Sir, – Tommy Graham, editor of History Ireland(January 27th), challenges Minister for Defence Alan Shatter's assertion that "in the context of the Holocaust , Irish neutrality was a principle of moral bankruptcy", on the grounds that the Allies fought the war not to end the Holocaust but to defeat the Axis powers militarily.
The Allies also fought to liberate Europe from German occupation and to end the Nazi regime of terror. That the Nazis were engaged in large-scale atrocities against civilian populations, including murdering many Jews, was well-known during the war. That is why the Allies were publicly committed to the trial of Nazi war criminals – a goal achieved at Nuremburg in 1946 – trials that Éamon de Valera was opposed to.
Mr Graham is also incorrect to state that neutrality was the favoured policy of every state at the time. All the member states of the British Commonwealth, except Ireland, declared war on Germany voluntarily in 1939. Later in the war many other states chose to join the Allied coalition, but not de Valera’s Ireland. While the United States was neutral until it was attacked by Japan on December 7th, 1941, by that time it was supporting Britain with virtually all the means at its disposal short of war. That is why Hitler declared war on the United States on December 11th, 1941.
The 5,000 Irish Army deserters who joined the British forces during the war were part of a 70,000-strong contingent of Irish citizens who fought with the Allies to defend not just Britain but Ireland from Nazi conquest and occupation. A pardon for the deserters is the least the current Government can do in recognition of this magnificent Irish contribution to the Allied cause. – Yours, etc,