A number of defense and intelligence sources told DR what happened during the most critical days of the Greenland crisis.
In January, Danish soldiers were sent to the island, carrying explosives to destroy the runways in the capital Nuuk and in Kangerlussuaq in the event of an American attack.
The cargo also contained blood bags from Danish blood banks to treat wounded soldiers.
We have not been in such a situation since April 1940, a Danish defense source says, referring to the time of the German occupation during World War II.
The situation escalated rapidly after the US military operation in Venezuela. When Donald Trump threatened to take over Greenland by force at the same time, the Danish government chose to take his words seriously.
Shortly thereafter, the Danish soldiers were joined by soldiers from France, Germany, Norway and Sweden. The goal of assembling several allies on the island was to force Donald Trump into major hostile action if he intended to occupy Greenland militarily.
Outwardly, the operation was presented as the military exercise "Arctic Endurance." But it was very serious, according to a defense source.
The price the US would have to pay would be higher. The US would have to carry out a hostile act to take Greenland, the source says.
