The Great Powers and the Northern Cap I940-45
Against the background of general uncertainty and suspicion prevalent in the western world of Russian intentions in foreign policy, this article reviews the history of the Northern Cap - the land mass between the Atlantic and the White Sea north of the Arctic Circle - during the Second World War, an...
Published in: | Cooperation and Conflict |
---|---|
Main Author: | |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
SAGE Publications
1972
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/001083677200700101 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/001083677200700101 |
Summary: | Against the background of general uncertainty and suspicion prevalent in the western world of Russian intentions in foreign policy, this article reviews the history of the Northern Cap - the land mass between the Atlantic and the White Sea north of the Arctic Circle - during the Second World War, and analyses the occasions when the great powers were concerned with the future place of the Cap in international relations. Particular attention is devoted to the events surrounding Roosevelt's suggestions to the Norwegian Foreign Minister for free ports in north Norway to serve as places of transit to and from the Soviet Union. The evidence from the war period is interpreted as confirming the defensive nature of Soviet aims on the Northern Cap, and suggests in particular a tacit agreement which would leave north Norway outside the spheres of direct influence of the great powers - thus reaffirming the long range stability of border relations in the area. |
---|