Neutral Nations in WWII: Europe's Non-Belligerents

Several European countries maintained official neutrality throughout World War II, though "neutrality" often masked complex sympathies and covert cooperation:

• Spain: Franco's regime was officially non-belligerent but ideologically aligned with the Axis; sent the Blue Division to fight USSR; supplied tungsten to Germany.
• Portugal: Salazar's Estado Novo maintained the oldest alliance (with UK) but stayed neutral; allowed Allied use of Azores bases (1943); exported tungsten to both sides.
• Switzerland: Armed neutrality; mobilized 850,000 troops; served as financial hub, intelligence center, and Red Cross host; controversial gold transactions with Reichsbank.
• Sweden: Neutral but made concessions: allowed German troop transit to Norway (1940–43), exported iron ore vital to German war machine; later aided Allies (intelligence, training Norwegian police).
• Ireland (Éire): Strict legal neutrality (Emergency Powers Act); denied Allied naval bases (Treaty Ports); but covertly shared weather data, allowed Allied aircraft overflight (Donegal Corridor), interned German but not Allied aircrews.

Others: Vatican City (neutral sovereign), Turkey (neutral until Feb 1945), Andorra, Liechtenstein, San Marino, Monaco (microstates).

True neutrality was rare; most balanced survival with economic necessity and geopolitical pressure.