Ireland pardons "traitors" who fought the Nazis

[Symmetry]

Unionists in Northern Ireland have welcomed the Irish government's decision to formally pardon thousands of Irishmen branded traitors and deserters for fighting for Britain against Hitler in the second world war.

The move will be perceived as another step in improving relations between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Thousands were barred from civil service jobs and ostracised in the Irish Free State after the war because they had joined the British armed forces, some of them deserting the Irish army to sign up against the struggle to defeat Nazi Germany.

The Free State had been neutral in the war.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/07/ireland-pardon-soldiers-british-army

[2dimes]

So, they can apply for civil service jobs now?

[BigBallinStalin]

Sym says "traitors" because he identifies strongly with Britain. I mean, how can anyone be disparaged for fighting for the country that occupies your own country? Surely, joining the Master country is in no way traitorous!

[chang50]

Sym says "traitors" because he identifies strongly with Britain. I mean, how can anyone be disparaged for fighting for the country that occupies your own country? Surely, joining the Master country is in no way traitorous!

To be fair the word is in quotation marks,I did not get the sense Sym personally thinks they were traitors rather that the ROI did.

[BigBallinStalin]

Sym says "traitors" because he identifies strongly with Britain. I mean, how can anyone be disparaged for fighting for the country that occupies your own country? Surely, joining the Master country is in no way traitorous!

To be fair the word is in quotation marks,I did not get the sense Sym personally thinks they were traitors rather that the ROI did.

Lemme know when you find the ROI using quotations around the word, traitors.

[Symmetry]

Sym says "traitors" because he identifies strongly with Britain. I mean, how can anyone be disparaged for fighting for the country that occupies your own country? Surely, joining the Master country is in no way traitorous!

To be fair the word is in quotation marks,I did not get the sense Sym personally thinks they were traitors rather that the ROI did.

Lemme know when you find the ROI using quotations around the word, traitors.

Just quoting the article, dude. Feel free to read it when you turn off your attack-mode.

[Symmetry]

So, they can apply for civil service jobs now?

I think they might be a little old.

[2dimes]

Well there's that little chestnut.

[thegreekdog]

Were the Irish who fought for the Nazis branded traitors as well?

[Symmetry]

Were the Irish who fought for the Nazis branded traitors as well?

You tell me. I know that the Taoiseach offered words of condolence towards Hitler when he died.

[patches70]

They should have just been upgraded from traitors to mere deserters.

The US was neutral during part of the war, but we had volunteers who flew with the RAF to fight Nazis and Japanese. The US made sure that those volunteers were properly discharged from the Army Air Forces before going off to fight Nazis. Maybe Ireland should have done the same?

The men referred to in the article were certainly deserters, there is no disputing that. Traitors is a bit too much IMO. And if men are truly free and they want to go off and fight in war, then allowances should be made. There have been mercenaries throughout the history of humankind after all. Not a profession I'd choose, but it's the life some would choose. So be it IMO.

[thegreekdog]

Were the Irish who fought for the Nazis branded traitors as well?

You tell me. I know that the Taoiseach offered words of condolence towards Hitler when he died.

Is this one of those threads where you're not going to answer any questions?

[Symmetry]

They should have just been upgraded from traitors to mere deserters.

The US was neutral during part of the war, but we had volunteers who flew with the RAF to fight Nazis and Japanese. The US made sure that those volunteers were properly discharged from the Army Air Forces before going off to fight Nazis. Maybe Ireland should have done the same?

The men referred to in the article were certainly deserters, there is no disputing that. Traitors is a bit too much IMO.

Only some of the involved deserted to kill Nazis, at least according to the article.

[Symmetry]

Were the Irish who fought for the Nazis branded traitors as well?

You tell me. I know that the Taoiseach offered words of condolence towards Hitler when he died.

Is this one of those threads where you're not going to answer any questions?

I don't know how to answer your question. I assumed you were trolling. Which Irish were you referring to?

[thegreekdog]

Were the Irish who fought for the Nazis branded traitors as well?

You tell me. I know that the Taoiseach offered words of condolence towards Hitler when he died.

Is this one of those threads where you're not going to answer any questions?

I don't know how to answer your question. I assumed you were trolling.

Ah, okay. Should I "pull a Symmetry" (copyright pending) and cry about how you accused me of trolling? I wouldn't troll you in this thread (yet) because I have no idea if you have an ulterior motive or what the ulterior motive is.

I am unknowledgeable as to the role of Ireland in World War II. Was the country sympathetic to Nazis or was it the England-Ireland conflict that caused these folks to be branded traitors? If the latter, then perhaps we need to examine whether England committed any sort of crimes against the Irish in years prior to World War II to determine whether it was reasonable to brand English-sympathizers as traitors. I don't know dude. I just don't know.

[Symmetry]

Were the Irish who fought for the Nazis branded traitors as well?

You tell me. I know that the Taoiseach offered words of condolence towards Hitler when he died.

Is this one of those threads where you're not going to answer any questions?

I don't know how to answer your question. I assumed you were trolling.

Ah, okay. Should I "pull a Symmetry" (copyright pending) and cry about how you accused me of trolling? I wouldn't troll you in this thread (yet) because I have no idea if you have an ulterior motive or what the ulterior motive is.

I don't get the unneeded insult. I admitted my mistake in thinking you were trolling. It just seemed like you knew something about Irish people fighting for the Nazis, what with you asking about their fate.

[thegreekdog]

So, this is going to be one of those threads where you don't answer any questions.

[Symmetry]

So, this is going to be one of those threads where you don't answer any questions.

That's not a question. Ask, and I'll reply.

[saxitoxin]

It seems that a number of Irish people provided aid to legitimate allied self-defense activities through normal, approved channels.

On Easter Tuesday, April 15, 1941, hundreds of Luftwaffe bombers began what became known as the Belfast Blitz. Ireland remained neutral during World War II but Taoiseach Eamonn De Valera decided to send firemen to help the stricken city. Volunteer crews travelled from Dublin, Dun Laoghaire, Drogheda and Dundalk. They found much of the city devastated after the four-hour bombing raid.

The request for help was made by the Stormont Minister for Public Security, John McDermott, who later became Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland. As flames engulfed large parts of Belfast he asked Deputy Prime Minister Basil Brooke for permission to request assistance from Dublin. Brooke agreed and the message reached De Valera, possibly via the railway telegraph because telephone lines had been destroyed.

http://www.rte.ie/radio1/doconone/radio ... remen.html

So some felt they could render aid without pledging loyalty to the British Occupation Army. I wonder how many of those Irish WWII veterans returned to the south and how many opted to go to the north, join the RUC and act like the stormtroopers they'd supposedly been fighting against?

[BigBallinStalin]

Sym says "traitors" because he identifies strongly with Britain. I mean, how can anyone be disparaged for fighting for the country that occupies your own country? Surely, joining the Master country is in no way traitorous!

To be fair the word is in quotation marks,I did not get the sense Sym personally thinks they were traitors rather that the ROI did.

Lemme know when you find the ROI using quotations around the word, traitors.

Just quoting the article, dude. Feel free to read it when you turn off your attack-mode.

Which part contains " 'traitors' "?

(None. You're full of it. Thanks for being obvious).

[Symmetry]

Which part contains " 'traitors' "?

(None. You're full of it. Thanks for being obvious).

The part I quoted in the OP. In the first sentence. Can we move on?

[BigBallinStalin]

Which part contains " 'traitors' "?

(None. You're full of it. Thanks for being obvious).

The part I quoted in the OP. In the first sentence. Can we move on?

Since we should assume that you're not this stupid, then we can conclude that you're trolling.

Thanks, Sym!

[Symmetry]

Which part contains " 'traitors' "?

(None. You're full of it. Thanks for being obvious).

The part I quoted in the OP. In the first sentence. Can we move on?

Since we should assume that you're not this stupid, then we can conclude that you're trolling.

Thanks, Sym!

I have no idea what got up your arse about Ireland pardoning a bunch of guys, previously considered "traitors", who went off to fight the Nazis.

[Symmetry]

I've added a helpful poll.

[Symmetry]

So, this is going to be one of those threads where you don't answer any questions.

That's not a question. Ask, and I'll reply.

What a shocker, no response.