..ASK BRITAIN TO RESCUE US; Ireland's plan if Hitler invaded..Byline: BY ANDREW BUSHE IRELAND held crisis talks to persuade Britain to rescue us if the Nazis invaded during World War II, it emerged yesterday. Diplomats Some famous diplomats include: Afghanistan
Details of the sensitive defence talks in mid-1940 are contained in Documents On Irish Foreign Policy 1939-1941 launched last night by Foreign Minister Micheal Martin. The most important documents in the new volume of previously secret state papers The term State papers is used in the British and Irish contexts to refer exclusively to government archives and records. Such papers used to be kept separate from non-governmental papers, with state papers kept in the State Paper Office and general public records kept in the Public are those revealing the military cooperation discussions. At May 23 and 24 meetings in London, Joseph Walshe, secretary of the Department of External Affairs, and Colonel Liam Archer, then head of Irish Army The Irish Army (Irish: Arm na hÉireann) is the main branch of the Irish Defence Forces[1] (Óglaigh na hÉireann). It was first formed in 1922 after the implementation of the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the subsequent foundation of the Irish Free State. intelligence, asked the British to station forces in Ireland in advance of a possible invasion. Walshe said that as soon as it "became apparent to the Irish people This is a list of famous Irish people. It covers
He added: "Until the Irish people fully realised the attack had come, however, the Irish Government could not call for British support." Britain raised concerns about a "5th column" of IRA German sympathisers and Walshe replied the Government anticipated no difficulty in dealing with the IRA. A few disturbances would give the authorities "the kind of opportunity which they were seeking in order to crush finally the organisation". The meetings agreed close communications, a special code and an early warning system of approaching German aircraft. There were subsequent liaison talks between the Irish military and British forces in the North. There was also an unsuccessful attempt to obtain modern British weapons. Until people realised attack had come, we could not call for British support FOREIGN OFFICIAL JOSEPH WALSHE CAPTION(S): FEAR Hitler showed contempt for neutral countries |
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