The Belfast Blitz

The Belfast Blitz

1941

1941

The fact that the Irish declared neutrality in the war seemed to not matter much to the Germans. It is important to note that since Northern Ireland was part of Great Britain, they were technically at war despite the declaration of Irish Neutrality. The once ignored Belfast drew attention to itself as it grew to a large ship building port. Unfortunately, the German’s conducted raids over Belfast more than once, three times to be exact. One of the German bombing blitzes on Belfast left thousands dead or homeless. It is interesting that despite the German bombing on Belfast De Valera still offered his condolences when the Nazi leader Hitler passed away. One would think that after having the Germans encroach upon their homeland after they had declared a state of neutrality they would take up arms.

Second World War in Northern Ireland. "Belfast Blitz Then & Now." 2014. http://www.ww2ni.webs.com/belfastblitzthennow.htm (accessed 25 Feb 2014).

Belfasthistory.net. "Belfast History | The Blitz." 2007. http://www.belfasthistory.net/the_blitz.html (accessed 25 Feb 2014).

Keogh, Dermot. Twentieth-Century Ireland. New York, N.Y.: St. Martins, 1994.

Lydon, James F. The Making of Ireland. London: Routledge, 1998.

War

Second World War in Northern Ireland. "Belfast Blitz Then & Now." 2014. http://www.ww2ni.webs.com/belfastblitzthennow.htm (accessed 25 Feb 2014).

Kelsie Cagle

photography