The Icelandic connection - 01.06.2014, Page 24

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ICELANDIC CONNECTION
Vol. 66 #4
Iceland During World War Two
by Heida Simundsson
The small remote island of Iceland, with
a population of 120,000 in the 1930s,
was little known to the global community.
However, Iceland’s mid-north Atlantic
location became a desirable strategic
location with the onset of WWII in 1939.
“ ‘It has been said,’ Churchill wrote,
‘whoever possesses Iceland holds a pistol
firmly pointed at England, America, and
Canada.’ ” (The Invasion of Iceland) Both
the Allied and Axis Forces were acutely
aware of the small humble island which
consisted mostly of fisherman and farmers
and also had no military presence on the
island. A German naval officer, who noted
that Iceland’s position was ideal for naval
and air bases, which he put into words as,
“ ‘Whoever has Iceland controls
the entrances into and exits from the
Atlantic’ ”. (Iceland in the Second World
War) Despite Iceland’s appeal to either
side of the conflict it, along with Denmark,
chose to remain neutral. Iceland’s wishes
nevertheless were not to be fulfilled and
soon were involved in WWII.
German interest in Iceland began
manifesting itself a decade before WWII
commenced. Throughout the 1930s
Germany became friendly towards, and
gained a presence within, Iceland through
affable soccer matches, free gliding
instruction by German experts, surveys done
around the island by German anthropology
teams, and increasing trade between the two
countries. (Iceland in the Second World
War) Germany’s interest and diplomatic
friendship with Iceland was noticeable and
worrisome to the British government yet
they never made any overtures of friendship
to Iceland on its own accord.
In April 1940, the Germans invaded
Denmark and successfully gained control
of the country. (Invasion of Iceland) At this
point, already considered a separate state
under Danish crown for over twenty years,
Iceland gained even more independence.
Along with the occupation of Denmark,
Germany was also acquiring a foothold
along the Norwegian coastline. With these
developments, Britain could no longer
forgo creating a presence in Iceland.
A formal offer from the United
Kingdom to protect Iceland was sent a
month after Denmark was overtaken.
The Icelandic government re-stated their
desire to remain neutral and declined
the offer. What Iceland didn’t know, was
that the offer was merely a formality and
they were planning on setting up camp in
Iceland regardless of the answer received.
On May 10, 1940, British soldiers arrived
in the Reykjavik harbour. They had hoped
to turn up unannounced but due to some
miscommunication a plane sent to scout
the waters around the harbour ended up
circling the city several times, thus waking
up the citizens that were asleep in the
homes. When the first marines arrived at
the harbour the 70 strong police force and
a crowd of the local inhabitants met them,
protesting the landing. (Invasion of Iceland)
In hopes of delaying the news of the British