276 Chapter 3
War fought between German states and Denmark. That conflict ended when the Euro-
pean powers (especially the United Kingdom) intervened to preserve the status quo.
This second installment of conflict started in large part with the death of Danish
king Frederick VII in November 1863. With no direct male heir, King Christian IX
assumed power. Christian IX wanted to consolidate more power over Schleswig and
Holstein, prompting the German states to send a united army to the territories to expel
the Danish. Austria-Hungary assisted them under the banner of Germanic brother-
hood. The conflict ultimately devolved into a war with Denmark itself. The Danish
relied on a strong British intervention that saved it before, but that intervention did
not come. Prussia, Austria-Hungary, and the other German states overwhelmed Den-
mark. The war ended with Danish acquiescence to an armistice on July 20, 1864, the
second such armistice in the conflict. The Treaty of Vienna concluded the dispute on
October 30, 1864. Denmark permanently lost Schleswig and Holstein to the victors
of this conflict, leaving it to the Prussians and Austrians to administer the provinces.
This arrangement lasted for two years, ultimately becoming the source of the Seven
Weeks’ War (MID#261).
MID#2645
Dispute Number: 2645
Date(s): April 24, 1915 to March 31, 1918
Participants: 255 Germany/390 Denmark
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: Germany had set up a blockade against the British and, on February 15,
1915, warned the neutral nations, Denmark included, that it would not hesitate to
attack merchant ships in the North Sea. Germany’s unlimited submarine warfare then
destroyed many Danish ships during the next three years.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from February 18, 1915. End Date changed
from November 11, 1918.
MID#3706
Dispute Number: 3706
Date(s): April 9, 1940
Participants: 255 Germany/390 Denmark
Outcome (and Settlement): Victory for side A (Imposed)
Fatalities: 26–100 deaths
Narrative: Originally, the invasion of Denmark was not in many of the Nazi plans.
In December 1939, convinced that the Allies would threaten the iron ore supply nec-
essary for the Nazi army to make weapons, Hitler ordered his commanders to draw
up a plan to invade Norway and blockade the area with Nazi warships. As the plan
expanded in January 1940, it also called for the rapid capture of the kings of Norway
and Denmark so as to trigger a quick surrender. The decision to occupy Denmark
came in order to facilitate the invasion of Norway, and to deter a British response.