De Valera VS Churchill (5/6)

In his Victory in Europe Day radio broadcast (May, 1945), British Prime Minister Winston Churchill launched a strong attack on the Irish governments policy of neutrality, while being hurtful to the Irish people as a whole .

De Valeras reply, also in a radio broadcast, won widespread respect and praise in Ireland from even his staunchest opponents.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• IRA
• ireland
• devalera
• churchill

[92LiamO]

dev didnt actually know the full details of the holocaust at this time but it was still a shameful act

[jratt2]

@Burncourtable I totally agree with you. Dev's visit to Hempel was the single most idiotic act in Irish politics, and we've had a few good contenders recently. What's more, he knew the knives were out for him internationally and that the act would be seized upon...and yet he did it anyway! 

[DonegalRaymie201]

@Burncourtable

Not sure many Germans would have taken much notice. I believe they may have had other more pressing concerns at the time, like a very angry Red Army on the outskirts of Berlin!

What modern Germans think of it, I don't know. I doubt there are many who think Hitler's suicide should have been mourned, except in the sense that we can lament it wasn't much sooner!!

Dev's act was a spiteful, insensitive two fingers up to the Allies, including Irishmen who had died defeating Fascism.

[Burncourtable]

Dev going to the german embassy in Dublin to give his condolences for the death of Hitler was unforgiveable. The Germans must have been even suprised.

[RPenta]

@jratt2 The Irish should never have cooperated with the US on the immoral Iraq war.

[XxXIRISHSNIPER]

@Jubilo1 we fought in the congo with ye and lost 27 people anyway why should we aid ye we are peacekeepers for the un ye never supported our struggle only from our immigrats did we get support when dev went to america looking for support in the war of independence ye wodent listen to him

[Jubilo1]

Dear Snipe,  The Irish Washington refered to were not the 20th century political movement but the Protestant ( predominate in his day ), and Catholic immigrants.

[XxXIRISHSNIPER]

@Jubilo1 have u never seen what gorge Washington sead about ireland

[jratt2]

@Jubilo1 True, de Valera never paid any condolences to the US Amabassador Gray . However, the Dail (parliament) adjourned after passing a vote of sympathy in respect of Roosavelt, and Dev instructed the flying of the tricolour at half staff. Hitler didn't get this treatment. Dev and Gray didn't get along personally.

In 2001 the US requested that troops transit Shannon Airport on their way too and from Iraq, Afghanistan etc. This was granted thus providing aid to the US to this day.

[Jubilo1]

A pity for the many gallant Irish to have DeValera for a a leader. DeValera never send condolences to the U.S.A. when FDR died. What a slap in the face to America.

Republic of Ireland has never supported or aided the U.S. in any crisis.