Overview
On 10 May 1940, during World War II, the United Kingdom landed Royal Navy and Royal Marines forces at Reykjavík and occupied Iceland without resistance. The operation, codenamed Operation Fork, was launched after Germany's rapid conquest of Denmark, to which Iceland was linked by a personal union, and amid British fears that Germany might establish bases on the strategically important island. Iceland had declared neutrality at the start of the war and rejected British requests for cooperation, but the UK proceeded with an unannounced landing to pre-empt any German move.