Ally Who Came in from the Cold: A Survey of Icelandic Foreign Policy 1946-1956

Iceland declared "perpetual neutrality" in foreign affairs upon gaing sovereignty from Denmark in 1918. Intense nationalism, relatively strong Communist influence, and a late modernisation long distinguished the country's political and economic development. This brief survey of Icelandic postwar (1946-1956) foreign policy covers Iceland's stormy passage from "perpetual neutrality" to involvement with international alliances.