What if Hitler had invaded?

[Dublin Dilettante]

I think ireland could have fought Britain off-AGAIN, had they invaded. Even with their air force, i doubt they'd be able to cope with guerilla warfare-even today its the same story in their current war. however, germany would have torn us apart. De Valera may not have got much right in his life time-but we must all be thankful he remained neutral to the last-save his retarded condolences sent to hitlers nazi government when that evil insane maniac took his own life. I firmly believe Churchill and the british, at that period in history, were hugely hypocritical-went to war for poland and belgium in two seperate wars within a generation, and had occupied ireland in the first war, despite Versailles in 1919 and president wilsons self rule expression, and I have no doubt they wanted any excuse to invade-just glad the world is a much better place now, for European countries at least.

I think you have it exactly the wrong way round. The only way Germany could have successfully occupied Ireland (well, one of two ways, but I'll come onto the other in a moment) would have been to invade and subjugate the UK first. If anything, it's likely that the British forces would have retreated to NI as a staging post for a counter-attack.

No significant landing/aerial force could have seized Ireland from France without being destroyed in the channel by the Royal Navy or in the air by the RAF. If they did catch the British on the hop by some chance, Ireland would have been totally blockaded and the invasion force starved out.

Of course, it's probable that De Valera's government would have colluded with any Nazi invasion. He would have made an effective and enthusiastic Gauleiter, and any insurgency would have been countered by death squads formed from former IRA units and based around church groups and GAA clubs.

[Derelict]

No significant landing/aerial force could have seized Ireland from France without being destroyed in the channel by the Royal Navy or in the air by the RAF. If they did catch the British on the hop by some chance, Ireland would have been totally blockaded and the invasion force starved out.

I'm looking at a 1956 Panther paperback - "The Other side of the Hill" by Liddell Hart, first published 1948; the story of the war as told by captured German generals and admirals.

They had told Hart that the German forces were not resourced for an invasion. Plans were made but no one had thought they were feasible, and they thought Hitler was only bluffing. The objective was to to intimidate Britain into surrender.

[Griska]

Interestingly, in Robet Fisks' excellent In Time of War: Ireland, Ulster and the Price of Neutrality, 1939-1945 he tells how an Irish soldier recalls that when they were on border duty, they were prepared for battle with both sides.

[TotalMayhem]

I'm looking at a 1956 Panther paperback - "The Other side of the Hill" by Liddell Hart, first published 1948; the story of the war as told by captured German generals and admirals.

They had told Hart that the German forces were not resourced for an invasion. Plans were made but no one had thought they were feasible, and they thought Hitler was only bluffing. The objective was to to intimidate Britain into surrender.

This is the most plausible account, the Germans never had enough landing crafts to land sufficient troops in England (never mind Ireland, Operation Green never went beyond feasibility studies), and if they had begun to amass such crafts in the English Channel, i'm sure the RN and RAF would have done their level best to blow them to smithereens.

All the Germans could hope for was to bomb or starve (by way of submarine warfare) England into submission.

[RahenyFG]

With the pathetic defence force we had at the time, out of date equipment and not enough troops for every coast, we would have waved the white flag within seconds of the Germans coming. Hitler, aware of the Irish drinking stereotype, would have banned alcohol and toughened us up by making us slaves, building Volkswagens for the rest of our lives

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

The only hope Ireland would have had back then facing either a German or British invasion would have been the Swiss solution ... david against goliath and a guerilla war of attrition.

Same as now.

[Griska]

The only hope Ireland would have had back then facing either a German or British invasion would have been the Swiss solution ... david against goliath and a guerilla war of attrition.

Same as now.

Nonsense. Dev would have sent his finest crack-commando unit of comely maidens to ward off any uninvited visitors.

[C. Flower]

http://www.thejournal.ie/nazi-invasi...11489-Sep2012/

German invasion manual up for auction shortly !

[Baron von Biffo]

Nonsense. Dev would have sent his finest crack-commando unit of comely maidens to ward off any uninvited visitors.

Comely Irish maidens don't go commando.

[C. Flower]

More from Irish Central on the German invasion manual for Ireland - 4 fold-out maps in it showing targets/ areas of interest, it seems. I hope this document is bought by the Irish State and published.

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Hit...171511091.html

[Apjp]

Our grandparents were fascist sympathisers according to that central article.

[homer]

I think you have it exactly the wrong way round. The only way Germany could have successfully occupied Ireland (well, one of two ways, but I'll come onto the other in a moment) would have been to invade and subjugate the UK first. If anything, it's likely that the British forces would have retreated to NI as a staging post for a counter-attack.

No significant landing/aerial force could have seized Ireland from France without being destroyed in the channel by the Royal Navy or in the air by the RAF. If they did catch the British on the hop by some chance, Ireland would have been totally blockaded and the invasion force starved out.

Of course, it's probable that De Valera's government would have colluded with any Nazi invasion. He would have made an effective and enthusiastic Gauleiter, and any insurgency would have been countered by death squads formed from former IRA units and based around church groups and GAA clubs.

I presume the last para is a joke?

[Holly]

Ireland would probably have been offered the status of client state as part of "Westland", similar to the Baltic states in the east.