Eire's Neutrality

Eire's Neutrality

1. Attempts to persuade Eire to enter the war.

   • Attempt 1: June 1940 Britain tried to persuade Eire to join them in a defensive agreement after Germany defeated France and British troops withdrew from Dunkirk. Britain proposed to a United Ireland if they allowed Britain access to ports in Eire.
     • De Valera rejected the offer because it looked like Germany was going to win the war and if Eire entered the war then they would lose their independence.
     • The prime Minister of Northern Ireland was outraged when he heard this proposal.
   • Attempt 2: 2nd September 1941 Japanese attacked the Americans at Pearl Harbour and Germany declared war with USA. Churchill offered again for Eire to join the war "A Nation once Again".
     • Churchill was offering Eire a United Ireland but he again declined.
   • Attempt 3: 1942 Britain needed the treaty ports in Eire as the Battle of the Atlantic was at its peak and German U-boats were sinking allied ships.
     • De Valera declined this offer once again.

2. Benevolent Neutrality

   • Eire's neutrality was actually biased towards the Allies this made it benevolent neutrality.
   • Eire allowed the RAF and later the US Air Force to fly over a small part of County Donegal (the Donegal Corridor).
     • This avoided a 100 mile extra journey to avoid Donegal and provided air cover for the convoys for longer.
   • De Valera sent 13 fire engines and fire-fighters from Dublin, Dundalk and Drogheda to help fight the blazes after the Belfast Blitz.
   • Allied Airmen were allowed to escape unlike the German shipwrecked who were interned.
   • In February 1945 De Valera gave permission to the British to build Secret Radar bases in Eire.
   • 43000 Irish citizens joined the British armed forces including 5000 who left the Irish army to join the British army.

3. What the USA thought about Eire's Neutrality

   • President Roosevelt stated that Eire's neutrality was 'a serious impediment to the war effort'.
   • David Gray the US Ambassador in Dublin critizised de Valera for not protesting to the German Ambassador after the Belfast Blitz.

4. Northern Ireland's attitude to Eire's benevolent Neutrality

   • Sir Basil Brooke and Northern Ireland were outraged with Eire's decision to stay neutral this drove Eire and Northern Ireland further apart.
     • However Northern Ireland was very appreciative of Eire's actions to send fire fighters to help fight the blazes of the Belfast Blitz.

5. The British Attitude to Eire's neutrality

   • Eire annoyed the British by not accepting their proposal to join the war in exchange for a United Ireland as de Valera wanted.

6. How de Valera operated policy of Strict Neutrality

   • De Valera interned 3 suspect IRA members in Eire as the IRA was a huge threat to Eire's neutrality.
   • Eire refused to give the treaty ports and airfields back to Britain.
   • De Valera refused to close both the Japanese or the German Embassy's in Dublin.