Why didn't Ireland Fight in World War 2 - Irish Girl Reacts

Ireland was in a real Catch-22 with the Second World War. On one hand, Ireland was not pro-fascist and did not lend its support to Franco during the Spanish Civil War, even though there was a stront right-wing Catholic lobby to do exactly that. On the other hand, Ireland had only just won hard-earned independence from the UK, and there was a lot of bad blood there. Churchill himself was one of the British leaders in the war against the Irish revolution, and fought a full dirty war against the Irish. The irony is that many of Britain's actions during this time (many of which were ordered by Churchill himself) could be called Nazi-like, and the Auxies and Black and Tans were as much death squads as the Einsatzgruppen. So they couldn't very well simply stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Churchill with that fresh wound. Neutrality was the obvious course, given that reality.

Ireland hide Nazis war criminals after the war, and persecuted Irishman who volunteered to fight for Britain, they found it hard to get jobs when they got home.

WOW, I never was taught this in the USA and is the first time l heard of it!

Knowing the historical context, it is hard to fault Ireland for doing exactly what it did - staying facially neutral while providing soft help to the allies. The only fault I can find is offering condolences on Hitler’s death. Is that true? If so, what was the calculus?

"world war 2 oversimplified " or "fallen of world war 2" absolute awesome videos :)

Must admit, I crush on Irish girls. I love how they talk, and how chill and unpretentious they are.

Really good video Diane
thank you

Thank you ! Now I know why Ireland did not fight in World War 2.

TOTALLY UNDERSTANDABLE! 🇮🇪
WAR, WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!
👎🤬

The majority of Americans did not want to enter the war either until Pearl Harbor, there is even a theory both Churchill and Roosevelt knew of the attack ( the US had already broken many Japanese codes) but let it happen to draw in the US in an active role rather than a trade partner.

If Germany and Japan won, there was no such thing as true neutral. Hitler and the Emperor never planned on stopping after conquering the UK and Soviet Union. All the cowards who hid and remained neutral would have been the next to get snuffed out. So all they would have managed to do was buy a little time.

I had no idea Ireland stayed out of WW2 nor did I ever know that their leader sent Germany their condolences for Hitlers suicide!! Wow. It is interesting how the Irish girl reacted with indifference when the Hitler fact was pointed out 🧐

Ireland didn't fight in WW-2? That's because the Irish smart. It was a dumb war to promote communism, look at the planet now. It sucks, when you need a wheelbarrow full of cash to pay for a pack of gum, something aint right, socialism sucks, capitalism is much better. lets go Brandon!!! Dianne, stay sweet!

Had Germany won the war in Europe, which they would have without America joining the fight, Ireland would have been taken over as well.

There were a lot of Irish in the US Army, has been since the civil war, that served in WW2.

Hitler wanted to take Ireland called operation. Green. Or I think. Operation. Eireann. Ireland prepared it's defenses but Hitler wasn't worried about Ireland and he wanted to get rid of Britain first but couldn't and he knew Britain would help them so he cancelled. Operation green. I'm not sure about this correct me if I'm wrong

hmm interesting, i never knew about this.

I'm old enough to remember the many bombings and shootings/ assainations in N.Ireland,Sinn Fein and Jerry Adams ( I think that's what his name was),on the American news in the 1970s. I must say my knowledge of the situation doesn't go beyond that much. But I think it had to do with Catholics and Protestants, politics and independence. Maybe you could school us on that Miss Diane. Love your videos.

I enjoyed hearing why didn't Ireland Fight in World Wars 2.

Within 300 days I will make a mashup of you and Slayer. Promise.

Hey Irish -- Don't be skeered!! -- I know WW2 was a great bit back. -- What happens when ya'll are over-run? Who's ya'lls allies? Who ya gonna call? -- Anyway Sweetness, you were wonderful!

I'm surprised the Catholic Church did not declare a Crusade against Nazi Germany for being evil, and obviously a pawn of the Devil. How many Crusades have been fought against Muslims, yet here is evil biting them on the nose, mass genocide of millions of people, and even Catholic Churches burned and deliberately destroyed by the Germans in Poland and in this the Catholic Church couldn't be bothered to take sides in this war between good and evil. What is the moral basis for neutrality, so if you are in Dublin and you witness a murder, do you call the police or do you stay neutral? Ireland is a neutral country, so if you take neutrality on an I individual level you do nothing. I wonder what would have happened if France stayed neutral as Germany invaded Poland, Italy declared war against Poland even though it was another Catholic country, and Germany was half Catholic half protestant and I suppose the Nazis were in some way Devil worshippers. Not much good the Church is in the fight against evil, didn't do Poland a Lock of good, yet Poland kept the faith in spite of the neutral Vatican about Germany attacking the Church. They say World War II was not a religious war, but the Germans did try to exterminate the Jews. I don't blame today's Germans for what happened back then, but Germany supposedly was more religious when Hitler took over than it is now, go figure.

Despite Devalera's distrust I know Winston Churchill to be trustworthy, however the English Parlament and the people of Northern Ireland are the ones who decide if Northern Ireland is given back to the Republic of Ireland and not Winston Churchill and Eamon Devalera knew that.

It's my understanding that the IRA had some dealings with the Nazis. They had their own agenda though and the Nazis didn't like that too much and broke off the relationship before long.

Why didnt Churchill invade the Island. lol They didnt have the military to say no. Shouldnt have even given them the choice. Especially after the US entered. So they basically Ireland got to reap the rewards from the allies victory but without the consequences!?!?

Thanks! 

There is another video by History Matters as of February 2022 about "Why is Ireland divided?". It would be nice to see your reaction to that one too 🙂

My grand uncle and his friend went to fight in ww2 at 16, he wrote a book about it, "A long way from tipperary". Maybe this girls information is more up to date and factual rather than first hand experience. Who knows?

Great video.

🇨🇮

'Neutrality' between good and evil is simply cowardice.

Because it wasn't their war. Ireland also didn't get involved in the Russian - Ukraine war or the many other wars all over the world. Britain went to war with Germany because it didn't want a huge super power on the continent of Europe. Plus Ireland had just been through 2 wars and the country was just starting. Ireland at that time was super poor and they would have not been able to fight the Germans. But many Irish people did wind up fighting with the Americans and there were many American bases around Ireland.

Simple! They were drunk!

Or you can just say Ireland is a nation of drunks and cowards who Talk the Talk, but are too yellow to Walk the Walk.
Just an alternative explanation...

David Gray was the American ambassador to Ireland during WW2. Gray believed the Irish government was secretly pro-Nazi. Gray consistently tried to get Ireland to join the war against the Nazis, and Ireland refused. Norway, Denmark, Holland and Belgium were neutral, but that did not save them from invasion. Ireland was stuck in its own little bubble.

Neutrality is a fantasy. WW2 is evidence enough of that. Ask Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark and Norway how great Neutrality is. The only reason we in Ireland haven’t abandoned Neutrality and the practice of having a small underfunded military is because the Nazis didn’t have the amphibious capabilities to attack us in WW2, so that 1930s pacifist naivety never died here like it did in other countries!

It is a sign of the times when a nation like Sweden is finally abandoning its Neutrality for the first time since the Napoleonic Era. This new Cold War is far more aggressive than the last, and we need friends fast!!

Plenty of Irish fought in WW2, despite the efforts of the anti-English de Valera government. They crossed to Britain or into Northern Ireland and joined the UK armed forces. Good on them, and thanks for their great support! Quite apart from the Northern Irish themselves, of course! Interesting to note that de Valera prevented Jewish refugees from settling in Ireland after 1945 yet allowed lots of Nazi fugitives and war criminals to emigrate there.

During the 1st world War and the American civil war the irish were used as cannon fodder

The biggest reason that Irland did not fight in WW2 was because they couldn't get enough whiskey to make provisions for the Irish Army.

ireland made the right choice for them

Because Catholic church was pro Nazi.

I like watching videos on Ireland as my ancestors came from Ireland in the mid 1660's. My ancestors had land and a castle. Now what is left is small part of the castle and it is a bank.

So sorry I always dropped in to hear the story. However today I'm going to be honest I just stopped in to see your hot body hug hug kissy s*** stuff.

My family history had it my great grandmother cheered on the bombing of London. The British did terrible things in Ireland. Churchill was no choir boy. He was all in on imperial Britian. Having said that, as an American, the British were infinitely better than Hitler and Stalin. I admire the Irish for their neutrality.

There was a large amount of Irish related soldiers in the British army ,And a massive Scottish contingent of Irish ancestry fighting for the UK and the USA Australia new Zealand, probably well over 500,000- 680000, breaking Irish neutrality would have broken the Irish constitution🤔🙉🙈🙊

My dad was 100% Irish (American) & fought in WW2 & the Korean War- also the late President Kennedy- 100% Irish- was a WW2 war hero

The thing about saying "nope. Gonna stay out of it and be neutral" when it comes to a dictator ,that dictator and regime could give a fuck less. Itll take you...thats like claiming your house is neutral from robbery in a very bad neighborhood lmao...claim all one wants. No one is neutral during war.

They didn't help us fight fascism because they were far right antisemitic racists

Ireland stayed neutral remained neutral to demonstrate that it was no longer part of the British Empire. Because of Ireland's location, that choice seemed like a poor one to many observers.

Yeah. Hmm. Well the Irish made laws that punished any citizen of Ireland for joining England voluntarily during ww2. They could not get work when returning home. And had other social restrictions. But most of those laws were repealed about 5 years ago. Hmmm