This is a comprehensive survey of the changing position of the Nordic states (Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway) in twentieth-century international relations. It focuses on their relations with Great Britain, Germany and Russia and shows how Scandinavia was drawn into great-power confrontation and conflict. It discusses the experience of these small states in the light of international relations theory and examines the role of Scandinavia in the military plans and economic policies of the great powers before and during the two world wars.