View source for Neutral powers during World War II

{{Short description|States which did not participate in World War II}}
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[[File:Map of participants in World War II.png|{{plainlist|style=padding-left: 0.6em;|
{{Legend|#63B74E|[[Allies of World War II|Allies before the Attack on Pearl Harbor]]}}
{{Legend|#66FF00|Allies after the [[attack on Pearl Harbor]]}}
{{Legend|#2AACF6|[[Axis powers]]}}
{{Legend|#E0E0E0|Neutral countries}}}}|thumb|300px]]

The '''neutral powers''' were countries that remained [[neutral country|neutral]] during [[World War II]]. Some of these countries had large [[Colony|colonies]] abroad or had great economic power. [[Francoist Spain|Spain]] had just been through [[Spanish Civil War|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 [[Participants in World War II|participated in World War II]].

During World War II, the neutral powers took no official side, hoping to avoid attack. However, [[Portuguese Empire|Portugal]], [[Sweden]], and [[Switzerland]] all helped the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] by supplying "voluntary" brigades<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-07-04 |title=The Countries That Remained Neutral In WWII |url=https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-countries-that-remained-neutral-in-wwii.html |access-date=2022-11-02 |website=WorldAtlas |language=en-US}}</ref> to the [[United Kingdom]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Neutral Countries in World War II |url=https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/neutral-countries-in-world-war-ii |access-date=2022-11-02 |website=worldpopulationreview.com}}</ref> while Spain avoided the Allies in favor of the [[Axis Powers|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 on Pearl Harbor|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 [[Occupation of Denmark|invasion of Denmark]] [[Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany|and Norway]] on 9 April 1940—[[Battle of Belgium|then Belgium]], [[History of the Netherlands (1939–1945)|the Netherlands]], [[German occupation of Luxembourg in World War II|and Luxembourg]] on 10 May 1940. On the same day, 10 May 1940, the British, having already invaded the Faroe Islands in April, [[Invasion of Iceland|invaded Iceland]] and established an occupying force ([[Invasion of Iceland#United States occupation force|subsequently replaced]] by the then-neutral United States). The Soviet Union [[Occupation of the Baltic states|invaded Lithuania]] on 15 June 1940 and [[Occupation of the Baltic states|Latvia and Estonia]] on 17 June. In the Balkans, the [[Italo-Greek War]] began on 28 October 1940 and [[Invasion of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia was invaded]] in April 1941. Iran was also [[Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran|attacked and occupied]] by Britain and the Soviet Union in August 1941 and later declared war on Nazi Germany.

See also the [[History of Afghanistan|histories of Afghanistan]], [[History of Andorra#20th century|Andorra]], [[History of Guatemala#20th century|Guatemala]], [[History of Liechtenstein#World War II|Liechtenstein]], [[History of Saudi Arabia#Abdul Aziz and the foundation of Saudi Arabia|Saudi Arabia]] and [[History of Yemen#Mutawakkilite kingdom and southern protectorates|Yemen]] during this period.

==By country==

===Europe===
====Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania====
{{Main|Estonia in World War II|Military history of Latvia during World War II|Resistance in Lithuania during World War II}}

*The [[Baltic states]] of Estonia,<ref>[http://www.letton.ch/lvx_38.htm Estonian Neutrality Law of December 1st, 1938]</ref> Latvia,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Neiburgs|first1=Uldis|title=Soviet occupation|url=http://okupacijasmuzejs.lv/en/history/1-soviet-occupation/latvia-during-world-war-ii|website=Latvijas Okupācijas muzejs|access-date=17 December 2017}}</ref> and Lithuania,<ref>{{cite book|last1=Liekis|first1=Šarūnas|title=1939: The Year that Changed Everything in Lithuania's History|date=2010|publisher=Rodopi|location=New York|isbn=978-90-420-2762-6|pages=119–122|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ST3LrBPOM4gC&q=Lithuanian+Neutrality+Law&pg=PA120|language=en}}</ref> jointly declared their neutrality on 18 November 1938, in [[Riga]], at the Conference of Baltic Foreign Ministers with their respective parliaments passing neutrality laws later that year. Despite that, [[Occupation of the Baltic states|all of them were occupied]] by the [[Soviet Union]] and later [[Nazi Germany]].

====Iceland====
*{{Flag|Kingdom of Iceland|name=Iceland}} &mdash; [[Allied occupation of Iceland|Occupied by Allied forces from May 1940]].

====Ireland====
{{Main|Irish neutrality during World War II}}

*{{Flag|Ireland}} &mdash; The policy of [[Irish neutrality]] during [[World War II]] was adopted by the [[Oireachtas]] (Irish Parliament) at the instigation of [[Éamon de Valera]], the [[Taoiseach]] (head of government) upon the outbreak of hostilities in Europe. It was maintained throughout the conflict, in spite of [[Bombing of Dublin in World War II#Timeline of German bombings of the Irish state|several German air raids]] and [[Irish maritime events during World War II|attacks on Ireland's shipping fleet]] by the Axis. [[Éamon de Valera|De Valera]] refrained from joining either side, although he generally favored and aided the Allied powers by allowing access to their naval repair yards, as well as passing intelligence to the British and allowing Allied aircrews who crashed in Ireland to return to the United Kingdom (German airmen were interned).  It is also notable that some members [[Irish Republican Army (1922–1969)|Irish Republican Army (IRA)]], an Irish republican paramilitary, attempted to collaborate with Nazi Germany against Britain, but the efforts were ultimately unsuccessful.

====Portugal====
{{Main|Portugal during World War II}}

*{{Flag|Estado Novo (Portugal)|name=Portugal}} &mdash; Portugal was officially neutral during World War II. However, it maintained a close relationship with the UK, due to the [[Anglo-Portuguese Alliance|alliance]] it had for the last six hundred years, which is the longest lasting military alliance in history. The [[Estado Novo (Portugal)|Estado Novo]] sought neutrality in order to keep Spain neutral and prevent it from joining the Axis. Portugal allowed the United States to use a secret military base at [[Santa Maria Airport (Azores)|Santa Maria Airport]] in the [[Azores]] through a military agreement signed on 28 November 1944. This violated its neutrality and rendered Portugal as a non-belligerent on the Allied side.

:Colonies of Portugal:
::*{{Flagicon|Portugal}} [[Portuguese Angola|Angola]] 
::*{{Flagicon|Portugal}} [[Colonial Cape Verde|Cape Verde]]
::*{{Flagicon|Portugal}} [[Portuguese Guinea]]
::*{{Flagicon|Portugal}} [[Portuguese India]]
::*{{Flagicon|Portugal}} [[Colonial Macau|Macau]]
::*{{Flagicon|Portugal}} [[Portuguese Mozambique|Mozambique]]
::*{{Flagicon|Portugal}} [[Colonial São Tomé and Príncipe|São Tomé and Príncipe]]
::*{{Flagicon|Portugal}} [[Portuguese Timor]] (Occupied by [[Empire of Japan|Japan]] from 1942 to 1945)

==== Spain ====
{{Main|Spain during World War II}}{{Further|Meeting at Hendaye|Blue Division}}[[File:Meeting at Hendaye (en.wiki).jpg|thumb|right|[[Meeting at Hendaye]] between Franco and Hitler in October 1940.]]
*{{Flag|Spanish State|1938|name=Spain}} &mdash; Spain initially held to formal neutrality, but when Italy entered the war in June 1940, [[Francisco Franco]] changed Spain's status to that of "[[non-belligerent]]" and proceeded to occupy [[Tangiers]]. From June 1940 until February 1941, the Francoist regime was greatly tempted by interventionism; a prominent [[Germanophile]], [[Foreign minister|Foreign Minister]] [[Ramón Serrano Suñer]] was highly influential in the government.<ref>{{Cite journal|journal=Ayer|volume=57|page=105|year=2005|issue=1
 |first=Ángeles|last=Egido León
 |title=Franco y la Segunda Guerra Mundial
 |jstor=41325295}}</ref> However, meetings with German officials, including the [[Meeting at Hendaye|Hendaye meeting between Franco and Hitler]] on 23 October 1940, did not bring formal entry of Spain into the war.

:In mid-June 1940, Spain took advantage of the [[Battle of France]] to send 4,000 Moroccan soldiers into [[Tangier International Zone]], which was [[Spanish occupation of Tangier (1940–1945)|occupied by Spain]] until 1945; an excuse given was that there was a fear that [[Kingdom of Italy|Italy]] might seize the city.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://revistas.uned.es/index.php/ETFV/article/view/3011/2871|last=Sueiro|first=Susana|publisher=[[Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia]]|location=Madrid|doi=10.5944/etfv.7.1994.3011|issue=7|year=1994|title=España en Tánger durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial: la consumación de un viejo anhelo|journal=Espacio, Tiempo y Forma, Serie V, Historia Contemporánea|issn=1130-0124|doi-access=free}}</ref>

:[[Operation Barbarossa]] shifted the main theater of war away from the Mediterranean, lessening Spain's interest in intervention. The less-relevant Serrano Suñer was still able to create the [[Division Azul|Blue Division]],{{Sfn|Egido León|2005|p=116}} made up of Spanish volunteers to fight for the Axis. With the conflict decidedly turning in favor of the Allies, Franco returned the status of Spain to one of "vigilant neutrality" on 1 October 1943.{{Sfn|Egido León|2005|p=122}}

:During most of the war, Spain had been a key provider of strategic [[tungsten|tungsten ore]] to Nazi Germany. Amid [[Wolfram Crisis|heavy Allied diplomatic and economic pressure]], Spain signed a secret deal with the United States and United Kingdom on 2 May 1944 to drastically limit tungsten exports to Germany and expel German spies from Spanish soil.<ref>{{Cite book|chapter=España y la segunda guerra mundial, 1939-1945: entre resignaciones neutralistas y tentaciones beligerantes
 | chapter-url=https://publicaciones.unirioja.es/catalogo/online/Historia_nuestro_tiempo_5/pdf/06_Moradiellos.pdf
 | first=Enrique|last=Moradiellos|author-link=Enrique Moradiellos|pages=72–73|editor=Carlos Navajas Zubeldia & Diego Iturriaga Barco 
 | title=Siglo. Actas del V Congreso Internacional de Historia de Nuestro Tiempo
 | location=Logroño|publisher=[[University of La Rioja|Universidad de la Rioja]]|year=2016}}</ref>

:Colonies of Spain:
::*{{flagicon|Spain|1938}} [[Ifni]]
::*{{flagicon|Spain|1938}} [[Spanish Sahara]]
::*[[File:Coat of Arms of the Portuguese and Spanish Guinea.svg|20px]] [[Spanish Guinea]]
::*[[File:Merchant flag of Spanish Morocco.svg|23px]] [[Spanish protectorate in Morocco]]
::**[[Spanish occupation of Tangier (1940–1945)|Tangier]]

==== Sweden ====
{{Main|Sweden during World War II}}

*{{Flag|Sweden}} &mdash; Before the war, Sweden and the other Nordic countries announced their planned neutrality in any large European conflict. When Finland was invaded by the Soviet Union in the [[Winter War]], Sweden changed its position to that of a [[non-belligerent]], which was not defined by international treaties, thus freeing Sweden from the restrictions of neutrality. Among other things, it allowed the Swedish government to support Finland during the [[Winter War]], allowed German soldiers on leave to travel through Sweden, and at one point allowed a combat division to travel from Norway to Finland through Sweden. The [[transit of German troops through Finland and Sweden]] and [[Swedish iron-ore mining during World War II]] helped the German war effort. Sweden had disarmed after World War I and was in no position to resist German threats militarily by 1940.

:In 1943, the [[Swedish Armed Forces]] were much improved, and all such deals with Germany were terminated. Hitler considered invading Sweden, but when Göring protested, Hitler dropped the plan. The Swedish [[SKF]] company supplied the majority of ball-bearings used in Germany and was also important to Allied aircraft production.<ref>[https://www.econhist.gu.se/digitalAssets/1341/1341645_golson.pdf Did Swedish Ball Bearings Keep the Second World War Going? Re-evaluating Neutral Sweden's Role]</ref>

:Swedish Intelligence cracked the German [[Geheimschreiber]] cipher and shared decrypted information with the Allies. Stalin was informed well in advance of Hitler's planned invasion of the Soviet Union but chose not to believe the information.

:Danish resistance worked with Sweden to carry out the 1943 [[rescue of the Danish Jews]] by shipping them to Sweden. During the [[Liberation of Finnmark]], Sweden sent [[Norwegian police troops in Sweden during World War II|Norwegian "police" troops]] over the border to link up with [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] forces. At the end of the war, Sweden was preparing to join the Allied invasion of Norway and Denmark if the occupying Wehrmacht forces rejected a general armistice.

====Switzerland====
{{Main|Switzerland during the World Wars}}
{{Further|Aerial incidents in Switzerland in World War II|Operation Tannenbaum}}

*{{Flag|Switzerland}} &mdash; As in World War I, Switzerland maintained its historic neutrality. It depended on German coal, with 10 million tons imported during the war, comprising 41% of Swiss energy supplies. 

:The [[Nazi plunder|Nazis looted]] the assets of their victims (including those in [[Nazi concentration camps|concentration camps]]) to accumulate wealth. In 1998, [[Bergier commission|a Swiss commission]] estimated that the [[Swiss National Bank]] held $440 million ($8 billion in 2020 currency) of Nazi gold, over half of which is believed to have been looted. It is estimated that nearly {{convert|100|ST|t|order=flip}} of Nazi gold were [[Money laundering|laundered]] through Swiss banks, with only {{convert|4|ST|t|order=flip}} being returned at the end of the war.<ref>{{cite news|title=Nazi Gold and Portugal's Murky Role|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/01/10/world/nazi-gold-and-portugal-s-murky-role.html|access-date=1 June 2011|newspaper=New York Times|date=10 January 1997|first=Marlise|last=Simons}}</ref> 

:The Swiss military often opened fire on Axis bombers invading its [[airspace]]; Switzerland also shot down Allied planes over its territory on several occasions. Throughout the war, cities in Switzerland were [[Bombings of Switzerland in World War II|accidentally bombed by both Axis and Allied aircraft]]. The Axis did have plans for an [[Operation Tannenbaum|invasion]] of Switzerland, but Switzerland [[National Redoubt (Switzerland)|had formed complex fortifications]] and amassed thousands of soldiers in the mountains to thwart any Axis invasion.

==== Turkey ====
{{Main|Single-party period of the Republic of Turkey#1938–1950: İnönü (National Chief)|History of the Republic of Turkey#World War II}}

*{{Flag|Turkey}} was neutral until several months before the end of the war, at which point it joined the Allies. Prior to the outbreak of war, Turkey signed a Mutual Aid Pact with France and Britain in 1939. After the German [[Battle of France|invasion of France]], however, Turkey remained neutral, relying on a clause excusing them if military action might bring conflict with the USSR. In June 1941, after neighbouring [[Bulgaria]] joined the Axis and allowed Germany to move troops through to invade [[Invasion of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]] and [[Battle of Greece|Greece]], Turkey signed a [[German–Turkish Treaty of Friendship|treaty of friendship]] with Germany. [[Winston Churchill]] and his military staff met the Turkish president on 30 January 1943 in the [[Adana Conference]], although Turkey did not then change its position.  
:Turkey was an important producer of [[chromite]], a [[strategic material]] for metallurgy to which Germany had limited access. The Germans wanted it, and the Allies wanted to prevent them from getting it. So, chromite was the key issue in Turkey's negotiations with both sides. Turkey would backpedal on its agreement to supply Nazi Germany with chromite. After instead selling it to the rival nations the [[United States]] and the [[United Kingdom]] after the two allied nations agreed to also purchase dried fruit and tobacco from Turkey as well.<ref name=dos>[https://1997-2001.state.gov/www/regions/eur/rpt_9806_ng_turkey.pdf Allied Relations and Negotiations With Turkey], [[US State Department]], pp. 6-8</ref> Turkey halted its sales to Germany in April 1944 and broke off relations in August. In February 1945, after the Allies made its invitation to the inaugural meeting of the United Nations (along with the invitations of several other nations) conditional on full belligerency, Turkey declared war on the Axis powers, but no Turkish troops ever saw combat.

====Microstates====
{{Main|Liechtenstein in World War II|Monaco in World War II|Battle of San Marino|Vatican City during World War II}}
*{{Flag|Andorra}} remained neutral throughout World War II.

*{{Flag|Liechtenstein|1937}} remained neutral throughout World War II. At the same time, Liechtenstein tied itself as closely as possible to Switzerland during the war in hopes of retaining the country's neutrality.<ref name=":42">{{Cite news |last=Streitwireless |first=Clarence |date=10 April 1938 |title=GUARANTEE SOUGHT BY LIECHTENSTEIN; Principality Wants to Join Switzerland if Powers Fail to Back Independencece GERMAN INVASION FEARED |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1938/04/10/archives/guarantee-sought-by-liechtenstein-principality-wants-to-join.html |access-date=16 May 2023 |work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=[[Peter Geiger]] |date=31 December 2011 |title=Zweiter Weltkrieg |url=https://historisches-lexikon.li/Zweiter_Weltkrieg |access-date=18 November 2023 |website=[[Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein]] |language=de}}</ref> Just before the end of the war, [[Franz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein|Franz Joseph II]] granted political asylum to [[First Russian National Army]] pro-Axis pro-emperor [[Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich of Russia|Vladimir]] White emigres led by General [[Boris Smyslovsky]], who were being cared for by the [[Liechtenstein Red Cross]].<ref name=":2">[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,818218,00.html ARGENTINA: Last of the Wehrmacht&nbsp;– Monday, Apr. 13, 1953] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130823213050/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,818218,00.html|date=23 August 2013}}</ref><ref name=":22">{{Cite book |last=Tolstoy |first=Nikolai |title=The Secret Betrayal |publisher=Charles Scribner's Sons |year=1977 |isbn=0-684-15635-0 |language=English}}</ref> Liechtenstein refused to repatriate the Russians to the Soviet Union despite diplomatic pressure, being the only country to not do so.<ref name=":22" />

*{{Flag|Monaco}} was [[Invasion and occupation of Monaco during World War II|occupied]] by Italy and later by Germany.

*{{Flag|San Marino|1862}} was briefly occupied by Germany on 17–20 September 1944. The occupation led the microstate to declare war on Germany on 21 September 1944.

*{{Flag|Vatican City}} was remained neutral throughout World War II.

===Asia===
====Afghanistan====
*{{Flag|Kingdom of Afghanistan|1931|name=Afghanistan}} remained neutral throughout World War II.

====Bhutan====
*[[Bhutan]] remained neutral throughout World War II.

====Iran====
*{{Flag|Pahlavi dynasty|1933|name=Iran}} &mdash; In order to be safe from the Allied forces, it officially declared neutrality, but this strategic decision did not last and Iran was later occupied by the Allies (see [[Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran]]). Later, in 1943 &mdash; Iran declared war on Germany, however no Iranian troops saw combat but several Iranians joined Nazi Germany Wehrmacht's ''[[Freiwilligen-Stamm-Division]]'' for anti-partisan operations against the [[French Resistance]].

====Saudi Arabia====
* {{Flag|Saudi Arabia|1938}} severed diplomatic contacts with Germany on 11 September 1939, and with Japan in October 1941. Although officially neutral, the Saudis provided the Allies with large supplies of oil. Diplomatic relations with the United States were established in 1943. [[Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia|King Abdul Aziz Al-Saud]] was a personal friend of Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Americans were then allowed to build an air force base near [[Dhahran]].<ref>{{Cite book|page=382|title=The Asian Century: A History of Modern Nationalism in Asia|author=Jan Romein|publisher=University of California Press|date=1962}}</ref> Saudi Arabia declared war on Germany on 28 February 1945 and Japan on 1 April 1945, but no military actions resulted from the declaration.

==== Tibet ==== 
*{{flag|Tibet (1912-1951)|name=Tibet}} remained neutral throughout World War II. While ''de facto'' [[Tibetan sovereignty debate|independent]] and under the rule of the Dalai Lama, it was internationally recognized as a regional province of the Republic of China. The Tibetan government received Allied (British and American) military officers in [[Lhasa]] in 1943.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBgP9CXnm7E |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/cBgP9CXnm7E |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|title=Inside Tibet|date=1943|website=National Archives and Records Administration via Youtube|access-date=July 12, 2010}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Following the end of World War II and the defeat of the Nationalists by the Communists led by [[Mao Zedong]] in the Chinese Civil War, Tibet was [[Annexation of Tibet by the People's Republic of China|invaded and annexed by China]] in 1951.

====Yemen====
*{{Flag|Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen|name=Yemen}} remained neutral throughout World War II.

===Americas===
====Argentina====
{{Main|Argentina during World War II}}

*{{Flag|Argentina|name=Argentina}} &mdash; Before the start of World War II in [[1939]], [[Argentina]] had maintained a long tradition of neutrality regarding European wars, which had been upheld and defended by all major political parties since the 19th century. One of the main reasons for this policy was related to Argentina's economic position as one of the world's leading exporters of foodstuffs and agricultural products, to [[Europe]] in general and to the [[United Kingdom]] in particular.<ref>Allén Lascano, Luís C. (1977). ''Argentina y la gran guerra'', Cuaderno 12. «La Soberanía», Todo es Historia, Buenos Aires</ref> Thus, initially, even though the government of Argentina was sympathetic to the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]]<ref name="Escudé">Carlos Escudé: [http://eial.tau.ac.il/index.php/eial/article/view/1192/1220 ''Un enigma: la "irracionalidad" argentina frente a la Segunda Guerra Mundial'', Estudios Interdisciplinarios de América Latina y el Caribe, Vol. 6 Nº 2, jul-dic 1995, Universidad de Tel Aviv]</ref> and provided economic assistance to the United Kingdom,<ref name="Galasso">Galasso, Norberto (2006). ''Perón: Formación, ascenso y caída (1893-1955)'', Colihue, {{ISBN|950-581-399-6}}</ref> the country's political tradition of neutralism prevailed. Following the Japanese [[attack on Pearl Harbor]] and the subsequent [[United States declaration of war upon Japan|American declaration of war upon Japan]], [[United States of America|American]] pressure for [[Argentine]] entry into the war begun to increase.<ref name="Escudé" /> Relations worsened further following a [[1943 Argentine coup d'état|military coup]] in [[1943]], as the plotters were accused of holding [[Axis of World War II|Axis]] sympathies.<ref name="Galasso"/> Because of strong divisions and internal disputes between members of the [[Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic|Argentine military]], the country would continue to remain [[Neutrality (international relations)|neutral]], even after [[United States of America|American]] sanctions.<ref name="Galasso" /> However, Argentina eventually gave in to the Allies' pressure, broke relations with the Axis powers on January 26, 1944,<ref name="Galasso" /> and declared war on March 27, 1945.<ref name="Galasso" /> Over 4,000 Argentine volunteers fought on the Allied side.<ref name="PRN143472">{{cite news | title =Wings of Thunder – Wartime RAF Veterans Flying in From Argentina | publisher =[[PR Newswire]] | date =6 April 2005 | url =http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=143472 | access-date =8 January 2008}}</ref>

====United States====
{{Main|Neutrality Acts of the 1930s}}

*{{Flag|United States}} &mdash; The United States remained neutral at the outbreak of World War II in compliance with the Neutrality Act of 1936 despite favoring the Allied side. However, the sudden [[Battle of France|defeat of France]] by Nazi Germany in the spring of 1940 led the country to significantly expand its armed forces through the [[Selective Training and Service Act of 1940]]. On 29 December of that year, President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] declared that the United States was to be the "[[Arsenal of Democracy]]" for the Allies by giving them supplies while the country remained neutral. The U.S. remained neutral until 8 December 1941, when it [[United States declaration of war on Japan|declared war on Japan]] in response to the surprise [[attack on Pearl Harbor]] the previous day.

===Africa===
====Egypt====
{{main|Egypt in World War II}}
[[Kingdom of Egypt|Egypt]] achieved ''de jure'' independence in 1922. In practice, it remained effectively subject to British control through the [[Anglo-Egyptian treaty of 1936]] which allowed a large British force to remain in the country. Egypt also shared control in the [[Anglo-Egyptian Sudan]]. The government of [[Aly Maher Pasha]] refused to declare war in 1939 even though Egypt would for much of the war remain a strategic staging-ground for British forces involved in the [[Western Desert campaign]]. The [[Second Battle of El Alamein|Battle of El Alamein]] took place on Egyptian territory.

====Liberia====
[[Liberia]] remained neutral until 1944 although became increasingly dominated economically and politically by the United States.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Akingbade |first1=Harrison |title=U.S. Liberian Relations during World War II |journal=Phylon |date=1985 |volume=46 |issue=1 |pages=25–36 |doi=10.2307/274943 |jstor=274943 |issn=0031-8906}}</ref>

==Conclusion==
Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland held to the concept of [[armed neutrality]], and continuously amassed soldiers to defend their nation's [[sovereignty]] from potential invasion. Thus, they maintained the right to become belligerent if attacked while in a state of neutrality. The concept of ''neutrality in [[war]]'' is narrowly defined and puts specific constraints on the neutral party in return for the internationally recognized right to remain neutral. A wider concept is that of [[non-belligerence]]. The basic treaty covering [[Neutral states]] is Convention V of [[Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907|The Hague Respecting the Rights and Duties of Neutral Powers and Persons in Case of War on Land (1907)]]. A ''neutral country'' takes no side in a war between other parties, and in return hopes to avoid being attacked by either of them. A ''neutralist policy'' aims at neutrality in case of an armed conflict that could involve the party in question. A ''neutralist'' is an advocate of neutrality in [[international relations|international affairs]]. The concept of ''neutrality in conflicts'' is distinct from [[Non-Aligned Movement|non-alignment]], i.e., the willful desistance from [[military alliance]]s in order to preserve neutrality in case of war, and perhaps with the hope of preventing a war altogether.

In a study of Spain, Switzerland, and Sweden during the Second World War, Eric Golson found that they engaged in economic [[realpolitik]], as they traded with both the Axis and the Allied Powers.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Economic History of Warfare and State Formation|last=Golson|first=Eric|date=2016|publisher=Springer, Singapore|isbn=978-981-10-1604-2|series=Studies in Economic History|pages=259–278|language=en|doi=10.1007/978-981-10-1605-9_11|chapter = Neutrality in War}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Participants in World War II]]
*[[Allies of World War II]]
*[[Axis powers]]
*[[Declarations of war during World War II]]
*[[Latin America during World War II]]
*[[Neutral country]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
*Karsh, E. "Neutrality and Small States." 1989.
*Gabriel, J. M. "The American Conception of Neutrality After 1941." 1989.

==External links==
* {{cite web |title=Neutrality |website=Encyclopedia.com |date=8 May 2018 |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences-and-law/law/international-law/neutrality |access-date=28 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250528142858/https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences-and-law/law/international-law/neutrality |archive-date=28 May 2025}} – A summary of neutrality in Western history since the 1648 Peace of Westphalia, with a focus on United States foreign policy 
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20121009230811/http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/lawofwar/hague05.htm Second Hague Convention]
* {{cite web |url=https://www.qub.ac.uk/sites/frankryan/InterpretativeResources/HistoricalContext/TheIRAslinkswithNaziGermany/ | title=The IRA's links with Nazi Germany {{pipe}} Frank Ryan {{pipe}} Queen's University Belfast | date=3 May 2012}}

{{WWII history by nation}}{{World War II}}
[[Category:Law of war]]
[[Category:International relations]]
[[Category:Neutral states in World War II| Powers]]