Secret service defied neutrality during second world war

[emad]

Sunday Times
Scott Millar



THE Irish secret service spied for MI5 during the second world war, according to newly released diaries. Officials helped the allied cause by spying on Germans and the IRA without the knowledge of Eamon de Valera¡¯s government. It adopted a public policy of neutrality.

The extent of the co-operation is revealed in the diaries of Guy Liddell, the director of counter-espionage for MI5, the British security agency, during the second world war.

The documents record regular visits to London by Colonel Liam Archer, a leading officer in G2, the Irish secret service. During these, he discussed the German delegation in Dublin, the possible existence of U-boat supply bases on the west coast of Ireland, IRA activity and the attitude of the Irish people and government to a possible German invasion.

Liddell records the discussion at one meeting with Archer on May 15, 1940. Archer felt there was ¡°nothing to prevent the Germans landing in Eire and he did not see how any resistance could be mounted for more than a week . . . he thought there might be quite a number of people who would say, ¡®Oh well they are here in force, we can¡¯t do anything¡¯.¡±

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,176-1472434,00.html

[Anarcho-Socialist]

1. Many Irish citizens also volunteered to fight the Nazis in WW2

I think it is something Ireland can be proud of.

[fedsron2us]

3. Over 70,000 citizens of Eire fought the Nazis

The British never introduced conscription in Ulster in World War II even though it was part of the United Kingdom. As a consequence all the Irish who joined the allied services were volunteers regardless of which side of the border they lived. It is interesting that the number coming from from Irish Republic (70,000) was actually greater than from the Ulster (50,000), although it was a smaller percentage of the over all population

http://www.reform.org/TheReformMovement_files/article_files/articles/war.htm

[jmcgowanjm]

2. So that would be treason

"Today I urged the Government once again to instruct the
Irish negotiators to protect Irish independence in defence
policy, and specifically the traditional policies of military
neutrality and UN primacy, by at minimum securing a
specific article explicitly recognising the rights and duties
of neutral states within the Union and explicitly recognising
the right of those states requiring a UN mandate for
military operations.

Ó Snodaigh accuses Government of hypocrisy over war on Iraq
- 29 January 2003

Speaking at the Private Members debate on Iraq Sinn
Féin spokesperson on International Affairs Aengus
Ó Snodaigh said: "This Government has deliberately
and repeatedly misled both the Dáil and the Irish people on
the use of Shannon Airport to transport troops and munitions
on their way to prepare for war on Iraq.

"I will finish by demanding the immediate cessation of
military overflights and landings by foreign powers preparing
for or participating in war, in keeping with our laws,
Constitution, and rights and responsibilities as a
Neutral Power." - ENDS

http://www.pana.ie/idn/200504.html

The objection to casual denunciations of foes as ‘terrorists’
is that such language can persuade politicians, who
should know better, that they can abdicate responsibility
for seeking non-military means of addressing an issue. Such
an approach can promote a deadly political
laziness.

[henrik larssonisking]

4. good men who saw the nazis for what they were

fought the good fight.