When the Germans defeated and occupied France
in 1940, Britain aind its Empire stood alone against
Hitler
The British needed all the help they could get, especially
as the USA was still neutral. Eire could provide much
needed air and naval bases for the British to use in the
Battle of the Atlantic.
Attempt 1 (June 1940)
The British tried to persuade Eire to join them in a defensive agreement
The British proposed that if Eire allowed British
ships access to ports in Eire, and British troops
and planes to be stationed at certain laces in
Eire, they would provide equipment for the Irish
army and agree to a united Ireland 'at an early
date.' When Craigavon heard of this offer he was
outraged,
De Valera rejected the offer anyway for two reason - 1. At this
stage I looked like Germany was going to win the war anyway, If
they did, they would grant a united Ireland even if Eire stayed
neutral. 2. He felt that if Eire did enter the war, it would lose its
independence
Attempt 2 (December 1941)
When the Japanese attacked the Amricans at
Pearl Harbour on the 7th of December 1941,
Germany also declared war on the USA
Churchill tried again to persuade de Valera to
join the war now that Britain and the ?USA were
fighting together. He said in a telegram - 'Now or
never "A Nation once Again"
This meant that Churchill was
again offering a united Ireland if
Eire joined Britain in the war
against Germany.
Again de Valera declined.
Attempt Number 3 (1942)
In Mid - 1942 the Battle of the Atlantic was at its peak and
German U-Boats were sinking a lot of Allied merchant
ships in the Atlantic
Churchill asked de Valera for the Treaty Ports to be
returned to Britain that the Royal Navy could use
them as bases for their convoy escort ships. Again
de Valera refused
Benevolent Neutrality
Donegal air corridor
Help during the Belfast Blitz
Allied airmen being allowed to escape
Secret radar bases
Irish citizens joining the British Armed Forces
Strict Neutrality
Dealing with the IRA
Allies not allowed to use ports and airfields in Eire
Refusal to close the offices of the
German and Japanese
Ambassadors in Dublin
The sympathy visit
Censorship of the press
Allied response to Eire's neutrality
Sir Basil Brooke and Unionists were disgusted with Eire's decision to stay neutral
The British did their best to persuade Eire to join them in
the war with Germany
Roosevelt saw Eire's neutrality 'as a serious impediment to the war effort'