal business and declared neutrality, but shared
defense in foreign affairs as well as the monarch. Most
of the nation's population was engaged in farming or fishing,
and they had a small coastguard no standing army. Its
position was, however, strategic, sitting in the North Atlantic be

(01:42):
a perfect location for air and naval bases to either
protect or to interdict trade between Europe and the United States.
At the outbreak of the Second World War, Britain imposed
export controls on icelandic exports to Germany as part of
its blockade, further depressing Iceland's economy, which had been hit
hard during the Great Depression. Britain, however, offered Iceland assistants

(02:04):
and sought to make them an ally and a belligerent
that would allow Britain to not only operate bases from Iceland,
but also to prepare a defense against any German attempt
to take the island. But Iceland refused, instead choosing as
dead Denmark to remain neutral, dissollowing visits by military vessels
at aircraft of the belligerents. Germany invaded Denmark Keple nine
nineteen forty as a prelude to their invasion of Norway. Outmatched,

(02:27):
the Danish armed forces were only able to resist for
a brief battle. The German ground campaign lasted only six hours,
and the Danish government capitulated for fear that resistance would
cause the Germans to bomb the capital of Copenhagen. The
invasion demonstrated that Hitler did not feel the need to
respect neutrality. Despite the conquest of Norway, Denmark continued to
affirm both their independence and their neutrality. This put Great

(02:50):
Britain in an awkward position, as they were now considering
invading Iceland in order to prevent Germany from doing the same.
The fear was not unfounded. After the conquest of Denmark
and Norway, German Admiral Eric Raider had presented a plan
to invade Iceland called Operation Icarus. Just as concerning to
the British, the German presence in Iceland had increased during
the nineteen thirties. The German diplomatic delegation had grown, and

(03:13):
trade between the nations had increased. Given the lack of
a strong defense force, it was even conceivable that the Germans,
already in Iceland might be enough to stage at coup
in April, Britain occupied the Faroe Islands, a small group
of islands halfway between Norway and Iceland that were a
county of Denmark, under the pretense of protecting the islands
from German invasion. The government in the Faraoh Islands protested

(03:34):
but acquiesced to the British occupation under the agreement that
the British would not interfere with their internal affairs. Indi end,
Britain didn't need to fear a German invasion of Iceland.
While Germany determined that it might be possible to take
the island, they also determined that they couldn't defend it
against the Royal Navy, and so that any garrison there
would be cut off. At the time, Hitler was still
placing his hopes in a negotiated peace with Great Britain,

(03:59):
but unaware of Germany's plans, written and decided to occupy Iceland.
Churchill was even concerned that further negotiations with Iceland could
call the Germans to act, and so on May sixth,
the War Cabinet approved an expedition. The operation had to
be prepared quickly, so the unit involved that the Second
Royal Marines did not have adequate time to prepare, and
many of the troops were not conditioned for sea travel.

(04:20):
Traveling in cramped conditions aboard the cruisers HMS Berwick and Glasgow,
accompanied by destroyers HMIS Fearless in fortune, many of the
marines became seasick and one of the new recruitees committed suicide.
The British plan cod named Operation Fork, called for surprise,
but confused orders meant that a supermarine Walrus float plane
launched by HMS Berwick, the scout for German submarines, flew

(04:42):
over the capital of Reikievik, alerting the Icelandic government. They
dispatched their small force of police officers with orders to
tell the British that they were in violation of Icelandic neutrality.
The vanguard of the British force, four hundred marines aboard
HMS Fearless, arrived at the port. The situation could have
been tense, even though the Ice Sceltic force was greatly outnumbered. However,
there was no confrontation. The British consul asked the Icelandic

(05:05):
police to hold back the crowds so that the Marines
could disembark, and they complied. The British moved quickly the
capital of the Germans that they knew were on the island.
The German consul complained that Iceland was in neutral state
and was promptly informed that Denmark and Norway had been
neutral states as well. Iceland protested and officially maintained a
position of neutality. However, the de factor cooperated with the

(05:27):
British occupiers, who promised favorable business agreements, not interference in
Icelandic affairs, and the withdrawal of all forces at the
end of the war, as well as to pay compensation
for any damages. In addition, the British agreed to hire
no more than two thousy two hundred Icelandic civilians so
as not to disrupt the island's farming and fishing industries.
The island was occupied by British and Canadian forces, but

(05:48):
with troops needed elsewhere, Britain asked the United States to
take over the occupation in June nineteen forty one. The
change required the agreement of the Icelandic Parliament and occurred
six months before Pearl Harbor, and so the US, still
a neutral nation occupied neutral Iceland. Iceland actually supported the
shift as England's survival in the war was not guaranteed
at that point, and they feared an English defeat would

(06:10):
result in a German occupation. The US and Britain built
bases in Iceland that were used for air and naval
patrols that helped to defend the crucial line of supply
between America and Canada in Britain and the Soviet Union.
It was during the occupation in May nineteen forty four
that Iceland held a referendum that allowed the dissolution of
the Union with Denmark and the adoption of a new constitution.

(06:32):
Allied forces vacated Iceland in nineteen forty seven, but US
forces were back in nineteen fifty one to occupy a
base after Iceland joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The
occupation of Iceland during the Second World War is still
controversial among Icelanders. The United States in Britain built things
like roads, bridges, ports, hospitals, and airports, and because there

(06:53):
was so much economic development due to the war, some
Icelanders referred to the war as the Blessed War, but
others begrud the insult to the nation's sovereignty as well
as the impacts some culture that came to an island
where at some times the occupying forces represented fully a
quarter of the population.

Speaker 1 (07:11):
And a terrific job on the production, editing and storytelling
by our own Greg Hengler and especial thanks as always
to the History Guy the story of Iceland and it's
American occupation during World War II. Here on our American Stories.
Here are in our American Stories, we bring you inspiring

(07:33):
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