Unit 9 - Eire Neutality

Unit 9 - Eire Neutality

1. Attempts to Persuade Eire to enter the War

   • British attempts
     • When the Germans defeated and occupied France in June 1940, Britain and her empire alone stood against Hitler
     • The British needed help as at this stage the USA was still neutral.
     • Eire could provide much needed air and naval bases for Britain to use in the BATTLE OF BRITAIN and to defend Britain from invasion.
     • ATTEMPT 1
       • In June 1940 (after the retreat from Dunkirk and Frances occupation)
         • Britain tried to persuade Eire to join them in a defensive agreement
           • They proposed if Eire allowed British ships access to ports in Eire and allowed British troops and planes at certain places in Eire they would provide equipment and...
             • They would agree to a UNTIED IRELAND at an early date
               • Craigavon was OUTRAGED
             • De Valera declined as...
               • At this stage it looked like Germany was going to win the war, and if they did they would grant a united Ireland anyway
               • He felt if they entered the war Eire would lose it's independence
     • ATTEMPT 2
       • When the Japanese attacked the Americans at Pearl Harbour (7th December 1941) Germany also declared war on the USA
         • Churchill again tried to persuade de Valera to join now the USA and Britain had joined forces
           • 'NOW OR NEVER A NATION ONCE AGAIN'
             • He was again offering a United Ireland
               • DE VALERA DECLINED
     • ATTEMPT 3
       • In mid-1942 the BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC was ats its peak and german U-boats were sinking a lot of allied merchants in Atlantic
         • Churchill asked for the Treaty ports to be returned, so the Royal navy could use them as bases for convey ships
           • AGAIN De Valera refused

2. Neutrality

   • As early as April 1939, de Valera declared that Eire would stay neutral
     • Only member of British commonwealth not to go to war with Germany.
       • Most Eire residents were not pro-german but they were not pro-british either
         • Some people favoured helping Britain fight the germans and neutrality was the only way to keep the peace between these two groups
           • Neutrality would prove difficult because Eire was geographically close to Britain and had very strong economic links eg trade

3. Benevolent Neutrality

   • Although Eire was officially neutral they were in fact biased to the Allies
   • Donegal Air Corridor
     • In a secret deal with the British in January 1941, de Valera allowed the RAF (& US Air forces later) to overfly part of county donegal
       • This avoided a 100 mile detour around the northern tip of county Donegal
         • It also allows Allied planes from Castle Archdale to patrol an extra 100 miles out into the Atlantic which meant conveys were better protected
   • Belfast Blitz
     • De Valera sent 13 fire engines and fire-fighters from Drogheda, Dublin and Dundalk to help with the devastation
       • De Valera complained to the German gov. about the raid on 'his people'
         • This breached neutrality and also risked a revenge attack from the Germans
   • Allied Airmen 'escaping'
     • Neutrality meant that Eire was supposed to imprison any servicemen from countries involved in the war eg shipwrecked sailors or pilots
       • Eire allowed crews of Allied ships or planes to 'escape' back across the border
         • While all Germans were imprisoned
   • Secret Radar Bases
     • In Feb 1945 (when it was clear Germany was going to be defeated)
       • De Valera gave the British permission to build secret radar bases in Eire
   • Irish Citizens joining British Armed Forces
     • Despite neutrality 43,000 Eire citizens joined the British armed forces
       • including 5,000 who left the Irish army to join. Those who served won 8 Victoria crosses
         • De Valera did nothing to stop this

4. Strict Neurality

   • IRA
     • IRA attacks in Britain and on NI bases could have provoked Britain into invading Eire and start a cival war (as they hoped)
       • To prevent this de Valera arrested and interned suspects
         • 6 IRA men were executed and 3 allowed to die on hunger strike
   • Allies not allowed to use ports and airfields in EIRE
     • De Valera rejected attempts by British and later Americans to try to persuade him
       • he also wouldn't allow British troops on Eire soil
   • Refused to close offices of German and Japanese Ambassadors in Dublin
     • despite the British and Americans demanding it
       • they argued they were bases for spies
   • Sympathy Visit
     • When Hitler committed suicide in April 1945, de Valera visited the German embassy to offer condolences
       • This outraged British and Americans as his treatment of the Jews had been discovered
         • De Valera defended himself as he had also offered condolscences to the USA after Roosevelt
   • Censorship of press
     • Strict censorship imposed on Irish press to stop any public opinions which might favour one side

5. NI's Attitude

   • Sir Basil Brooke and the unionists were disgusted by Eire's decision to stay neutral
     • Sir Basil Brooke and unionists were disgusted with Eire's decision to stay neutral
     • Eire's neutrality drove Northern Ireland and Eire even further apart
       • Relations warmed between North and South when de Valera sent the fire engines etc to help with the Belfast Blitz
         • But de Valera's refusal to close the German and Japanese Embassies in Dublin meant that Eire was viewed with suspicion and as a base for spies gaining info from southerners working in the North
   • British Attitude
     • The British tried their best to try and get Eire to join the war
       • Despite promises of a United Ireland and pressure from the USA De Valera did not join the Allies
         • This frustrated war leaders eg Churchill but many British people understood de Valera's position and saw that Eire's policy of benevolent neutrality was still extremely helpful
   • USA Attitude
     • President Roosevelt saw Eire's neutrality as 'a serious impediment to the war effort'
       • When American troops arrived in NI de Valera protested to the US embassy he said they were 'an unwarranted interference in IRISH affairs'
         • David Gray (US Amb) pointed out he had not protested to the German embassy when the Luftwaffe bombed Belfast
           • Gray was critical of Eire's neutrality and of de Valera personally