Some time ago, Indy talked about american troops being stationed in Ireland (I don’t remember if it was in Belfast or Dublin) and I remember also that there were Nazi bombings in Ireland during the Blitz. Was Ireland neutral during the war or was it under British/American influence or control? What did the Irish population think of the war in general?
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Definitely Belfast (in Northern Ireland), not Dublin.
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Although the theoretical American troops might have found things more congenial in Dublin, given where most Irish-Americans’ ancestors came from.
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Officially Ireland remained Neutral throughout WW2 however thousands of Irish fought for the allies mostly under the British flag as many were British subjects and many thousands of Irish also fought under the British flag many with distinction.
Due to its neutrality armed troops of foreign nations could not be stationed in the country as that then it would no longer be neutral and it would pick a side. However Ireland allowed bomber and fighter crews flying from Canada and the US to land at Shannon Airport to refuel. Any allied Navy or aircrews that were rescued in Irish Territory were technically POWs but mostly they were released on Promise and would cross into British Territory shortly thereafter usually with local civilian help the British territory being Northern Ireland. The same could not be said for any Axis naval or aircrew that were rescued or caught were immediately interred and treated as POWs for the duration of the war.
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Dublin was bombed. Accidentally, and not much, but it was. Belfast suffered a direct hit on an air raid shelter, leading to one of the highest death tolls in a single raid in the war.
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I was referring to American bases. I don’t recall our troops being stationed in Dublin.
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I misread, sorry, just picked up the bombings comment
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