what kind of impact did other nations have on the outcome of the war? did any countries not have neutrality or alliance with any nation? just curious [img]smile.gif[/img]

Siam

Very important to the Japanese in the Malaya campaign, had fought a semi-declared war with Vichy forces in Indochina. By allowing Japanese forces access to Siam they could advance down the western side of the Peninsula where the best roads were. The British had a plan to cut off this route by advancing into Siam, but the British in Malaya showed the beginnings of the command paralysis which affected them later and did not undertake the plan.

Brazil undertook an undeclared war against German U-boats fairly early on. Persia was occupied by the British and Russians to allow the traffic of supplies to the USSR.

Ireland faced both ways. British pilots shot down who ended up in Eire were often dumped by the Garda near the Ulster border rather than interned. However De Valera scuttled round to the German Embassy the day after Hitler's suicide to offer his condolences.

Just a few..

Jumbo

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"Capital! We're nearly out of ammunition! Now we can get at them with the bayonet!" General Paddy Gough, 1st Sikh War

thanks for the info. you always hear about axis this and allies that and it is interesting to know the roles of other nations. does anyone know of a book that talks about this at all?

wow you know that is true...just about every nation i can think of had some sort of declared standing.
What about the other nations in S. America? were there any countries in Africa or was the whole continent under colonial rule? i tend to think all colonial rule?
Never thought of that...interesting

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Never, never, never believe any war will be smooth and easy, or that anyone who embarks on the strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes he will encounter. The statesman who yields to war fever must realize that once the signal is given, he is no longer the master of policy but the slave of unforeseeable and uncontrollable events. -- Sir Winston Churchill

Angola was German in those days....The Germans who live there today (I guess they are also volks-deutschers) are still very much pro-Reich, I believe.

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"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!" - Homer Simpson

Steve

Angola was a Portugese Colony.

German Sudwest Afrika (now Namibia) was taken from Germany in 1919 at Versailles. Germany had no colonies after WW1.

Namibia, and especially Windhoek, still shows signs of it's German background: the old Town is stuffed with Wilhelmine buildings. It is also the scene of what I think is the only successful example of Colonial genocide. Commited by General von Trotha he destroyed and entire tribe by driving them from their homes by burning into the desert where they all starved or died of dehydration.

A true "Hearts and Minds" operation

Jumbo

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"Capital! We're nearly out of ammunition! Now we can get at them with the bayonet!" General Paddy Gough, 1st Sikh War

Jumbo,

You're right. Should have been Namibia...my bad...Thanks for the correction.

Saw it in a documentary which had a completely different subject matter but touched upon this. I was amazed to see that town and it inhabitants...

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"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!" - Homer Simpson

In spring and summer 1942 the U-boats did a mess in the sea-trade lines in the West Atlantic and the Caribean sea. By example, some Mexican tankers were sunk and Mexico entered the war. I think Guatemal, Nicaragua and many other small countries did it too. But I don't know more about their participation... I know that Brzil was the country of America which actually helped more to the Allied war effort, sending some regular troops. Mexico only sent an air squadron to the PTO.

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"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

[ 14 October 2002, 10:14 PM: Message edited by: Military History Network ]

Military History Network is right!

By the way, Welcome to the forum! I hope you enjoy yourself a lot here and we expect to see many postings from you. [img]smile.gif[/img]

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"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

I seem to remember Sweden allowed German troop and supply trains on its northern rail network into Norway, not for the initial invasion but later in the war.

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Prepare to repel borders.
William L. McGonagle, MOH, U. S. Navy, Commanding Officer, USS LIBERTY 1967.