portance of Northern Ireland to the British. Much important Atlantic trade now took Northern sea routes and naval bases in Belfast, Derry and Larne sent ships to escort convoys. There was U.S. Airbases on the Foyle and the Erne and many of their troops were stationed there in preparation for the D-Day landings. Despite this Northern Ireland was prevented from making a full contribution to the war due to the fact that conscription, Introduced in Britain in 1939 was not extended to the province. The reasons for this were that a large Nationalist minority existed and also De Valera raised objections. Some Unionists also feared the arming of these Nationalists. However, despite a short period of anger when Churchill contemplated a United Ireland in return for an end to Neutrality, Unionist ties with Britain strengthened throughout the war.
             For the South the major aim was that Ireland survived as a nation during the war. To ensure this the Irish government set up two new Ministries, The Ministry of supplies and the Department of the Co-ordination of Defensive Measures. In his book 'The Making of Ireland', Author James Lydon identifies that "unlike other countries which remained neutral, Ireland was in no fit state to protect herself." The Department of the Co-ordination of Defensive Measures, under Frank Aiken, set out to address this fact. The defence budget was widened and a major recruitment drive near doubled the size of the regular army. In addition a Local Defence Force was formed. Coasts were monitored, Air raid shelters constructed and gas masks issued to civilians. Perhaps the Departments greatest success was their handling of The I.R.A, Who seeing British preoccupation with the war began a spate of attacks within Britain. Ever fearful that the British might use these attacks as an excuse to invade Ireland they widened the Emergency Powers Act to allow the Government to intern Citizens of Ireland as well as F...