Britain, Ireland and the Second World WarFor Britain the Second World War exists in popularmemory as a time of heroic sacrifice, survival and ultimate victory overFascism. In the Irish state the years 1939-1945 are still remembered simplyas 'the Emergency'. Eire was one of many small states which in 1939 chosenot to stay out of the war but one of the few able to maintain itsnon-belligerency as a policy.How much this owed to Britain's militaryresolve or to the political skills of amon de Valera is a key questionwhich this new book will explore. It will also examine the tensions Eire'spolicy created in its relations with Winston Churchill and with the UnitedStates. The author also explores propaganda, censorship and Irish statesecurity and the degree to which it involves secret co-operation withBritain. Disturbing issues are also raised like the IRA's relationship toNazi Germany and ambivalent Irish attitudes to the Holocaust.Drawing uponboth published and unpublished sources, this book illustrates the war'simpact on people on both sides of the border and shows how it failed toresolve sectarian problems on Northern Ireland while raising higher thebarriers of misunderstanding between it and the Irish state across itsborder. |
Contents
| 1 | |
2 Eires Emergency Britains War | 22 |
Crisis and Survival | 48 |
4 Security Censorship and Propaganda | 67 |
The IRA 193945 | 101 |
6 Eire in the Emergency and the Irish in Britain | 141 |
7 Northern Ireland at War | 171 |
8 Emergency War and their Aftermath | 196 |
| 219 | |
| 231 | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
accepted action active allies already American armed army attacks became Belfast border Britain British Brooke called campaign carried Catholic cause censorship Churchill claimed close contacts continued death defence Diaries Dublin E´ire E´ire’s earlier early Emergency fact fear followed forces Free German given going History Home Ibid intelligence Irish issue Italy John joined June Labour land late later least living London major March military minister Ministry movement Nationalist Nazi neutrality never Northern Ireland once operations party political ports position possible Press prison PRONI Protestant recruited relations remained republican response role Rule Ryan Second World seemed September served state’s Stormont thought told took Treaty Ulster Union Unionist United University Valera wanted wartime workers wrote young