Likewise, the kind of cooperation that Berlin desired with Dublin at the expense of London never materialized.
Different historians interpret the Irish stance in different ways.
To some, Ireland's refusal to join the Allies, or at least provide bases, was little more than treachery. To others, such an uncompromising stand was the only means of preserving Irish independence in a war-torn world. Whatever the perspectives of authors and readers, much can be learned from studying all the aspects of Ireland's perilous neutrality. Here are the most important books about Ireland during the Second World War. Unlike most of the books listed here, Allen pays little heed to the complexities of politics and diplomacy, instead delving into the air and naval operations over and around Ireland, looking in particular at Luftwaffe and U-boat activities and the German airmen and sailors who conducted those operations.