WI when the US bought the Virgin Islands from Denmark in 1917 it also bought Greenland? I figure Canadians would feel surrounded, anything else?
You forgot the terrible treatment of the native inuit.Ther'd be US flagged hotel franchises, McDonalds, & other detritus. Frontier fantasists would go there to build a new life in the pristine wilderness, & probably fail the first summer. A larger tourist industry with arctic adventure packages. In the 1950s & 60s Project Ploughshares proposals would include melting off the glacial icecap with nuclear tools. Now in the 20th Century we'd have reality TV shows about people in Greenland.
Not necessarily. The U.S. have a few possessions that are more or less non commercialized. Possibly the best example is American Samoa. There are exactly three fast food location in the entire territory (two Micky D's and one Carl's Jr.) and ZERO "name brand" hotel chains. American Samoa is like Hawaii in the 1930s, both in the good and bad. Relaxing, great weather, but expensive to travel to, and pretty much nothing to do except sit on the beach, swim, or fish.Ther'd be US flagged hotel franchises, McDonalds, & other detritus. Frontier fantasists would go there to build a new life in the pristine wilderness, & probably fail the first summer. A larger tourist industry with arctic adventure packages. In the 1950s & 60s Project Ploughshares proposals would include melting off the glacial icecap with nuclear tools. Now in the 20th Century we'd have reality TV shows about people in Greenland.
US supports Norway's claim to Greenland during the Nazi occupation of Denmark, on account of Norway selling the place to the US. When Denmark protests, the US tells them to shove it and keep polishing Nazi jackboots.Denmark has never shown the slightest willingness to sell Greenland; see my post at https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/wi-us-buys-greenland-in-1948.329637/#post-9752836 on how the idea was indignantly rejected by all political parties when there were rumors the US was interested in buying it after World War II. (US Secretary of State James Byrnes had in fact privately indicated his interest in such a sale.) Indeed, part of the deal for the sale of the Danish West Indies in 1917 was that the US recognize Danish sovereignty over Greenland. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danish_West_Indian_Islands_sale_referendum,_1916 (That was understandable, given that Norway was challenging Denmark's rights there, and Denmark obviously wanted all the international recognition it could get.)
US supports Norway's claim to Greenland during the Nazi occupation of Denmark, on account of Norway selling the place to the US. When Denmark protests, the US tells them to shove it and keep polishing Nazi jackboots.
By 1945, it's already too late for Denmark to do anything about it any more.
![]()
Yes, but they had an internationally-recognized government-in-exileYou have forgotten that Norway was Nazi occupied too![]()
Neither, it would still be a territory, not enough people for statehood, no pressing reason to ignore thatWould Greenland be a red or a blue state?
But that is boring.Neither, it would still be a territory, not enough people for statehood, no pressing reason to ignore that
Would Greenland be a red or a blue state?
As said, it would be a territory.Would Greenland be a red or a blue state?
Not necessarily. The U.S. have a few possessions that are more or less non commercialized. Possibly the best example is American Samoa. There are exactly three fast food location in the entire territory (two Micky D's and one Carl's Jr.) and ZERO "name brand" hotel chains. American Samoa is like Hawaii in the 1930s, both in the good and bad. Relaxing, great weather, but expensive to travel to, and pretty much nothing to do except sit on the beach, swim, or fish.
You would possibly get a bit more on Greenland since it is closer to the U.S. mainland, but inhospitable doesn't begin to describe the place's climate. Adventure tourism is a possibility, but the reality is that Adventure tourists won't go to a place where there are a bunch of Motel 6 locations.