Defiant Diplomacy (Studies in Modern European History) [Hardcover]

Bo Lidegaard (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 6, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0820468193 | ISBN-13: 978-0820468198

Defiant Diplomacy analyzes the relationship between the United States and Denmark as allies in World War II and the Cold War. Cast as a biography of Henrik Kauffmann (1888–1963), a Danish diplomat serving in Washington (1939–1958), the book reveals how the Roosevelt Administration’s policy toward occupied Denmark was forced to address questions of paramount importance, particularly to Great Britain and Canada, regarding the general attitude of the neutral United States toward the war in Europe. The dramatic climax was President Roosevelt’s secret decision in early 1941 to establish military bases in Greenland, the Danish colony that became a crucial steppingstone between the United States and Europe during World War II and a strategic focal point in the nuclear strategies of the Cold War.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 378 pages
• Publisher: Peter Lang Publishing (November 6, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0820468193
• ISBN-13: 978-0820468198
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,856,037 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book on Denmark's foreign policy in 20th century, March 30, 2004

By 

"henrik123" (Paris, France) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Defiant Diplomacy (Studies in Modern European History) (Hardcover)

Bo Lidegaard's book is a must for anyone interested in Danish foreign relations in the 20th century. Henrik Kauffmann, a flamboyant and maverick career diplomat, was Denmark's Ambassador to the United States before, during and after WWII: he was instrumental in securing the status as allied (while the civil service government in Copenhagen collaborated with Nazi Germany); and he negotiated the Greenland deal which has been a cornerstone in Denmark's participation in NATO ever since. The book is also a compelling portrait of Kauffmann as a professional and an highly interesting description of practical diplomacy from WWI to the post-WWII period. Well written and researched it is a thrilling and fulfilling read. (Based on the Danish edition).