How one American spy’s scheming fed the myth of Irish neutrality

TODAY marks the 60th anniversary of the famous American note demanding the recall of Axis representatives from Dublin on the grounds that they supposedly posed a threat to the forthcoming Allied invasion of Europe.

This has probably been one of the more misunderstood events of Irish history.

While the Japanese consul posed no threat because he had no means of communication with the outside world, the German minister and his staff probably did pose a threat to the Allies, but the demand for his removal was not motivated by security considerations.