Why was Greenland of such strategic importance to the United States during the Cold War?

Greenland occupied a crucial geographic position between Washington D.C. and Moscow, sitting directly along the shortest possible flight path between the United States and the Soviet Union. This strategic location made it valuable for both offensive and defensive military purposes. American bombers and missiles stationed there could most rapidly attack the Soviet Union, while Greenland simultaneously served as America's front line of defense for detecting Soviet aerial attacks against the US mainland. This strategic value led to the establishment of Thule Air Base in 1951, which became one of America's most important overseas military installations during the Cold War.