I ask this intriguing question based on something Pomeroy and PatMcGee said on another thread. It's a point I never considered up to now, but when you think about it, its very valid and a very uncomortable possibility! The fact that we stayed "neutral" in WW2, and the fact that recently published doc's prove Hitler was infact intending to invade Ireland post Battle of Britain.....does this mean than Britain were in fact inadvertedly defending Ireland to a point and did Britain and British Soldiers do more to save Ireland in WW2 than Irish men who refused to take part in the war effort? Huge huge credit is due to the Irish men who served in WW1 on the Allied side. They are true heroes.

Davethemonk (Dublin) - Posts: 117 - 02/09/2010 16:19:33    763577

Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few

pplocal (Tyrone) - Posts: 5878 - 02/09/2010 16:53:14    763635

Dave good to see you out and about after BB so you have moved to Dublin from Wales

fortyfive (Tyrone) - Posts: 5929 - 02/09/2010 16:57:08    763641

Did Britain "save" Ireland in WW2

ask the northern nationalists after wwII

32_4_1 (Meath) - Posts: 4164 - 02/09/2010 17:05:12    763656

I think we might be forgetting the not so small part played by our US and more particularly our Soviet cousins.

Corrxxx (Kerry) - Posts: 584 - 02/09/2010 17:09:42    763664

No! They were saving themselves...! Didnt even shed a thought for us

throw_it_over (Galway) - Posts: 769 - 02/09/2010 17:20:18    763687

America and Russia saved everyone. The Brits were beaten in France, and if German officers had off been let run the war without interference from the Fuhrer, then Britain would easily have been conquered. Did they save Ireland? They didnt care about Ireland when they were fighting, I think we were the least of their worries to be honest. There is no doubt however that Ireland saved Britain in WW1, but they have yet to thank us.

Scruffy2Donut (Cavan) - Posts: 1112 - 02/09/2010 17:21:50    763693

thousands of irishmen served with british and US forces in WW2. so i guess you could say, those brave men saved us. therfore we saved ourselves.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11637 - 02/09/2010 17:31:54    763710

History teaches us that Hitler had no intention of invading ENGLAND, let alone Ireland which is one of the reasons he lost the war, because the USA was able to base troops in England, and supply goods to Russia via England.

As we all know the majority of the ruling classes in Britain SUPPORTED Hitler. Alas their arch nemesis, trouble maker supreme, hated rival, Winston Churchill managed to stir up trouble.

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 02/09/2010 17:40:10    763719

the british still protect our air space

hipster (Dublin) - Posts: 2509 - 02/09/2010 17:59:11    763748

patrique
County: Antrim
Posts: 9268

763719
History teaches us that Hitler had no intention of invading ENGLAND, let alone Ireland which is one of the reasons he lost the war, because the USA was able to base troops in England, and supply goods to Russia via England.

As we all know the majority of the ruling classes in Britain SUPPORTED Hitler. Alas their arch nemesis, trouble maker supreme, hated rival, Winston Churchill managed to stir up trouble.

Are you serious? Is there any proof to your theory?

throw_it_over (Galway) - Posts: 769 - 02/09/2010 18:30:04    763781

Many of the World's greatest dictators were educated in Oxford !!

Cavan_Slasher (Cavan) - Posts: 10253 - 02/09/2010 18:44:48    763797

throw_it over_galway.
i think they might be a wee bit of truth in what patrique is saying , although i do not know the full facts , but saying that he is not far wrong.

ta32 (Tyrone) - Posts: 4907 - 02/09/2010 18:57:46    763813

hipster.
i thought casement aerodrome protected irish airspace ;]

ta32 (Tyrone) - Posts: 4907 - 02/09/2010 19:29:36    763845

Save us from what? Occupation by a foreign power perhaps. Not to mention the discrimination and deprivation that accompanies it. I wonder!

derryman (Derry) - Posts: 3246 - 02/09/2010 19:38:18    763855

Life under the British would be like a holiday camp compared to a Nazi regime. Reading about the dedication and sacrifices made by Allied forces and from talking to my great-uncle who was a PoW in Japan it's both harrowing and inspirational what they were subjected to and how they coped. WW2 is Ireland's great shame

pplocal (Tyrone) - Posts: 5878 - 02/09/2010 19:49:05    763868

Pomeroy
Life in British Concentration camps were no picnic either. Perhaps you should talk to some of those prisoners.

derryman (Derry) - Posts: 3246 - 02/09/2010 20:11:33    763898

What about bloody sunday ? the british destroyed the north.

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 02/09/2010 20:13:23    763900

I'd say they were only thinking of themselves at the time and wern't really concerned about Ireland apart from how they could use Ireland. However they did inadvertently save Ireland (with the aid of USA and Russia etc) as well as every other country in the world from the spread of fascism and indeed the Nazi's!!

wise_guy (Tyrone) - Posts: 1584 - 02/09/2010 20:17:53    763904

That famous soldier and pacifist Idi Amin was in the British army !! Its no wonder we stayed neutral !!

Cavan_Slasher (Cavan) - Posts: 10253 - 02/09/2010 20:19:59    763906