Vladimir Putin is one world leader who has studied history thoroughly. In a recent address, Putin discussed America’s plan to annex Greenland and explained that it is not some “extravagant plan” that Trump imagined. In fact, the United States had plans to annex Greenland going back to the 1860s.
Secretary of State William H. Seward was keenly in favor of annexing Iceland and Greenland in the 1860s as part of American expansionism. Not only was Greenland abundant in minerals, fish, and game, but it provided a strategic military base. Denmark was willing to listen to the proposal and considered selling Iceland and Greenland for $5.5 million in gold. There was no formal offer and President Andrew Johnson along with Congress refused to approve of a treaty, as it was considered wasteful by Republicans at the time.
America believed Canada may consider joining the United States if they acquired Greenland. The Trump Administration’s ideas may seem absurd but this geopolitical strategy spans over 150 years.
The Alaska Purchase of 1867 was immediately met with backlash. The media mocked the purchase of Alaska as “Seward’s icebox” or “Seward’s folly,” angered that the $7.2 million purchase should have been spent elsewhere. The media claimed the “polar bear garden” had nothing of value and relentlessly mocked the acquisition. The unpopularity of the Alaksa Purchase is one of the reasons the Greenland proposal failed back then.
America’s ambitions in the Arctic continued. In 1919, Denmark, Germany, and the United States discussed territorial disputes, and had the deal passed, the United States would have acquired Greenland. During the next World War, Denmark permitted the United States to establish military bases on Greenland to prevent the Nazis from capturing it. The United States offered to buy the land after the war ended but it fell through.
Putin explained that the United States will continue to “systematically pursue its geostrategic, military, economic, and political interests in the Arctic.” He said that this is a matter between two specific countries and “has nothing to do with us [Russia.” However, Russia is extremely concerned that “NATO views the Arctic as a potential staging ground for conflict,” noting that NATO is actively training troops to fight in Arctic conditions. They are taking troops from Sweden and Finland, “countries with which, I should note, we had no issues until very recently.”
“They are creating these problems with their own hands. Why? That’s entirely unclear,” Putin said in his address, noting that Russia would “respond accordingly.”
“I want to emphasize Russia has never threatened anyone in the Arctic, but we are closely monitoring the situation and building the appropriate response, enhancing the combat readiness of our armed forces and modernizing our military infrastructure. We will not allow any infringement on our sovereignty. We will reliably defend our national interests,” the president stated, continued by saying Russia will promote peace in the region and support Greenland’s economic development. Putin said he would be interested in investing in the Arctic and collaborating on projects with “friendly nations, and possibly even Western countries if they show interest in cooperating.”
History always repeats, but few bother looking through the scrolls of time to understand why the world is unfolding at its current pace. The United States has always desired control over Greenland, and this issue of acquiring the island reemerges every few decades. The concern here is that the world is not at peace. The neocons, historically, have wanted to confiscate Russia for itself and began arranging the current proxy war in Ukraine long ago to use as a stepping stone to enter Russia. They are not well-versed in history, as plans to conquer Russia have failed countless times.
