History of Scandinavia questions

In 1943, 95% of Jews from Nazi-occupied Denmark were evacuated to Sweden in an event known as the rescue of the Danish Jews. It was a collective achievement of the Danish resistance movement, German diplomat Georg Ferdinand Duckwitz (who warned the Danish Jews about the intended deportation to Germany) and many ordinary Danish citizens, mostly policemen and fishermen.

On 8 April 1941, the United States occupied Greenland in order to defend it against a possible invasion by Germany. After the end of WW2, the United States wished to keep the island for strategic reasons and offered $100,000,000, but Denmark refused to sell.

In the early twentieth century, much of the impetus for the prohibition movement in the Nordic countries and North America came from moralistic convictions of pietistic Protestants. Nordic countries had started prohibition before the United States did. Between 1915-1919, laws were passed in Norway, Iceland and Finland.

In 1520, a conflict arose between Swedish pro-unionists (in favor of the Kalmar Union, then dominated by Denmark) and anti-unionists (supporters of Swedish independence). This ended with intervention Danish forces under the command of King Christian II. Around 80-90 anti-unionists (mostly nobility and clergy) were subsequently executed.

Finland was a part of Sweden from the 12th to the 19th century. Many Swedish settlers arrived at the coastal regions during the medieval time. In the 17th century, Swedish became the dominant language of the nobility, administration and education. Today, the Swedish minority in Finland numbers 280,000 people.