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A comprehensive English-language survey of neutral and non-belligerent states during the Second World War.

Excerpt from The Effect of the War on European Neutrals The effects of the war in general upon the European countries which remained neutral were diverse, depending upon factors peculiar to each nation. The interchange of goods between nations plays so important a role in economic life that any serious disturbance of the normal course of world trade entails losses for all the trading countries. How a nation shares in these losses depends on such factors as its location with reference to other nations, the nature and extent of the restrictions upon its trade, changes in relative demand for commodities in other countries, and the country's own degree of self-sufficiency as regards the sources of the goods it consumes. Other losses may be due to extraordinary expenses on account of the mobilization of military forces in order to preserve a state of neutrality. It is possible, then, for a nation not taking part in a war to bear not only relatively but actually heavier economic losses than are borne by belligerent nations comparable in population and industrial strength. One can, therefore, no more attribute identical effects of a war indiscriminately to all neutrals than to all belligerents. One neutral may be an important source of supplies needed by the warring peoples, while another may have almost no exportable goods which the belligerent nations require. The less fortunate nation may be even more unfavorably placed as regards commodities, for besides producing principally those goods which the belligerents least want, it may normally require imports of fuel, foodstuffs, and other materials which are eagerly sought by the groups at war. Neutrals may experience also all the embarrassments growing out of currency disorders and price fluctuations to which belligerents are subjected. On the other hand, a neutral nation may have its losses on account of a war completely offset or more than equaled by the gains attributable to the war. In the sale of supplies at unusually high profits, and in the development of the capital equipment of the country for producing the exported goods, the nation increases its wealth. Moreover, the inability of belligerents to continue during the war to place upon the neutrals markets the same volume of goods as before may operate for the neutral country exactly like an effective tariff designed to protect industries in their early stages of development, industries which are really appropriate for the country. While serving all belligerents legitimately and without partiality, a neutral nation may, therefore, have its industrial growth materially hastened during the war, so much so that its losses are trivial in comparison. With these considerations in mind we shall note some of the outstanding developments which have taken place in some of the European countries that took no direct part in the war. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

The Soviet Union and Cold War Neutrality and Nonalignment in Europe examines how the neutral European countries and the Soviet Union interacted after World War II. Amid the Cold War division of Europe into Western and Eastern blocs, several long-time neutral countries abandoned neutrality and joined NATO. Other countries remained neutral but were still perceived as a threat to the Soviet Union’s sphere of influence. Based on extensive archival research, this volume offers state-of-the-art essays about relations between Europe’s neutral states and the Soviet Union during the Cold War and how these relations were perceived by other powers.

"At the outbreak of the war, in 1939, over thirty independent states spanned the European continent. As the Nazi war machine advanced across Europe, consuming almost everything in its wake, only five - Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, and the Republic of Ireland - preserved their sovereignty and protected their populations from devastation. These were the "neutral" nations of the Second World War, which survived through a combination of strategy and sheer luck, and continual, strained negotiations with the Axis and Allies." "Neutrality, in practice, often meant accommodating warring neighbors and appeasing the ascendant power. Until Germany lost its edge in 1942, it threatened invasion to exact costly compromises: Switzerland complied with press censorship and granted the Germans access to Italy via their Alpine tunnels; Sweden permitted transport of Nazi troops and war materiel to the Norwegian front. Spain's and Portugal's rightwing dictators paid homage to Hitler, and Franco went so far as to send Spanish soldiers to the Russian front. The Republic of Ireland, fearing British occupation as much as Nazi attack, maintained relations with the Germans, isolating themselves from the rest of the English-speaking world, and inviting accusations from the Allies of complicity with the enemy." "Were these the policies of courageous leaders wishing to spare the lives of innocent citizens? Or, as the Allies alleged, cynical positions that prolonged the carnage? Jerrold M. Packard explores the ethical implications of the politics of neutrality, as he vividly evokes the complex forces at work during this tumultuous period." "Here are stories of individual heroism and cowardice on a grand scale, dramatic rescues and mass slaughter, diplomacy and espionage. In this first comprehensive popular treatment of the subject, Jerrold M. Packard re-creates the war of the neutral powers, and the personalities who shaped the events, from Winston Churchill and Eamon de Valera to Raoul Wallenberg and Allen Dulles."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved