During World War II, Denmark had been occupied by Germany for five years. That presence made the country wary of rising Soviet expansion, especially with so many annexed countries just across the Baltic Sea on its eastern border. Fear of a Soviet invasion led to Denmark becoming a founding member of NATO in 1949, abandoning a pronounced history of neutrality. The Danish government introduced firm conditions for NATO members, however, insisting that there would be no nuclear bases or weapons within Denmark and no Allied military presence. This poster reflects popular public opinion within Denmark on nuclear weapons, grimly emphasizing their inherent danger. Despite this, and the government’s official anti-nuclear stance, evidence has since surfaced that the United States routinely used airspace over Greenland and the Faroe Islands (both Danish territories) as well as Danish ports to transport nuclear weapons throughout the Cold War without the Danish government’s knowledge.
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