1941: Iceland

United States Protection.

The entry of United States naval forces into Iceland on July 7, 1941 — fourteen months after British troops had occupied the island — was the first instance of extensive and intimate Anglo-American military cooperation in World War II. This move carried the series of outlying United States air and naval bases to within 900 miles of German-occupied Norway, and brought American forces into the very heart of the naval combat zone which Germany proclaimed on March 25. American bluejackets and Marines were dispatched to Iceland in accordance with an agreement concluded on July 1 between President Roosevelt and Icelandic Prime Minister Hermann Jónasson. Jónasson requested that the United States undertake the protection of Iceland for the duration of the war, on condition that the American Government (1) recognize the absolute independence of Iceland, (2) avoid interference with purely Icelandic affairs, (3) insure effective defense of the island, (4) bear full cost of the defense measures, and (5) supply the country with its essential imports.

President Roosevelt accepted these conditions on behalf of the American Government, and promptly issued orders to the Navy that all necessary steps be taken to insure the safety of maritime communications between Iceland and the United States. The difficulty of this assignment, however, was forcefully illustrated by the sinking of several United States supply vessels near Iceland in the following months. The United States Maritime Commission's Sessa was destroyed by torpedo on Aug. 17, the Montana on Sept. 11, the Pink Star on Sept. 19, and the Bold Venture on Oct. 16. In the wake of these losses, on Nov. 8 Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox named Iceland as one of six major Naval Operations Bases in the Atlantic.

The first field force of the United States Army to arrive in Iceland landed in mid-September, followed on Sept. 20 by a group of American Army nurses. Arrival of the nurses was disclosed on Sept. 25, although announcement of the troops in Iceland was not permitted until Oct. 1. The field force included infantry, artillery, engineer, signal, ordnance and medical units, as well as vast supplies of equipment and materials. The troops set immediately to work strengthening defenses previously begun by British forces and the United States Marines. On Nov. 13 General George C. Marshall, Army Chief of Staff, announced that the United States was enlisting 10,000 Army recruits for service in Iceland. Before United States forces entered the island in July, newspaper reports stated that there were 70,000 British and Canadian troops stationed there.

Iceland felt the direct impact of war on Feb. 10, when long-range German bombing planes machine-gunned the British-held airport at Reykjavik. Another Nazi plane was driven off by British and American aircraft during a reconnaissance flight on Aug. 20. Hitler's mention of Iceland in his address declaring war on the United States, in December, made many Icelanders fear that the Nazis might soon try to gain control over the strategic island base.

Foreign Relations.

Iceland severed its last ties with Denmark on May 17. At that time the Althing enacted four important constitutional amendments, under which Iceland (1) declared itself fully independent, (2) repudiated the Act of Union with Denmark, (3) resolved to elect a Regent to assume the King's function which had been provisionally taken over by the Althing on April 10, 1940, and (4) announced that a republican constitution would soon be introduced. Thus, for the first time in 678 years Iceland was politically free of all foreign ties, and for the first time since 1381 it was completely divorced from the Danish crown. On June 17 Sveinn Björnsson, formerly Icelandic Minister to Copenhagen, was elected to the Regency. President Roosevelt, on July 31, nominated Lincoln MacVeagh as first United States Minister to Iceland.

Domestic Issues.

The rapid influx of British and American forces created a number of acute domestic problems. Although the islanders in general welcomed their foreign defenders, sporadic instances of tension occurred, and following a Reykjavik café brawl in November Icelandic newspapers advised the natives to avoid American soldiers as much as possible in the future.

Most serious of all problems resulting from demands made by Anglo-American occupation forces was the almost inflationary rise in prices. Living costs soared almost 70 per cent during the first ten months of 1941. The need for labor to help in constructing airports, living quarters and storehouses pulled men away from the farms, and thus aggravated a serious food shortage. Attendant dissatisfaction led to the resignation of Prime Minister Jónasson's Government on Oct. 22. Regent Björnsson postponed acceptance of the Premier's resignation, and the Government again resigned on Nov. 7. The chief problems had not been solved by the end of the year, but Iceland's newly designated Minister to Washington, Thor Thors, indicated in November that all outstanding issues between Iceland and the United States were being settled in amicable and hopeful discussions. See also INTERNATIONAL LAW.