The Whisky War: Denmark v Canada episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 1, 2024 · 9 MIN

The Whisky War: Denmark v Canada

from Witness History · host BBC World Service

In 1984, a diplomatic dispute broke out between Canada and Denmark over the ownership of a tiny island in the Arctic.The fight for Hans Island off the coast of Greenland became known as the Whisky War. Both sides would leave a bottle of alcohol for the enemies after raising their national flag. What could be the friendliest territorial dispute in history came to an end in 2022, with the agreement held up as an example of how diplomacy should work.Janice Fryett hears from Tom Hoyem and Alan Kessel, politicians on either side of the bloodless war.A Made in Manchester Production for the BBC World Service. (Photo: Tom Hoyem with a Danish flag on Hans Island. Credit: Niels Henriksen)

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Mar 1, 2024

Embed this episode

Ready to play

The Whisky War: Denmark v Canada

0:00 9:00

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Witness History?

This episode is 9 minutes long.

When was this Witness History episode published?

This episode was published on March 1, 2024.

Can I download this Witness History episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!