What if the US just kept Greenland after ww2

So in our timeline the US offered to purchase greenland from denmark and denmark unsurprisingly said no, however they did let the US establish military bases there and thereafter american control of greenland has been reduced to an online meme.
But what if denmark decided they didnt want any foreign bases on their land after WW2 and refused to let the US setup one there. Would the US just outright keep greenland? they had been occupying it for several years now and it's not like denmark could do anything about it. Could this act of agression kill nato in its crib?
 
Such action hardly increases trust between Europe and USA but in other hand USA was at this point really vital so they hardly begin really much rant over that either. But Denmark probably decides not join to NATO and perhaps try form Scandinavian defense alliance with Norway and Sweden.
 

Garrison

Donor
So in our timeline the US offered to purchase greenland from denmark and denmark unsurprisingly said no, however they did let the US establish military bases there and thereafter american control of greenland has been reduced to an online meme.
But what if denmark decided they didnt want any foreign bases on their land after WW2 and refused to let the US setup one there. Would the US just outright keep greenland? they had been occupying it for several years now and it's not like denmark could do anything about it. Could this act of agression kill nato in its crib?
Probably not something the US would do precisely because it might cause antagonism with the Europeans. Also it would open things up for the Soviets to engage in some sort of action in the guise of penalizing the US for its 'wanton aggression'.
 
In another timeline, the USA runs out of oil, stranding American servicemen on Greenland. Natives patiently snoop around the edges of USAF Base Thule, etc. encouraging G.I.s to deplete their finite stock of ammo at fleeting images. Eventually, Eskimos close in on starving G.I.s with harpoons .....
 

Devvy

Donor
Congratulations, the US has probably just sunk the transatlantic part of NATO. There'll probably be some joint European defence agreement (there was before NATO), and the US and Canada will likely have some kind of agreement when missiles become a thing, but not NATO. You've also handed the Soviets the best card for global operations. Why would any country trust the US to come to their aid when they've already demonstrated they'll occupy another country when they want it, making a mockery of it's professed ideals, whilst also trampling over international agreements.

If the US occupies Greenland, then why would any other country allow US bases on their territory unless they were truly unable to defend themselves. Germany has no choice, sure, but what about:
  • France, unsure of whether to be a (in their eyes) US puppet by being part of the NATO integrated command and having NATO forces in country. A further push on France already uneasy about NATO.
  • Iceland hosted a US base under NATO, which was critical in monitoring Soviet naval movements in to and out of the Atlantic. Why would Iceland continue to tolerate an already controversial US base in Iceland if the US has already occupied Greenland?
Everyone knew that the OTL route was the best route forwards. The Danes know they can't really defend Greenland - there's not enough Danes to do it, given the Soviets across the Baltic and Denmark right in the way of the exit route to the North Sea. However Denmark considers Greenland part of it's home lands - it's settled by Vikings, part of the old Norse area, not some far flung island they've had for a few centuries and already tried to sell a few times (Danish West Indies); it's not acceptable to sell it.

The US gets a near on free military base (if I remember right), without any of the costs or responsibilities for actually looking after the territory whilst respecting their allies. Win for everyone.
 
So in our timeline the US offered to purchase greenland from denmark and denmark unsurprisingly said no, however they did let the US establish military bases there and thereafter american control of greenland has been reduced to an online meme.
But what if denmark decided they didnt want any foreign bases on their land after WW2 and refused to let the US setup one there. Would the US just outright keep greenland? they had been occupying it for several years now and it's not like denmark could do anything about it. Could this act of agression kill nato in its crib?
No. If you want the US to take Greenland you need either a Denmark under Soviet control or a POD well before WW2. In OTL the Soviets did occupy Bornholm, but they didn't take any other part of Denmark, and they eventually left Bornholm.
 
Thanks for your replies guys, I thought it would be a monumentally stupid idea that would be way way worse than good.
 
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