The Experiences of The Two Irelands During The Second World War Sarah McDonough 13101244 Two Ireland s Of The 20th Century John Cunningham 1,566 Words October 28, 2013 1
During World War II, Ireland claimed neutrality meaning, they did not technically or formally align themselves with the Allied Powers or the Axis Powers. Just north of the border, Northern Ireland made it viciously clear to the rest of the world that they were fully supportive of Great Britain and the Allied forces, meaning once again, this small island was divided in two. Upon reviewing several academic articles and historical documents, it can be argued that the two Irelands endured two vastly different experiences throughout the duration of World War II. More specifically, each country experienced different economic, political, and social effects of the war based on their varying levels of involvement and alignment. Although Ireland remained neutral throughout the entirety of World War II, the country still experienced its fair share of economic difficulties as a result of the war. From the very beginning of the war, British officials made it clear that they were seeking Irish alliance. They believed that by applying pressure on Ireland, they would eventually cave in and join Great Britain in battle. In Twentieth Century Ireland, the reader learns that the British Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, Lord Cranborne said, Ireland is entirely dependent on us. We should take every means of opening the eyes of the Irish people to this fact. He advocated a policy of silent sanctions in order to keep her lean. 1 This strategy put a dent in the Irish economy because their resources were dramatically limited as a result of the separation from Great Britain. Similarly to many other countries around the world, Ireland introduced rationing as a way of coping with the wartime economy. The country adopted the phrase and mindset making do and mend and strongly encouraged its citizens to live on less. The nationwide rations included food, fuel, and electricity. As a result of these rations and economic cutbacks, during World War II, 1 Dermot Keogh, Twentieth Century Ireland: Revolution and State Building (2005), p. 122. 2
motor vehicles became less common, electricity blackouts were frequent, and Ireland turned to turf as its main source of heat, therefore eliminating dependance on coal. Although Ireland stayed out of the war, ultimately, the island could not completely avoid the harsh economic repercussions of World War II. While Ireland withstood economical difficulties during World War II, the economic effects on Northern Ireland were arguably more severe. According to Northern Ireland and the Second World War by Dr. Senia Paseta of St Hough s College at Oxford University, A Blackout order came into force in September 1939 and preparation for rationing food, petrol, and other items followed soon after. 2 Not only did Northern Ireland have its own economic interests in mind, they were also concerned about rationing in order to benefit Great Britain and the Allies. To be more specific, on the day after Britain announced it was at war with Germany, Lord Craigavon, Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, declared that the whole of the resources' belonging to the small country would be made available to Great Britain. This reality drastically effected Northern Ireland s lack of economic stability at the beginning of World War II. In addition to the rations, Northern Ireland was frequently targeted by the Axis Powers; early bombings were especially devastating and left portions of Northern Ireland in ruins. Unfortunately, the beginning of World War II brought a series of economic struggles to Northern Ireland, but as the reality of war sank in, Northern Ireland s government began to respond quickly to new demands. According to Dr. Paseta, the unemployment rate dropped rapidly as 1940 came to an end, female employment grew, and demand for wartime equipment stimulated the economy. 3 2 Senia Paseta, Northern Ireland and the Second World War (2013), p. 1. 3 Senia Paseta, Northern Ireland and the Second World War (2013), p. 1. 3
Politically speaking, Ireland s decision to remain neutral during World War II sent a bold message to the rest of the world and more specifically, Great Britain; ultimately, the small country was exercising its freedom by remaining independent. According to Choosing to Go It Alone: Irish Neutrality in Theoretical and Comparative Perspective, The Irish leader, De Valera, particularly sought neutrality as a means to stay out of British conflicts. For De Valera, neutrality also meant the exercise of Irish sovereignty. The greater the degree to which Ireland could pursue a true policy of neutrality, the greater degree to which Ireland could claim full sovereignty from Britain and establishment of an independent state. 4 By taking advantage of this opportunity to make a political statement, Eamon De Valera and Ireland made it unmistakably clear that they were standing alone. In addition to the separation from Great Britain, Ireland s sheer size played a large role in remaining neutral. The lack of capability to protect itself as a nation, let alone project power beyond its shores made neutrality very appealing. With this concise summary of the concerns relating to size and capability of this small nation, it is easy to see why Ireland might have been worried about formally entering World War II. Despite Ireland s historically tumultuous relationship with Great Britain and their lack of resources and sheer man power, the release of new archival material further proves that the Irish were prepared to be friendly toward the Allies. To be more specific, it has been discovered that there was cooperation between the G2 and Allied intelligence services, exchange of meteorological reports, and forwarding of information concerning the movement of Axis planes, ships, and submarines in the Irish Sea. In addition to these services, Ireland granted the Allies permission to fly over Donegal for easier access to the Atlantic Ocean. With all of this 4 Jesse G. Neal, Choosing To Go It Alone: Irish Neutrality in Theoretical and Comparative Perspective (2006), p.12. 4
information, it should be noted that while Ireland remained neutral on paper, the favors they performed for the Allies were extensive and undeniably helpful in winning the war. 5 While Ireland remained neutral, Northern Ireland took a political stance and made it clear that they were invested in World War II and fully supportive of the Allied Powers, despite the fact that they did not enforce conscription. With this being said, it can be argued that Great Britain and the Allies were concerned that due to the size of Northern Ireland, the country would not be able to pull its own weight or make significant contributions. These seemingly legitimate concerns manifested into reality in the spring on 1941 when German air raids proved that Northern Ireland was far from prepared for what was to come. The air raids cost the provence dearly: at least 1,100 people died during four raids and many thousands were injured. 6 The two day raid on Belfast in April 1941 resulted in the United Kingdom s highest casualty rate in one night s bombings. To add to these grievances, many grew tired of Prime Minister James Craigavon and his predecessor, J.M. Andrews, that followed him after his death in 1940. 7 (Barton, 70) Ultimately, these two men lacked initiative and drive; they were too passive for wartime politics and were rarely in Westminster s good graces. Their nearly identical administrations were woefully ineffective and negligent, therefore making Northern Ireland an easy target for the Axis Powers in the early years of the war. To remain a neutral nation, the Irish government believed it was necessary to shield the public from the information about the war through socially constraining censorship laws. It should be included that at this time, Ireland s primary news source was the British media, so as a result of censorship, the island was unaware of the events of World War II and socially isolated. 5 Jesse G. Neal, Choosing To Go It Alone: Irish Neutrality in Theoretical and Comparative Perspective (2006), p.12. 6 Senia Paseta, Northern Ireland and the Second World War (2013), p. 1. 7 Brian Barton, Northern Ireland; The Impact of War, 1939-45 (2000), p. 69. 5
For example, many Irish were sheltered from the details of the Holocaust because according to Moral Neutrality Censorship in Emergency Ireland, government officials censored all reports of cruel or inhuman treatment by the belligerents. 8 The censorship was such an overwhelming social presence that Irish poet, Seamus Heaney captured the womb-like sense of security which neutrality brought to the country in his texts. 9 His poems illustrated the state of oblivion Ireland was in during World War II and suggested that the country s censorship laws were possibly too controlling. As previously mentioned, the two Irelands withstood rationing during World War II. The effects proved to be overwhelmingly social as they contributed to an increase in responsibility for Irish women. Following the introduction of rationing in Northern Ireland, women were encouraged to make better use of existing foods. For example, magazines such as Model Housekeeping, provided Northern Irish housewives with weekly menus and recipes that would their resources to more efficient use. In addition to a change in food preparation, as a result of rationing and shortages, women experienced a shift in how they provided for their families. Muldowney explains, As shortages in range of products became more widespread, shopping took up a significant portion of the average woman s day as she had to search for everything, including items that were common before the war. 10 Even though these high expectations were overwhelmingly domestic, they gave women the opportunity to identify with the country. Although Ireland and Northern Ireland share a border, it can be argued that the two Irelands endured two vastly different experiences throughout the duration of World War II. 8 Donal A. Drisceoil, Moral Neutrality Censorship in Emergency Ireland (1996), p. 2. 9 Dermot Keogh, Twentieth Century Ireland: Revolution and State Building (2005), p. 160. 10 Mary Muldowney, The Second World War and Irish Women: An Oral History (2007), pp. 119-45 6
Between Ireland s bold and sovereign decision to remain neutral and Northern Ireland s alignment with Great Britain and the Allied Powers, these two countries were bound to follow different paths. After reviewing several sources, history itself proves that the economic, political, and social effects of World War II were unique to each nation. 7
Works Cited Barton, Brian. "Northern Ireland: The Impact of War, 1939-45." Ireland and the Second World War: Politics, Sociecty, and Rememberence. Dublin: Four Courts, 2000. N. pag. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. Drisceoil, Donal Ã. "Moral Neutrality Censorship in Emergency Ireland." JSTOR. N.p., 1996. Web. 23 Oct. 2013. Jesse, Neal G. "Choosing To Go It Alone: Irish Neutrality in Theoretical and Comparative Perspective." JSTOR. International Political Science Review, Jan. 2006. Web. 23 Oct. 2013. Keogh, Dermot, and Andrew McCarthy. Twentieth Century Ireland: Revolution and State Building. Vol. 6. N.p.: Gill & Macmillan, 2005. Print. Muldowney, Mary. "The Home Front." The Second World War and Irish Women: An Oral History. Dublin: Irish Academic, 2007. 119-45. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. O'Donoghue, David, and James Scannell. "State Within a State: The Nazis in Neutral Ireland." JSTOR. Dublin Historical Record, 2007. Web. 23 Oct. 2013. Paseta, Senia. "Northern Ireland and the Second World War." Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale, n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. <http://www.gale.cengage.com/pdf/whitepapers/gdc/ NorthernIrelandAndWWII.pdf>. 8