<P> At the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, American explorers, including Robert Peary, explored the northern sections of Greenland, which up to that time had been a mystery and were often shown on maps as extending over the North Pole . Peary discovered that Greenland's northern coast in fact stopped well short of the pole . These discoveries were considered to be the basis of an American territorial claim in the area . But after the United States purchased the Virgin Islands from Denmark in 1917, it agreed to relinquish all claims on Greenland . </P> <P> After Norway regained full independence in 1905, it argued that Danish claims to Greenland were invalid since the island had been a Norwegian possession prior to 1815 . In 1931, Norwegian whaler Hallvard Devold occupied uninhabited eastern Greenland, on his own initiative . After the fact, the occupation was supported by the Norwegian government, who claimed the area as Erik the Red's Land . Two years later, the Permanent Court of International Justice ruled in favor of Denmark . </P> <P> During World War II, when Nazi Germany extended its war operations to Greenland, Henrik Kauffmann, the Danish Minister to the United States--who had already refused to recognize the German occupation of Denmark--signed a treaty with the United States on April 9, 1941, granting the US Armed Forces permission to establish stations in Greenland . Kauffmann did this without the knowledge of the Danish government, and consequently, "the Danish government accused him of high treason, fired him and told him to come home immediately--none of which had any result". Because of the difficulties for the Danish government to govern the island during the war, and because of successful export, especially of cryolite, Greenland came to enjoy a rather independent status . Its supplies were guaranteed by the United States and Canada . </P> <P> One Dane was killed in combat with Germans in Greenland . </P>

Who helped colonize iceland and was responsible for discovering greenland