ABSTRACT
Denmark's geostrategic significance as a link between the oceans and the Baltic Sea, between North and Central Europe and as a flank of Central Europe means that Denmark would be involved in a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)-Warsaw Pact conflict. The experiences of World War II changed fundamentally Denmark's attitude toward defense. The result was that, in 1949, Denmark decided to join NATO. This decision meant the end of Danish neutrality and marked the beginning of the present period in which Danish defense is firmly based on its NATO membership. Since 1960, the organization and development of Danish defense measures have been based on parliamentary agreements approved by the major parties. Since Denmark's ability to demonstrate its solidarity with NATO is an important element of its crisis management, it must be able to support such measures as receiving Allied Command Europe's Mobile Force, if this force is deployed to the Baltic area.
