In World War Two Iceland was in a strategic position in the shipping lanes and the Nazi's and British took notice. The Nazi's sent a diplomat but Iceland adamantly stayed neutral. That wasn't good enough for the British who sort of invaded the island. But as the war ramped up the British needed their troops in the fight so they convinced Iceland to ask America to replace the British soldiers. And the US Army did what it does and upgraded Iceland's transportation infrastructure.
—David Foss