The Cod Wars: How a Plucky ‘Microstate’ Took on the Rest of the World - and Won

A long war over fish. Yep, that really happened.
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[@stumpe9662]

I've never heard a story about fishing sound so serious and I'm all for it

[@resileaf9501]

Fishermen are hardcore. Historically one of the most dangerous occupations that doesn't involve getting weapons pointed at you, if I'm not mistaken.

[@RodolphosTechchannel]

Lobster wars were interesting too between france & brazil

[@mrwhitey5075]

as an American id never heard or this either of course i was also born in 88 and the cold war was almost over so that could also be why i haven't

[@realscience948]

Canada and Spanish ships had serious run ins! Shots were fired across the bow of Spanish ships!

[@jordancraig1358]

@@RodolphosTechchannel Mmmmm my. H

[@AdrianWolf_in_TO]

Now that you've done the 'Cod Wars' -- maybe time to cover the "Turbot War" or "Lobster War" as well? Similar grievances but definitely could give more context to just how big of an on-going problem these fishing issues are

[@johnburrill2625]

The cod wars sounds like gamer civil war

[@WetenskapSuiderland]

More drama and action than all the seasons of Desperate Housewives and Game of Thrones combined. I somehow really have a craving for popcorn all the way throughout. Excellently done. Thanks.

[@InsanityPlea100]

Oh god, have COD players actually convinced themselves that multiplayer experience teaches them how to fight?

[@AndrewMitchell123]

kek, got me good xD

[@MrMRGills]

Great video as always Simon loved the pronunciation. Didn’t expect to see my country represented on this channel. Kveðja frá Reykjavík

[@LawlaGaming]

Af hverju i andskotanum myndi hann samt segja að við værum "micro-state" ? erum fokking stærri en danmörk

[@sharonb3939]

@@LawlaGaming simon doesn't write the scripts he just reads it

[@Sceptonic]

​@@LawlaGamingmaybe in population

[@williamlloyd3769]

Serving at Naval Air Station (NAS) Keflavik 1979-80, we were briefed upon our arrival on Iceland as to official USA position on Cod War. PS - We had fish fry at USO every Friday and Saturday night of fresh, deep fried cod and chips. PS2 - at that time you could get crappy Russian gasoline off base. Had to install 2 inline gas /water separators on fuel line to keep your 4WD happy.

[@marvilust]

I’ve watched 2 other videos on this. Yes I’m the ultimate nerd. This is the most detailed and in depth analysis of this situation.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

1:00 - Chapter 1 - Prologue 6:35 - Chapter 2 - Historical background, a fishy business 9:45 - Chapter 3 - The big fish of the cold war clash 13:10 - Chapter 4 - The 1st UN Law of the sea conference 17:45 - Chapter 5 - Troubled waters, the 1st Cod War 20:35 - Chapter 6 - Surrender & betrayal , the 2nd & 3rd Cod War

[@jackiewhite4204]

Thank you.

[@gubjorggisladottir3525]

Simon, our shorelines are NOT frozen... our highlands are (i.e. Vatnajökull, Langjökull, Mýrdalsjökull and the famous Eyjafjallajökull. - Jökull is the Icelandic word for Glassier. In English these Glassier´s are Waters-glassier, Long-glassier, Mýrdalur i.e. Swampy vally -> Swampy-vally´s glassier and also Isle mountains glassier.) No one lives in the middle of the country Island.

[@davidlawton7845]

I was a young marine manning the Starboard telegraph onboard HMS DIOMEDE when we were at close quarters with the British fishing fleet and the Icelandic gunboat Baldur. In twenty minutes of close quarters manoeuvres we had 50 orders of command from both Engines full ahead to both Engines full astern and everything in between. The Captain rang on full astern and within 30 seconds we had been rammed by the Baldur on our port side midships ; the steering room was plunged into darkness till the emergency lighting came on -indeed so strong was the collision the three of us in the con were thrown against the front bulkhead causing the Master at Arms to break his arm . The Captain briefed the ships company on the damage to the ship and we limped back to Plymouth for repairs. We had a 20 foot long gouge taken out the ship , it was just above the waterline and was patched up by the damage control parties… Regards.

[@TheNemocharlie]

Just a small fact. In 1969, mortality rates amongst boats sailing from Grimsby were 5.7/1000 each year. That is of the same order of Naval casualties in the Falklands conflict.

[@highland96]

This is one of my favourite history topics. I loved it when Johnny Harris covered it, love it when you cover it. Nice one Simon

[@thcdreams654]

I really enjoyed this one. Thanks Simon and crew.

[@johnscott107]

My dad was on one of the frigates in the Cod war, i remember it well. But this video has given me new information that i was not aware of at the time, i do like learning from your videos!

[@MrPicky]

A minor mistake, Iceland became independent in 1944, not 1946 but still a pretty good description of the story 👍

[@TheNemocharlie]

The justification for the British fishing 3 miles off the Icelandic coast were two fold: 1. "We've been doing it for ages; 2. "Besides , we've overfished our own stocks so we've got no choice." If cod is your only natural resource, you tend to be very protective of it and treat it properly. The British attitude was "grab as much of it as possible as fast as possible. Whoops, all gone". There was talk at the time of taking the entire fleet to Australia and fishing red fish and doing the same thing. What Iceland wanted to do was manage the cod stock according to the scientific data which initially meant reducing fishing for a period of time, allowing the stock to recover, then fishing at a rate that gave the greatest yield. Put simply, imagine a bell curve. As you go up on the left hand side, the more you fish, the more you catch. When you reach the top, the moment you start going down the other side, the more you fish, the less you catch. It's not rocket science. The problem is you need control of the whole stock because the British simply couldn't be trusted even if you gave them a quota. Once you've over fished a stock, it can take decades to recover and sometimes it never does. One positive aspect of the whole thing is that there was remarkable seamanship shown on both sides that meant there was only one death recorded over the three cod wars, especially as all this was going on in up to storm force nine weather.

[@AlbertComelles1970]

Very well explained, thank you very much!

[@siggiAg86]

Yay from Iceland 💪💪 🇮🇸

[@jamesp4132]

Don't worry man. It's just the UK being the UK. Don't forget the government incharge of this debacle was also incharge of the Suez crisis. Clutching at straws for an empire that was clearly gone :)

[@captaintightpants34]

My dad served in the Royal navy and never really talked about it much but he did mention that the Icelanders were respected because they were such mad bastards!

[@babyruthless9670]

This was a great narration 😍

[@TheNemocharlie]

The Thor was Iceland's armed (with either one or two 47mm guns) "flagship" , but the remaining smaller vessels were unharmed, other than in one "war" when an extra vessel was. When the Navy, the Senior Service, arrived at the cabinet office they must have been surprised to see the RAF coming out, looking bemused having been told they must deploy their all singing and dancing anti submarine, intel gathering new Nimrods to head for Iceland and maintain 24/7 watch over 6-8 tiny coast guard patrol vessels. Iceland had their own plane, a model that first flew in 1936, and it is entirely possible their electronics were minimal to the point of flying around with someone looking out the winter. Something often overlooked is the difference between both sides "Rules of Engagement". The Icelandic skippers were told to do whatever it they needed to, the Royal Navy were operating under far more stringent conditions, a bit like having both hands and a foot tied to the floor. "For God's sake don't blow the unharmed tiny patrol vessel out of the water or sink it, just sort of do what you can to annoy them." And all this was going on at the height of the cold war. If you know the Icelanders have the political will to relinquish control of the GIUK gap, you are fighting an unwinnable war. Especially as the Americans suggest that in order to stop the madness, they will buy all the cod and send it somewhere, anywhere, that needs the food.

[@MosoKaiser]

10:02 Lord Palmerston? *...Pitt the Elder!*

[@mastick5106]

I'd love to see a video on the Battle of Castle Itter - the only WW2 battle where American and German troops fought side by side.

[@samanthar1214]

He's done one on Geographics

[@mastick5106]

@@samanthar1214 Dang. How did I miss that one? It's from before I subscribed, but I thought I'd scanned back over all the older videos.

[@samanthar1214]

@@mastick5106 kzbin.info/www/bejne/baGWk2OMd71-hc0

[@christopping5876]

Mark Felton covers it

[@hansmerker5611]

I suggest: The attack on Pearl Harbor D-day, June 6 1944 The battle of Stalingrad The Dolittle raid

[@tastefullynerdy1161]

Great video as per usual! By the way, can you do a video about the Battle of Tours?

[@InsanityPlea100]

Rarely run into a new topic in history for me, but here we are fact boi. Merci to you, your crew, and that beautifully bald head of yours.

[@Rathclav]

Good history! I was hoping you might mention the Canadian fishing standoff with trollers in the 90s/00s but maybe a future story!

[@alexsmith-gn4tp]

As an English man, I'm actually proud that we backed down 💗

[@irishtommy5430]

I was expecting Captain Birdseye to become a major player in this story and I'm crestfallen that he didn't.

[@magnuslundstedt2659]

Don't mess with the Vikings! Especially not in icy waters.

[@andersjjensen]

As a Dane: Yup, that's Iceland for you! :P

[@jiversteve]

Go Iceland! I am very much on their side. The little man can and did win.

[@hkchan1339]

The real winner is Norway and their new oilfields

[@regan3873]

Idk I'm not a big fan of unilateral declarations of... well, anything. Honestly everyone in this story is pissing me off.

[@jiversteve]

@@regan3873 you are a bit out of date. The various cod wars were won by Iceland decades ago.

[@regan3873]

@@jiversteve ? Huh when did I say anything to the contrary? I was just saying everyone in this story is annoying to me.

[@jiversteve]

@@regan3873 triggered much?

[@Boop__Doop]

The cod must flow

[@khyvich]

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Simon. I have been pestering every history channel on YT for years (ok, not all of them) to cover this story. Plucky little Iceland stood her ground and put the antiquated illogic and pride of Great Britain to rest finally.

[@christopping5876]

Excellent!

[@eugenemurray2940]

'Friendships come and go... Interests remain constant' Rt. Hon Benjamin Disraeli PM

[@Pax_Veritas]

I have two words for you: Mark Felton Dare I say it the best military historian on KZbin. British, naturally

[@amandashaw1977]

you should do a video on the human trafficking in seafood. with the motherships taking their catches and resupplying them, there are people stuck on fishing boats for years, even decades in some cases.

[@odinnthor420]

The captain of Thor was Helgi Hallvardsson

[@Sabrowsky]

Simon, you should probably do something about your channel creation addiction

[@pamelamays4186]

When a nation still believes they rule all seas.

[@ancientelixir1311]

When I saw microstate, I thought Andorra not Iceland.

[@inhumanfilth681]

Love your content simon!! Its always top tier. Please do a biographics on comedian george carlin :) pretty please fact daddy XD

[@alanmorley4556]

That was the end of the fishing fleets of Grimsby & hull after the cod war.

[@AncestorEmpireGaming]

10:06 PIT THE ELDER!

[@harrypp4]

Do the falklands

[@jericho2418]

Can you do a piece on the Battle of Wizna, The Polish Thermopylae and the massacre that ensued after?

[@marcbeebee6969]

Simon please recommend a Tea brand

[@micahistory]

The fact that the Cod war happened during the Cold war always cracks me up

[@Pippins666]

The header photo, not shown in the video, is my own photo of a collision between HMS Scylla and Icelandic gunboat Odinn, taken from the deck of HMS Bacchante on 3rd March 1976, When the Scylla struck the Odinn, actually a glancing blow by coming alongside and turning to port, a loud cheer rang across the few hundred yards between us. The black smoke is the frigate going astern suddenly (unless a klanky can tell me differently). On Bacchante I was the seacat maintainer. We went on to attend the US Bicentennial celebrations in New York in July

[@samirkumarsaha7714]

I have read about sherman's march to Carolina. Could cover that topic in future?

[@jmanj3917]

11:25; Yeah, He was also correct in saying that just because he was paranoid, that didn't mean that they weren't out to get him...

[@peronik349]

These "cod wars" remind me of this old English satirical film from 1959: "The Mouse That Roared" (the story of a very small country which declares war on the USA and which, against all odds, wins the war). In the same vein, of totally asymmetrical battle with counter-intuitive results, there is also a story that deserves its own video. The Battle of Myeongnyang: During Japan's second attempted invasion of Korea in 1597, a small fleet of 13 small Korean ships crushed the fleet of 130 Japanese warships. The results of this battle are without appeal : - Japan : between 30 and 60 ships sunk or captured and almost half of the troops out of action - Korea : ZERO ships lost; 2 dead and 3 injured

[@Clipgatherer]

The 2 gentlemen in the video’s “thumbnail” are U.K. Prime Minister Sir Harold Wilson (1916-1995) and his Icelandic counterpart Geir Hallgrimsson (1925-1990). And P.S. The person at 13:14 is not Ólafur Thors, but his brother, Thor Thors, Iceland’s long-time ambassador to Washington.

[@derekgardiner3583]

I jus follow Simon on the internet 🖖😁

[@Deadpool3203]

Fact Boy is extra british today 🤣

[@gluedtothemouse]

How about another three-letter animal? The 1859 Pig War between America and Britain, over the San Juan Islands on the US - British border

[@micahistory]

It's funny how Simon always covers British history from an anti-British perspective

[@sharonb3939]

Then again simon doesn't write the scripts

[@silverhawkscape2677]

@@sharonb3939 Guess this means that the writer is Irish?

[@K8E666]

We’re not all ok with the UK’s policies in the UK ! I’m Welsh and I’m all for Iceland preserving its fisheries and us buying directly from them. The cod doesn’t belong to us and it never did…. We were lucky while it lasted but we should’ve conceded decades before, cod has been fished to near extinction and it needed to stop. I only buy line caught fish now if I want cod but only if it’s not done via a 100km line !!!! otherwise there’s plenty of fish in the sea to try instead 😂

[@RodolphosTechchannel]

Talk about the lobster wars from brazil & france

[@grindingbricks]

I was soooo ready for the Icelandic accent!

[@vignir8057]

I was waiting for the story of when the HMS Falmouth rammed Týr almost capsizing it. There was written a very good book about it

[@Robochuck]

the Pig War is also quite crazy if in a non-nuclear age.

[@archstanton6102]

Please now fo the Emu wars for Aptil 1st.

[@Dank-gb6jn]

Humbly requesting George Carlin. A comedian and satirist who oftentimes hit the nail more than just on the head; and whose bits were infinitely more than just satire. The guy was a comedian, satirist, begrudged philosopher, and even the narrative voice of Thomas the Train.

[@staytuned2L337]

Bump! I wanna see this too lol

[@Dank-gb6jn]

@@staytuned2L337 spread the word my good man. Together we can get Simon to do it!

[@kellypolek9177]

He was a tank engine....

[@paulherman5822]

Actually, Mr Conductor. 😁

[@Dank-gb6jn]

@@paulherman5822 he played Mr. Conductor on a separate show. He narrated the 3rd and 4th series of Thomas the Tank Engine and friends, along with recordings of Series 1 and 2 after good ol Ringo Starr left. I don’t think Shining Time Station was an American thing either.

[@Oleandra-13]

Finally a reference to Grimsby which isn't from Lost In the Pond!

[@eugenemurray2940]

The Icelandic Gunboats... Apparently if not for them The Cod might be gone!

[@coeal2680]

Brittan was so arrogant in the 1800s and 1900s. Much like USA is now

[@kevdev1272]

Wars of the roses next ??

[@brotherjim3051]

You should do a at least one on the Spanish civil war.

[@InternetDarkLord]

If you cover this and the Emu War, you should do a video on the Pig War between the UK and US. The San Juan Islands have a national park site on the subject and British Cemetery to this day.

[@Sceptonic]

Noyone died during the Pig War except the pig though

[@InternetDarkLord]

@@Sceptonic Only 1 pig died of gunfire. Some soldiers died of natural causes. Hence the British cemetery.

[@timeforeastorm4869]

Hate to be that guy but the footage of the ship in the beginning is named Odin Thor was much different

[@micahistory]

Please visit Micahistory 2, it would mean a lot!

[@andreasevt1]

Iceland is amazing in sooo many different ways :D

[@grisslebear]

So with cod being a pseudonym for testicle, & Simon referencing "white gold", eluding to the sweet, flaky meat of the fish, & the common pigmentation of a testicles product... subsequently add in my broken, dirty mind, & these jokes just write themselves. Wife: Catch anything? Hubby: Honey, I gotta whole bag of white gold for ya. Wife: Git that little fish stick away from me! If you ain't got fish or cash, we're gonna hafta go see Mr. & Mrs. Bass!!! Hubby: BASS?!?! Hell baby, I never knew you were into GROUPER SEX!!!!

[@jonrunargislason1884]

Who would win in a fight, a country at the time populated by around 200.000 peoples or the whole brithis empire and its fragile ego... 🤣 Ìsland über alles 😇 Great video Simon and to implify how important this struggle was to the Icelanders, those coastguards sailors where the heros of there time in Icelandic culture

[@julianaylor4351]

Nothing nicer that fish fingers made out of Icelandic cod. 🐟😋

[@wiiretime3704]

Range wars from the early settler days of the old west

[@--enyo--]

Can we have the Great Emu War of 1932 for April Fool’s day? Spoilers, but we lost. 🤣

[@pickeljarsforhillary102]

What Would Nelson Do?

[@staytuned2L337]

The things we fight over 😅

[@jiversteve]

The things the UK fight for, fools….

[@staytuned2L337]

@@jiversteve "we" as a collective species fight over dumb shit all the time - like for instance people choosing to be petty and pedantic to show off their specific personal dislikes on a fairly broad statement 🤨

[@resileaf9501]

@@staytuned2L337 I'll fight you over that

[@NoName-de1fn]

@@resileaf9501 Hey if you don't calm down I'm going to have to fight you.

[@resileaf9501]

@@NoName-de1fn Not if I fight you first! Have at you, knave!

[@texasforever7887]

The Pig War of 1859 and the Boxer Rebellion

[@nyxknight7555]

I don’t think Iceland counts as a micro state but tbf I’m not sure what makes a state a micro state compared to a normal nation states

[@texasforever7887]

Go check how many people live there.

[@getnohappy]

It's a good job our (UK's) weird fetish for the fishing industry never caused any more issues ever again...

[@Drummin003]

There are a lot of countries that need to take Iceland's stance in regards to the CCP and their fishing fleets that have been running around the Pacific.

[@quasarsavage]

This a new cod map? Lol

[@darthbee18]

Oooooh a war based on fishery! As a citizen of an archipelagic nation I side with the Icelanders 😏😎✨

[@Boop__Doop]

Oh Britannia Britannia rules the waves Until cod is involved

[@TheNemocharlie]

Around this time, efforts were being made to save a particular haddock stock in the North Sea that just went on and on for years because nobody would agree to the only way to make it happen. Fast forward to today, if it proved impossible to do that trivial thing, what chance do we have acting in complete unaminity to prevent global warming?

[@-MarcusAurelius]

Even back then English fisherman were causing problems for Britain lol

[@ehrldawg]

Next up;Belleau Woods.

[@laurenjeangreenbean6301]

Is capital punishment a Monty python fish slap?

[@pato2200]

Iceland defeats uk in cod war. Next week, how farmfoods defeated France In the fish fingers war.

[@JTA1961]

Overheard... COD DAMN IT...

[@pr0xZen]

I'm curious: What makes Iceland a microstate? It's almost the same size as England.

[@delamoxica]

The population size of the country

[@Outside85]

The Cod Wars... not as some might think as the name of the sketch where John Cleese beats one of his fellow comedians over the head with a dead fish...

[@VisibilityFoggy]

Ha, anyone who's ever had to drive around Iceland would not call it a "microstate."

[@Andrew-hd2yk]

Proof the Royal Navy is not that Royal. You lost to a COAST GUARD!

[@WhiskMyEggs]

the world is a vampire dun-dun dun-dun dun dunnnnn

[@Fernando5455Jr]

Begun the Cod War has.

[@micahistory]

This is a fishy war