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America's 150-Year Quest to Get Greenland

Aug 11, 2026 · 10m

Summary

This episode explores America’s historical fascination with acquiring Greenland, featuring author Mark Kowar. It traces attempts from William Seward’s post-Civil War negotiations to early 20th-century explorations and WWII military interventions. The story concludes with the US securing permanent basing rights rather than ownership, highlighting strategic interests over territorial expansion.

Topics discussed

Sponsors: Skyrizi, ChatGPT, Lowe's, and T-Mobile Introduction: America's fascination with buying Greenland William Seward's annexation ambitions and Alaska purchase Early 20th century exploration and the Virgin Islands trade WWII occupation, US military presence, and weather intelligence Post-war negotiations and modern US basing rights Sponsors: Big 3, Working Forest, Vela, and Kia
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