Allied occupation of Iceland

Overview

The Occupation of Iceland during World War II began with a British invasion in order to occupy the island and deny it to Germany. The military operation, codenamed Operation Fork, was conducted by the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. The British forces were later replaced by Canadian and then American forces, even though the United States was not yet in the war.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Allied occupation of Iceland, launched under Operation Fork by Royal Navy and Royal Marines forces, denied Germany access to a strategically positioned Atlantic island that could otherwise have served as a base for naval and air operations against Allied shipping lanes. Iceland's location made it a critical point for controlling the North Atlantic, and its seizure preempted any German move to establish a presence there. The operation was notable for the involvement of American forces in the occupation even before the United States formally entered the war, reflecting the degree to which U.S. strategic interests were already aligned with the Allied cause. The handoff from British to Canadian and then American garrison troops represented a significant logistical and political arrangement that extended Allied reach across the North Atlantic well before U.S. combat entry in December 1941.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (4)