US Marine base in the Rep of Ireland

Pangur

Donor
No we aren't legally neutral (outside of a mention regarding EU Common Defence (due to some of the misdirection in some of the EU Referendum's), it's Government policy instead. Mainly as it's a handy way to avoid actually spending anything on defence or risking losses.

As options, perhaps a more internationalist view post Independence (there was plenty of work within the framework of the Commonwealth before Dev's moves), or perhaps some event in WW2 changes the Irish position (for example the Dublin bombing ending up killing the Cabinet or the like?). Post WW2, Dev at the time from memory was trying to get a US/Irish defence Agreement due to not wanting to be part of NATO with the NI question, I heavily doubt it could happen, but perhaps some within his Cabinet convince him of this and the NATO option is looked at (perhaps with the proviso of it having to be US forces in any base since the Republic could never accept UK forces)?

There is a bit more to this. Talks did start and the idea was viewed well by all parties in the US bar the folk who ran foreign affairs who scotched the idea. NOTE the issue with NATO post WW2 was not NATO as such but more so British forces in the south.

The easiest way is to have the Soviets routinely violate the Republic's airspace and territorial waters, and vaguely threaten Dublin when they complain. That gives a lot of urgency to concluding some sort of defense deal with the U.S. (NATO is the logical solution, but logic isn't always the geopolitical expedient choice). The U.S. would be more than happy to have access to Irish bases.

See my reply to sparky42

What if FDR really put the screws on Dev in 1940-1 about defending another neutral country...Cousin Seamus from Brooklyn (and his counterparts from Boston, Philly, NOLA, etc) coming back to the auld sod with lots of dollars to spend!!!

USAAF/USN patrol planes operating out of Ireland could have had an interesting impact on the Battle of the Atlantic

You certianly would have thought that to the case.
 
What if FDR really put the screws on Dev in 1940-1 about defending another neutral country...Cousin Seamus from Brooklyn (and his counterparts from Boston, Philly, NOLA, etc) coming back to the auld sod with lots of dollars to spend!!!

USAAF/USN patrol planes operating out of Ireland could have had an interesting impact on the Battle of the Atlantic

Not that much, actually, compared with the flying boat base on Lough Erne and the airstrip at St Angel in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. There was an agreement that allowed overflying of the 'Donegal corridor' at Ballyshannon, and the Free State (as it was then) was generally neutral in favour of the Wallies.
 
How about De Valera is not in charge during WW2 and the Irish 'join the cause' and allow 'non-British' allied forces to be based there (Canadians etc) and eventually the USN and USAAF take over the running of those bases
I think it'd require an earlier and larger change to set the internal state for Irish involvement in WW2.

The USN builds a increasingly more complex base in Cork (other locations are available) as the war goes on initially to support their escort ships and retains a presence into the cold war.
Shannon (air and naval) and/or Cobh (ASW).

The Republic benefits from the investment in the area and the $'s spent in the local community while the US presence ensures that the Irish Government remains aligned with NATO post war.
All those lovely Marshall Plan dollars, base income and additional tourism.

Eventually the USMC bases an MAU with attendant ships and air assets - with the intention of allowing it to reinforce the 'North Flank' in any WW3 scenario (ie Norway or Iceland etc) alongside the Royal Marine Commando's and Royal Dutch Marines - and the 3 units spend decades training together in training exercises in Norway.
Plausible. Ireland does have the space for a relatively large facility with easy access to the Atlantic and Europe.
 
For the Marines, there isn't much of one. For the U.S. military it provides additional basing opportunities and strategic depth. A ASW patrol aircraft flying out of the West Coast of Eire (say Galway) picks up around two extra hours on station. That is nothing to be dismissed out of hand.
Yeah a pure USMC base would be...odd. A significant USMC base attached to a USN base seems reasonable.
 
Not that much, actually, compared with the flying boat base on Lough Erne and the airstrip at St Angel in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. There was an agreement that allowed overflying of the 'Donegal corridor' at Ballyshannon, and the Free State (as it was then) was generally neutral in favour of the Wallies.

Think from memory the RN estimated if there had been Irish Air Bases and Ports available during the height of the Battle of the Atlantic, losses would have been reduced by about 10%, which is nothing to be sneezed at. Given the USN used Cork in WW1 for both ships and flying boats (some of the facilities are still here) it could have been used as a base again.
 
Basing land based patrol aircraft on the west coast of Ireland, combined with a SOSUS facility there would do a good deal to help seal the GIUK gap (at least the eastern end). I can see a smallish Marine base there, more a naval presence. Unlike Okinawa, which provides a huge geographic advantage for the Pacific compared to San Diego, a large presence in Ireland does not provide that much advantage.
 
Being a huge fan of military aviation, I really wished we had been in NATO. I think we would have been of huge advantage during the cold war. We have several excellent natural harbours, in less populated areas and airbase on the west coast would have given significant extra range to MR aircraft as well as a helthy financial contribution to local communities. Had we been in NATO the IAC would likely have recieved fast jets, either US hand-me-downs or perhaps joined the European F-16 programme. Eitheroption would have given us a lot more than we actually have now
 
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