Talk:Invasion of Iceland

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Contents 1 Icelandic reactions to the invasion 1.1 Icelandic government 1.2 Alþýðublaðið 1.3 Þjóðviljinn 2 Larger strategic considerations

[edit] Icelandic reactions to the invasion

[edit] Icelandic government

With regard to the happenings which have taken place early this morning with military occupation of Reykjavík, whereby the neutrality of Iceland was flagrantly violated and its independence infringed, the Icelandic Government must recall the fact that on April the 11th last they formally notified His Majesty's Government in The United Kingdom through their representative in this country of the attitude of the Icelandic Government towards their proposal to offer military protection to Iceland and, in accordance herewith, they protest vigorously against the violation exercised by the British military forces.

It will be expected that compensation for losses and injuries resulting from the infraction of the lawful rights of Iceland as an independent neutral country will be made as a matter of course.

[edit] Alþýðublaðið

Það er þjóðarskylda okkar að taka þeim viðburðum, sem gerzt hafa og enn kunna að gerast, með fullkominni ró og koma í hvívetna þannig fram, að virðing okkar sem sjálfstæðrar þjóðar sé varðveitt. Við trúum því, að Bretar séu hingað komnir sem vinir, en ekki sem óvinir, og munum haga okkur samkvæmt því. Og við skiljum þær ráðstafanir, sem þeir hafa gert þótt við viðurkennum ekki réttmæti þeirra.

It is our duty as a nation to react to the events which have now occurred with perfect calmness and act in every way so that our dignity as an independent nation is preserved. We believe that the British have come here as friends and not as enemies and we will behave in accordance with this. And we understand the measures they have resorted to though we do not acknowledge their legality.

[edit] Þjóðviljinn

Vér þekkjum "vernd" Bretaveldis. Vér vitum, hvernig verndað hefur verið í Palestínu, Indlandi og Noregi. ... Vér Íslendingar höfum ekki óskað þessarar verndar. Vér vitum, að brezka auðvaldinu gengur engin ást á smáþjóðunum, lýðræði eða friði til að taka okkur varnarlausa herskildi. Vér vitum, að Ísland er nauðsynlegur áfangi fyrir brezka eftirlitið með siglingaleiðum til Norður-Evrópu ... Vér vitum, að Bretar vilja koma hér upp flugvöllum til að geta framkvæmt þetta eftirlit með því að leiða hungur yfir Evrópu. Það er ástæðan til þess, að þeir hafa nú tekið Ísland.

We are familiar with the "protection" of the British Empire. We know how Palestine, India and Norway have been protected. ... We Icelanders have not wished for this protection. We know that British capitalism is not driven by love for small nations, democracy or peace in occupying our defenceless country. We know that Iceland is a necessary step in the British patrol of seaways to Northern Europe ... We know that the British want to build airports here so that they will be able to perform these patrols and bring hunger over Europe. That is the reason why they have now taken Iceland.

-- 01:11, 19 July 2007 User:Haukurth

[edit] Larger strategic considerations

The article should mention how a German base in Iceland would have threatened North Atlantic convoys, as well as Atlantic air travel along the normal routes of the time (through Gander, Newfoundland) -- and also would have precluded any possiblity of an Arctic Sea connection with the Soviet Union (which was not important in 1940, but would become very important in 1942). United States troops took over from the British six months before Pearl Harbor(!), when the U.S. wasn't even at war, because Franklin D. Roosevelt thought that a German Iceland would not be in the interests of the U.S. (since Iceland is closer to North America than any other part of Europe). AnonMoos (talk) 19:00, 12 April 2008 (UTC)

When I was working on this my plan was to make this article narrowly focused on the invasion itself and to treat other aspects in broader articles; Occupation of Iceland and Iceland in World War II. Unfortunately I ran out of steam before I finished even this one... Of course you are quite right that the US occupation of Iceland was a very interesting step. Haukur (talk) 19:37, 12 April 2008 (UTC)