Greenland is a massive island of 836,000 square miles. Erik Thorvaldsson, aka Erik the Red, spent three years exploring it following his exile from Iceland in 982. When he returned, he told people stories of his exploration and of the place he called “Greenland.” He deliberately gave it the attractive name so as to lure settlers. His marketing proved successful, and he returned with enough people to establish two colonies on the southwest coast.

Recently, President Trump discussed purchasing Greenland as a possible strategic bulwark against China. His overtures were quickly rebuffed, but it’s not the first time the United States has sought to buy the island. During the Truman administration in 1946, Greenland was an attractive piece in the Cold War game of chess.