K
knowltok
Guest
Hey! don't forget about Ernest Hemingway! But seriously, it really isn't fair to say that neutral nations were useless. Sometimes neutrality was the only method for national survival. Had Switzerland joined the Allies early in the war they would have been subjigated by the Germans. Likely the same with Sweeden, but I don't know, so if I am wrong about Sweeden just correct me, don't blast me.
Spain had just finished its own civil war. No shame in sitting one out, regardless of who helped you during the war. Especially in a war of aggression (Franco leaned towards Germany).
Turkey got a pretty short end of the stick in WWI, makes pretty good sense to them at the time to sit out act two.
We have to keep in mind that we have this view that Hitler would have conquered the world if not stopped. I think this is true, but it was by no means apparent to all nations in WWII. WWII was just the last (so far) of the massive European wars that were extremely destructive. At the time to nations like Switzerland and Turkey it likely seemed to be another war that would run its course. The balance would be changed, but from their perspective staying out of the war was the best policy.
Spain had just finished its own civil war. No shame in sitting one out, regardless of who helped you during the war. Especially in a war of aggression (Franco leaned towards Germany).
Turkey got a pretty short end of the stick in WWI, makes pretty good sense to them at the time to sit out act two.
We have to keep in mind that we have this view that Hitler would have conquered the world if not stopped. I think this is true, but it was by no means apparent to all nations in WWII. WWII was just the last (so far) of the massive European wars that were extremely destructive. At the time to nations like Switzerland and Turkey it likely seemed to be another war that would run its course. The balance would be changed, but from their perspective staying out of the war was the best policy.