What Were the Perceived Origins of the Second World War in Northern Ireland - Coursework Example

Research question/hypothesis: The neutral position of Ireland during the Second World War has not helped the nation as expected to stay away from being victimised. Reasons for the chosen area of research: The origins of second world war, specifically looking at Belfast or North Ireland is worth studying as it would help in grasping the knowledge about a vast and varying area of social economic and political scenario – varying according to the nations and their specific policies (a reference in this context may be made of the Economic War or trade war preceding the second world war between Britain and Ireland and how the imposition of trade tariffs affected the nations). Some objectives in the broader perspective: The research would also help in imparting knowledge regarding the understanding of international politics and relations and how these diplomacies always may not be good for the state.the origins of second world war broadly lies in the failure of the democracies to combat the Fascist power of the allies (Germany under the rule of Hitler, playing a major role). While looking at the modern scenario of the nations of Britain, UK, Ireland and Germany it is a fascinating experience of relating the past to the present state of affairs pertaining to the economic, political and social advancements and internation relations developed. This is the broader perspective of the research. Work accomplished so far and areas to be explored: Enough extensive work (to cover the research hypothesis) has not yet been accomplished so far (According to my research), specially by the Irish writers who have mainly concentrated on the factual angle rather than analytical perview. Some of the well known documents may be listed as follows: The Aesthetics of Irish Neutrality during the Second World War” written by Clair Wills A poem on “ Neutrality” written by Louis MacNeice (after the death of his friend Graham Shepherd in the atlantic during an attack by the German U-boat) “Irish Volunteer in the Second World War” by Richard Doherty. All these works relate the experiences of the times existent during the ar time. It also raise a doubt about the position of neutrality which as silently broken by the involvementin the British Army. The poem of MacNeice reveals a hostility toards the neutral position. As a researcher it poses a question of the positivity of this position of the Irish free state “Eire” as far as the danger of the nation’s exposition to the German power and their bombing sequence was concerned. The research hypothesis needs to encompass al these points which have not been explored to the optimum yet. One still needs to analyse the neutral position of Ireland during the war that created a subdued fear and helpless ness despite the psychological and diplomatic consolation of staying away froma ctive participation. The attacks of Belfast and Dublin ahd to be swalloed hard by the Irish Prime Minister de Valera. This suggests that much remains to be explored yet. However this work would actually be an extension of the descriptive narrations and other works completed so far in this arena. Relevance of the topic: The relevance of this study pertains to the essence of political decision making and how far risk aversion policy can create a conflict between political diplomacy and the dignity of the nation. Methodology: The basic approach is a combination of descriptive and analytical approach towards the Irish involvement in the origins of Second World War which is broadly lying in the failure of democracies. Data analysis is not kept as a part of the analysis as the process would become more complex and might hamper the main objective of the research, given the limited time frame. The following are the sequence of steps involved: Sources: Sources: Primary sources: A random selection of a sample of the people who have been through the times of the Second World War and whose families have been victims of the war times. Also, some aged academicians, preferably who have lived in those times can be querie for valuable opinion. Secondary sources: These could pertain to some books and journals (some have already been mentioned before) written by Irish and other well known writers – mentioned in the annotated bibliography. The sources would be sufficient because the report would contain more of my own analysis and interpretation of the area of study from the facts obtained. Hence even if the sources are limited the thoughts and interpretation can be moulkded accordingly. One obstacle could be in the primary research involving people who might not be ready to respond desirably. Bibliography: Gilbert M.,“The Second World War: A complete History” Excerpt: “Inevitably because they were the war’s principle sufferers, it is the millions of victims who fill so many of these pages…There is courage off course in these pages; the courage of soldiers, sailors and airmen.. naked and without strength or weapons, were sent to their deaths.” Heniq R., Origins of the Second World War, 1933-1939 (Lancaster Pamphlets Series) Excerpt: “The aim of this pamphlet is to prevent as clearly as possible the reasons for the outbreak of the war in 1939, just twenty years after the signing of the peace treaties which concluded the first world war.” Taylor A.J.P.,“The Origins of The Second World War” Excerpt: “More than twenty years have gone since the second world war began, fifteen since it ended.. this moment comes for a university teacher when he has to remind himself that his students were not born when the war started..” Bell P.M.H., “The Origins of the Second World War in Europe (3rd Edition) (Origins Of Modern Wars)” About the book: This concise and very well written book is thoughtful distillation of the enormous literature related to the onset of WWII in Europe. The simple question, who started WWII, has a simple answer. It was Adolf Hitler. The simple answer obscures a whole series of considerably more difficult questions. How did a marginal figure and 4th-rate ideologue like Hitler come to rule the most powerful state in Europe? Why wasnt there more initial resistance to Hitler? What was the role of the Great Depression? To what extent did the post-WWI settlement lead to WWII? The book opens by framing the issues, including a short but worthwhile discussion of historiographic issues, follows by discussing underlying factors such as ideology, economics, the role of the depression, the roles of the military postures adopted by the major actors, and then concludes with a nice narrative of the outbreak of war. Keeqan J., The Second World War About the book: The author even seems to give the Nazi Germans more credit than the US! He goes on and on about details of the former British colonies and briefly mentions that the US won a major battle against an elite Panzer division, or supplied most of the best airplanes, etc. McDounough F., “The Origins of the First and Second World Wars (Cambridge Perspectives in History)” Excerpt: “The rise of Germany was a primary factor that produced tension aong the major European powers.. As German unification come about through a combination of crafty democracy – industrial strength and military might –this produced anxiety” Overy R.J., The Origins of the Second World War: Seminar Studies in History Series, Second Edition About the book: In this interesting, provocative, and comprehensive overview of the antecedents leading up to and causing the onset of the Second World War, noted British historian Richard Overy ("Why The Allies Won", "Russias War") presents a masterful summary of the complex welter of factors influencing the drift into conflict between the Axis powers and the more established powers of Britain and France. Parker R.A.C., The Second World War: A Short History Calvocoressi P.,Wint G., Pritchard J., The Penguin History of the Second World War About the book: "The Penguin History of the Second World War" is a remarkable achievement in the genre of World War II literature. It will undoubtedly occupy a well-deserved niche on the bookshelf of both amateur and professional World War II historians. This book is not for the casual reader. It is however, an excellent choice for the serious amateur historian or student of World War II history who wants to gain an above average overview of this pivotal episode in world history. Even professional historians will find the book enlightening. Beisel D.R., “The Suicidal Embrace: Hitler, the Allies, and the Origins of the Second World War” About the book: “The Suicidal Embrace" is an important book. Traditional histories dealing with the origins of World War II focus largely on political, economic, and ideological factors. While not ignoring these factors, professor Beisel offers a fascinating study highlighting often overlooked psychological components also responsible for the war. Conroy J., “Belfast Diary: War as a Way of Life” About the book: Conroy rolls around in the grit and dirt of life in sectarian violence-shattered Belfast. Everythings here-the horror stories,police violence, IRA knee-cappings, the tragic tales of getting involved with paramilitary groups, but what is most haunting is just how shatterd everyday life has become for everyone from Sandy Row to Shankhill. Sheehan S., “Footprint Belfast & North Of Ireland (Footprint Belfast & the North of Ireland Pocket Guide)” Excerpt: Belfasts two airports are easily and cheaply accessible from several British cities as well as from New York and a growing number of European cities..." The book would be a valuable guide for the primary survey conduct. Fisk R., "In time of War: Ireland, Ulster, and the price of neutrality 1939 – 1945", 1983 About the book: Having fought for her independence, it was unlikely that Ireland would voluntarily return to the role of a junior partner in an alliance with Britain during World War II. The history of neutral Ireland in the Second World War, which was referred to as the Emergency, is thoroughly explored here. Girvin B. "The Emergency: Neutral Ireland 1939–45" (Macmillan) 2006 Roberts G., The Challenge Of The Irish Volunteers of World War II, http://www.reform.org/TheReformMovement_files/article_files/articles/war.htm Excerpt: World War II also posed a series of challenges to Irish identities. The different responses to this challenge in Ireland did not result in any great crisis nor any great rupture comparable to that of the First World War. But there was a definite outcome to the identity questions and issues posed by the war – an outcome that had an important bearing on the postwar development of the Irish state, politics and society. At the same time the diversity of responses to the identity question produced a series of political and cultural contradictions and tensions which are still evident 60 years later. President sent sympathy on Hitlers death, The associated press in Dublin, The Guardian, 2005, Excerpt: Douglas Hyde, Irelands president during the second world war, offered condolences to Germanys representative in Dublin over the death of Adolf Hitler, newly declassified records show. Submarines in the bog holes: West Kerrys experience of World War II The Kerryman, 01 October 1999, http://www.u35.com/sources/Kerryman1999.htm Excerpt: Bizarre tales of submarines in the bog holes, and many other unlikely places, cloud the reality of Kerrys experience of World War II. Historian T Ryle Dwyer outlines some of the events known to have actually occurred, including the events surrounding the arrival, 60 years ago, of a German U-boat in Ventry Harbour. “Internment Camp: K-Lines”, http://www.curragh.info/klines.htm Excerpt: September 1939 the then Irish Taoiseach, Eamon de Valera, announced that his government intended to keep Ireland out of the Second World War, a declaration of Irish neutrality. Eire (Rep. of Ireland) would be closed to all belligerent ships and aircraft of the war. Between September 1940 and June 1941, the fiercest period of the Battle of Britain would be fought in the skies over the British Isles between the German “Luftwaffe” and the British “RAF” and other allied air forces. Hicks P.,“Ireland and the Second World War: Politics, Society and Remembrance (review)”, edited by Roberts G. and Girvin B. Excerpt: “The Second World War cast a long shadow over not only the subsequent history of the nations involved in that conflict, but also upon those nations that did not fight. The path of neutrality that Ireland chose has continued to color its foreign policy, while also establishing a subtle form of erasure in regards to the thousands of Irish men and women that fought against the Third Reich. Although neutrality was a definitive moment for international Irish policy, its continued sociopolitical significance has remained relatively unexplored.” Wills C., The Aesthetics of Irish Neutrality during the Second World War, boundary 2 - Volume 31, Number 1, Spring 2004, pp. 119-145 Excerpt: “The neutral island facing the Atlantic, The neutral island in the heart of man, Are bitterly soft reminders of the beginnings That ended before the end began. Look into your heart, you will find a County Sligo, A Knocknarea with for navel a cairn of stones, You will find the shadow and sheen of a moleskin mountain And a litter of chronicles and bones. Look into your heart, you will find fermenting rivers, Intricacies of gloom and glint, You will find such ducats of dream and great doubloons of ceremony As nobody today would mint. But then look eastward from your heart, there bulks A continent, close, dark, as archetypal sin..” McGurk J., “Irish Volunteers in the Second World War (review)”, The Journal of Military History - Volume 67, Number 2, April 2003, pp. 599-601 Excerpt: “It seemed as if the Irish government had awoken to the reality of the involvement of the Irish people in two world wars. During the last war and in the three following decades the main fact recited by historians about Ireland and the Second World War is that Eire was neutral.” “The Belfast blitz is remembered”, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/1269206.stm, 2001 Excerpt: “Sixty years after the Germans bombed Belfast in World War II BBC News Online looks back and remembers the anniversary of the blitz.” Quinn A.P., Irish Volunteers in the Second World War by Richard Doherty, The Sunday Business post Online, http://archives.tcm.ie/businesspost/2001/11/25/story46891828.asp, 2001 Excerpt: “History texts have taught me that the term `Emergency was an Irish euphemism for World War II. The 26 county state of Eire was neutral, but favoured the Allied cause. As FSL Lyons, my history lecturer at Trinity College, Dublin, later explained: "The Irish government trod its thorny neutral path as delicately as possible, and developed a remarkable capacity for ignoring disagreeable facts."” Grob-Fitzgibbon B., “Northern Ireland”, The Irish Experience during the Second World War: An Oral History, Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 2004. xii, 292pp. Hardback About the book: Historical Perspective Includes `Neutrality Preserved, `The Six Counties: An Island of War within an Ireland at Peace, etc “The History of Ireland: 1932 - 1945: The Economic War and the Second World War”, http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/users/ireland/past/history/19321945.html Excerpt: “In September 1939, the UK went to war with Germany when it invaded Poland ignoring British and French demands for it not to. Northern Ireland, as part of the UK, found itself at war too. Eire, being a small country with few military resources, immediately declared neutrality. The return of the naval ports had come just in time, since Eire would have had to oust the British to remain neutral. The Eire government looked with increasing anxiousness as Hitler invaded and took over 8 neutral European countries in 1940, since they knew that the Irish army wouldnt have a hope against the Germans in an invasion. (In fact documents found after the war showed that Hitler had genuine plans to invade Ireland.)” Read More