@Trineff I don't know the history either, but I can relate it to other indigenous populations that haven't responded well as a whole to having access to alcohol and tobacco when their culture (not to mention genetics - people in alcohol-drinking cultures have had hundreds if not thousands of subtle evolutionary pressure towards being able to handle alcohol) hasn't adapted for it.
It's probably a combination of issues. The Danes would have been better introducing it, but educating people about the dangers of it as well - it was inevitable that it would arrive eventually, after all. The US probably sent it in as if it was just any other supplies (wouldn't surprise me if it was pretty much the same packages as were going to Britain, Russia, and other beleaguered allies for ease of logistics). Both Denmark and the US had good intentions, but the immediate switch from 'no alcohol' to 'it's mixed in the supply packages along with everything else' was likely a shock to the culture.
The rest seems to be knock-on effects from Denmark trying to deal with the aftereffects.
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@Trineff I don't know the history either, but I can relate it to other indigenous populations that haven't responded well as a whole to having access to alcohol and tobacco when their culture (not to mention genetics - people in alcohol-drinking cultures have had hundreds if not thousands of subtle evolutionary pressure towards being able to handle alcohol) hasn't adapted for it.
It's probably a combination of issues. The Danes would have been better introducing it, but educating people about the dangers of it as well - it was inevitable that it would arrive eventually, after all. The US probably sent it in as if it was just any other supplies (wouldn't surprise me if it was pretty much the same packages as were going to Britain, Russia, and other beleaguered allies for ease of logistics). Both Denmark and the US had good intentions, but the immediate switch from 'no alcohol' to 'it's mixed in the supply packages along with everything else' was likely a shock to the culture.
The rest seems to be knock-on effects from Denmark trying to deal with the aftereffects.