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What was Plan Kathleen (1940)?

Introduction Plan Kathleen, sometimes referred to as the Artus Plan, was a military plan for the invasion of Northern Ireland by Nazi Germany, sanctioned in 1940 by Stephen Hayes, Acting Irish Republican Army (IRA) Chief of Staff. Plan Kathleen is distinct from Operation Green, the German military plan to invade Ireland, also drawn up in… Read More

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What was Operation Mainau (Ireland) (1940)?

Introduction Operation Mainau (German: Unternehmen „Mainau“) was a German espionage mission during the Second World War. It was sanctioned and planned by the German secret service (Abwehr) and executed successfully in May 1940. The mission plan involved inserting Abwehr agent Hermann Görtz into Ireland by parachute. Görtz successfully landed and established contact with his IRA… Read More

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What was Operation Dove (Ireland) (1940)?

Introduction Operation Dove (“Unternehmen Taube” in German) also sometimes known as Operation Pigeon, was an Abwehr sanctioned mission devised in early 1940. The plan envisioned the transport of IRA Chief of Staff Seán Russell to Ireland, and on the arrival of Frank Ryan in Berlin three days before the launch of the operation, it was… Read More

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What is a Neutral Country?

Introduction A neutral country is a state that is neutral towards belligerents in a specific war or holds itself as permanently neutral in all future conflicts (including avoiding entering into military alliances such as NATO, CSTO or the SCO). As a type of non-combatant status, nationals of neutral countries enjoy protection under the law of… Read More

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An Overview of Switzerland During the World Wars

Introduction During World War I and World War II, Switzerland maintained armed neutrality, and was not invaded by its neighbours, in part because of its topography, much of which is mountainous. Germany was a threat and Switzerland built a powerful defense. It served as a “protecting power” for the belligerents of both sides, with a… Read More