2006-08-15 03:48:53 · 13 answers · asked by Chris M 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
Most of the above answers are correct, but the Irish Guards and Royal Inniskillings referred to by another poster were/are UK regiments, unconnected with the Republic of Ireland.
It is worth noting that Northern Ireland's Unionists are very proud of their role in WW1 and WW2, and that more Irishmen volunteered for the British army in WW1 (50,000 died) than fought the British for Irish independence. Unfortunately this sacrifice has rarely been commemorated in southern Ireland.
And it's true what I said in my last post: not only the Irish PM but the president offered condolences after Hitler' death. It was the only neutral country to do so (see below). The article also mentions Ireland's refusal to help Jews fleeing Europe and Churchill's criticism of Ireland's lack of help.
2006-08-15 06:53:50 · answer #1 · answered by Dunrobin 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Officially Neutrality had been a policy of the Irish Government since 1922. The struggles of the 20s were too fresh in Irish minds and they had no desire to help England. On the other hand they never endorsed Germany either. Economically Ireland was weak and her contribution to a total war effort would have been minimal. Unoficially Ireland DID in general support the Allies. It allowed Allied planes to refuel at its airbases and it interned and returned allied pilots who were downed inside thier territory. Ireland allowed Allied planes to overfly thier territory , Irish military intelligence confered with thier British conterparts often passing them information and both Ireland and England had preliminary plans to work together should England be invaded by Germany. some 60,000 Irish men crossed lines to join the allies and fight against Germany. So although officially Ireland was neutral her sympathies lie far more with the Aliies than the Axis. This was quite pragmatic actually, had England fallen the German flag would have been flying over Ireland before very long.
2006-08-15 06:29:36 · answer #2 · answered by Kevin P 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In Ireland Proper, There were pro-Nazi elements active in the government. The Country remained neutral because of the political situation in Ireland. Northern Ireland supported the War.
2006-08-15 08:13:19 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Irish Republic had only recently gained its independence from the UK after a bitter struggle and it would have been politically dangerous for the Irish government to be allies of the UK so they remained officially neutral.
Dublin did suffer one air raid from the germans and the Irish government covertly co-operated by detaining german spies landing in the south to cross the border into Ulster.
Many irish individuals enlisted in the British Forces and irish labour was used extensively in Britain to build airfields and other military installations especially the Mulberry harbours for D-Day.
Northern Ireland was still part of the UK so they participated equally with the rest of the nation.
Field Marshall Montgomery was an irishman.
2006-08-15 19:02:13 · answer #4 · answered by brainstorm 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The standard answer (from history texts) is that they were afraid of being bombed by the Germans and had no love for the English. However, once the United States entered the war the Irish should have joined the "crusade" against Hitler. Many lives, American lives, were lost to German U boats because American ships were unable to use Irish ports as they had done in the First World War.
2006-08-15 13:46:44 · answer #5 · answered by James@hbpl 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ireland was too poor to risk to envolve in another war after the Independance War in 1919 and the Civil War in 1922/1923. Therefore Ireland was neutral.
2006-08-15 05:55:06 · answer #6 · answered by Petra 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If Ireland could have mustered an army, they would have been fighting the British before WWII even started.
2006-08-15 04:41:47 · answer #7 · answered by ulbud k 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Though officially neutral, it should noted the the Republic of Ireland did allow Britain to hide some of its submarines in Ireland's very deep lakes.
Also, of course, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plan_W
2006-08-15 08:13:36 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ireland was very well represented during WW 2.Many soilders , catholic and protestant ,joined and served with regiments stationed in England but there were also Irish regiments such as the Irish Guard and the Royal Inniskillen regiment.
2006-08-15 06:28:38 · answer #9 · answered by me 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They were neutral with a side order of "any enemy of England is a friend of ours even if we're not on your side either".
Didn't stop a lot of individual irish men and women coming over to fight and help out.
Also Ireland was dirt poor at the time.
2006-08-15 03:54:21 · answer #10 · answered by UKJess 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋