The neutral powers were countries that remained neutral during World War II. Some of these countries had large colonies abroad or had great economic power. Spain had just been through its civil war, which ended on 1 April 1939 (five months prior to the invasion of Poland)—a war that involved several countries that subsequently participated in World War II.
During World War II, the neutral powers took no official side, hoping to avoid attack. However, Portugal, Sweden, and Switzerland all helped the Allies by supplying "voluntary" brigades[1] to the United Kingdom,[2] while Spain avoided the Allies in favor of the Axis, supplying them with its own voluntary brigade, the Blue Division. Ireland generally favoured the Allied side, as with the United States. The United States remained officially neutral until 8 December 1941, a day following the attack by Japan on Pearl Harbor.
The Lateran Treaty between Italy and the Holy See, signed in 1929, required that the Pope maintain "perpetual neutrality in international relations". Accordingly, Vatican City was officially neutral throughout the war.
Several countries suffered invasions despite their efforts to be neutral. These included Nazi Germany's invasion of Denmark and Norway on 9 April 1940—then Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg on 10 May 1940. On the same day, 10 May 1940, the British, having already invaded the Faroe Islands in April, invaded Iceland and established an occupying force (subsequently replaced by the then-neutral United States). The Soviet Union invaded Lithuania on 15 June 1940 and Latvia and Estonia on 17 June. In the Balkans, the Italo-Greek War began on 28 October 1940 and Yugoslavia was invaded in April 1941. Iran was also attacked and occupied by Britain and the Soviet Union in August 1941 and later declared war on Nazi Germany.
See also the histories of Afghanistan, Andorra, Guatemala, Liechtenstein, Saudi Arabia and Yemen during this period.
^"The Countries That Remained Neutral In WWII". WorldAtlas. 4 July 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
^"Neutral Countries in World War II". worldpopulationreview.com. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
and 29 Related for: Neutral powers during World War II information
The neutralpowers were countries that remained neutralduringWorldWarII. Some of these countries had large colonies abroad or had great economic power...
Christmas message. Index of Vatican City-related articles NeutralpowersduringWorldWarII Pius Wars Morley, 1980, page 8 Chadwick, 1988, p. 61 Chadwick,...
aircraft of Ireland in WorldWarIINeutralpowersduringWorldWarII Military history of the British Commonwealth in the Second WorldWar Catriona Crowe, Ronan...
war. WorldWarII was a total war; homeland military production became vital to both the Allied and Axis powers. Life on the home front duringWorld War...
This is a list of war crimes committed duringWorldWarII. The Axis powers (Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan) were some of the most systematic...
timeline of declarations of warduringWorldWarII. A declaration of war is a formal act by which one nation goes to war against another. The declaration...
Venezuela duringWorldWarII is marked by dramatic change to the country's economy, military, and society. At the beginning of WorldWarII in 1939, Venezuela...
humanitarian law NeutralpowersduringWorldWarII Non-belligerent Non-interventionism Policy of deliberate ambiguity Strategic autonomy Neutral and Non-Aligned...
civilians or military personnel of the Axis powers. At the end of WorldWarII, many trials of Axis war criminals took place, most famously the Nuremberg...
In WorldWarII, many governments, organizations and individuals collaborated with the Axis powers, "out of conviction, desperation, or under coercion...
military powers to come under occupation as part of the Western Front in WorldWarII. The Western Front was a military theatre of WorldWarII encompassing...
of Bulgaria duringWorldWarII encompasses an initial period of neutrality until 1 March 1941, a period of alliance with the Axis Powers until 8 September...
Mexico's participation in WorldWarII had its first antecedent in the diplomatic efforts made by the government before the League of Nations as a result...
were an international military coalition formed duringWorldWarII (1939–1945) to oppose the Axis powers. Its principal members by the end of 1941 were...
The Axis powers, originally called the Rome–Berlin Axis and also Rome–Berlin–Tokyo Axis, was a military coalition that initiated WorldWarII and fought...
The Soviet attempt to conquer Finland in the Winter War was thwarted, and by the end of WorldWarII, Finland remained an independent country. However,...
The history of Argentina duringWorldWarII was a complex period that began in 1939, after the outbreak of the war in Europe, and ended in 1945 with the...
Uruguay remained neutral for most of WorldWarII. The policy of President Alfredo Baldomir, leading the Colorado Party, was to support the Allied cause...
Japan duringWorldWarII refers to the history of the Empire of Japan duringWorldWarII. This includes the invasion of the Republic of China, the annexation...
Technology played a significant role in WorldWarII. Some of the technologies used during the war were developed during the interwar years of the 1920s and...
The history of Cuba duringWorldWarII begins in 1939. Because of Cuba's geographical position at the entrance of the Gulf of Mexico, Havana's role as...
Spain remained neutral throughout WorldWar I between 28 July 1914 and 11 November 1918, and despite domestic economic difficulties, it was considered...