Plausibly Live! - The Official Podcast Of The Dave Bowman Show

In this episode of *Dave Does History*, we explore the bizarre moment when the United States nearly claimed part of Greenland—based on a map that turned out to be wrong. Dave unpacks the story of Arctic explorer Ejnar Mikkelsen, who risked everything in 1909 to recover lost maps, prove the U.S. claim false, and confirm Greenland belonged to Denmark. Abandoned, stranded, and forced to survive two brutal winters, Mikkelsen’s mission became a legend. Tune in for maps, mistakes, and the kind of bravery that history too often forgets. It’s the tale of how a nation almost owned Greenland—by accident.