Armed neutrality

Armed neutrality, in international politics, is the posture of a state or group of states which makes no alliance with either side in a war, but asserts that it will defend itself against resulting incursions from all parties.[1]

The phrase "armed neutrality" sometimes refers specifically to one of the 'Leagues of Armed Neutrality'. The First League of Armed Neutrality was an alliance of minor naval powers organized in 1780 by Catherine II of Russia to protect neutral shipping in the War of American Independence.[2] The Second League of Armed Neutrality was an effort to revive this during the French Revolutionary Wars.[3] A potential Third League of Armed Neutrality was discussed during the American Civil War, but was never realised.[4]

Switzerland and Sweden are, independently of each other, famed for their armed neutrality, which they maintained throughout both World War I and World War II.[5]

During World War II, Ireland stated that it would take the British side if invaded by Germany but the German side if the British stationed troops on Irish soil.[6]

Footnotes

  1. ^ Oppenheim, International Law: War and Neutrality, 1906, p. 325.
  2. ^ See, generally, Scott, The Armed Neutralities of 1780 and 1800: A Collection of Official Documents Preceded by the Views of Representative Publicists, 1918; Karsh, Neutrality and Small States, 1988, p. 16-17; Jones, Crucible of Power: A History of American Foreign Relations to 1913, 2009, p. 15-17.
  3. ^ See, generally, Scott, The Armed Neutralities of 1780 and 1800: A Collection of Official Documents Preceded by the Views of Representative Publicists, 1918; Karsh, Neutrality and Small States, 1988, p. 17.
  4. ^ Bienstock, The Struggle for the Pacific, 2007, p. 150.
  5. ^ Bissell and Gasteyger, The Missing link: West European Neutrals and Regional Security, 1990, p. 117; Murdoch and Sandler, "Swedish Military Expenditures and Armed Neutrality," in The Economics of Defence Spending, 1990, p. 148-149.
  6. ^ See, generally, Wills, That Neutral Island: A Cultural History of Ireland During the Second World War, 2007; O'Sullivan, Ireland and the Global Question, 2006, p. 133.

Bibliography