Neutrality
Under Pressure
Churchill, who was always
against the 1938 agreement, became PM in
1940. (Irish stance on ports declared illegal)
An English government
minister Mac Donald was unsuccessfully sent
three times to Ireland to persuade de
Valera to change his mind
G.B. Shaw attacked
Neutrality
British ships bringing
supplies to Ireland and certain goods were made
less available
Gray, the American
representative, strongly opposed neutrality particularly
when the USA entered the war
de Valera depicted in American
press as a Nazi sympathiser
Churchill made vague
suggestions about a united Ireland.