(NewsNation) — As President Trump presses to try and acquire Greenland, it’s not the first time the idea has been approached by the United States.
In 1868, Secretary of State William Seward went on a territory-shopping spree after negotiating the purchase of Alaska the year prior. Seward showed interest in Greenland in the hopes of expanding U.S. control of North America.
“Greenland has in vast quantities whale, walrus, seal and shark, cod, salmon, salmon-trout and herring; foxes, wolf, reindeer, bear, a myriad of birds,” Seward said. “Good coal is found on the western coast at various points, extending far north, most cheaply mined and close to good harbors.”
42 years later, the United States tried to buy Greenland through a three-way trade with Denmark and Germany. The plan, which fell through, would have had Denmark cede Greenland to the U.S., the U.S. give Denmark several islands in the Philippines, only to be given to Germany.
U.S. Ambassador to Denmark Maurice Egan and the government agreed the idea was “audacious,” leading to no action being taken.
The closest the US came to getting the island was after the end of World War II. During the war, Greenland had served as a stopgap for over 10,000 Allied aircraft to land to refuel for bombing runs in Germany.
“Planes weren’t flying all the way across the Atlantic. Having places like Greenland and Iceland became crucial,” noted historian Ron Doel.
With Greenland proving to be a huge asset during the war, U.S. State Department envoy to Europe William Trimble proposed a deal to pay Denmark $100 million in gold for the country. “The Danes were rather horrified that the U.S. thought it could gain a territory by putting that kind of a monetary value on it, and that Denmark would be willing to part with it,” Doel said.
Trump has acknowledged he would like to make a deal to acquire Greenland “the easy way.”
He said that if the U.S. doesn’t own Denmark, then Russia or China will take it over, and the U.S. does not want them as neighbors.