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Neutral European Countries of WWII

Name the countries of Europe that neither invaded other countries nor were themselves invaded during World War II.
Does NOT count countries that declared neutrality but were invaded anyway
Does count countries whose overseas territories were occupied, as long as their European lands remained intact
Only countries that existed in 1939
Quiz by KoljiVriVoda
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Last updated: March 15, 2019
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First submittedDecember 30, 2015
Times taken109,166
Average score75.0%
Rating4.95
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Country
Andorra
Ireland
Liechtenstein
Portugal
Country
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Vatican City
+10
Level 65
Jan 5, 2016
Luxembourg! Was that included in the invasion of the Netherlands?
+53
Level 16
Mar 29, 2018
Yes, Luxembourg was taken by the germans during the take over of Benelux
+22
Level 57
Jun 23, 2021
Funfact. In WW1, the Germans mistakenly invaded Luxembourg a day early, and had to go back.
+7
Level 67
May 16, 2023
We've all been there.
+7
Level 88
Mar 15, 2019
Ireland was hardly neutral. It gave active support in servicing and replenishing Nazi U-Boats.
+50
Level 66
Mar 15, 2019
Read the directions. They neither invaded, nor were invaded.
+101
Level 73
Mar 15, 2019
I have spent 50 years studying WWII and everything I have ever read, seen, or heard says that absolutely did not happened. The closest thing that I have ever seen as evidence of Ireland breaking neutrality was when they allowed Allied ships to be repaired in their dry docking facilities and by rescuing sailors from many nations including Germany. As far as supplying German submarines goes, they did not have supplies for their own needs so I doubt that they would have been able to provide that kind of assistance even if they wanted to do so.
+7
Level 91
Mar 15, 2019
I also remember hearing that Allied servicemen were quietly put across the border into Northern Ireland.
+29
Level ∞
Mar 15, 2019
If anything the Irish assisted the Allies. But the description for this quiz is written in an exact way that lets you know what we are looking for.

However, I can see why there would be resentment towards the Irish actions (or non-actions) during WWII, which seem to an outside observer to be incredibly stubborn. Surely, they could have joined the Allies once the threat of German invasion was neutralized?

+22
Level 82
Mar 15, 2019
The reasons have been probably studied in detail, but off the top of my head: plenty of fighting just one generation back, including Easter rising, independence war with UK and the civil war, which also resulted in complicated relation with the UK and complex divisions within Ireland. Economic situation probably wasn't great either.
+18
Level 61
May 25, 2019
Ireland had no reason to side with the Allies considering the animosity between Ireland and the UK during WWII. I'm sure we didn't appreciate being called a cabbage garden by a certain prime minister either.
+4
Level 60
May 16, 2023
You should really change the title of the quiz. A nation that neither 'invaded nor was invaded by' another nation really is not the definition of 'neutrality'.
+1
Level 76
May 16, 2023
I thought that was odd as well.
+1
Level 76
Jan 9, 2024
I agree as well.
+5
Level 67
Mar 15, 2019
That's actually the opposite of what Ireland did in ww2
+9
Level 61
May 25, 2019
I think you're getting your world wars mixed up, but even then Ireland never serviced Nazi U-boats.
+7
Level 62
May 25, 2019
I believe you could make a better argument for Spain leaning toward the Axis Powers than you could Ireland. With that said, neither country invaded or was invaded by another country, so they both fit the scope of this quiz.
+1
Level 46
Jun 26, 2020
Wasn't that the IRA, and not the functioning government?
+5
Level 64
Apr 20, 2021
What an absolutely ridiculous statement.

Ireland remained politically neutral but in reality they were friendly with the allies.

+4
Level 56
May 16, 2023
It was just a complex situation. They were friendly up to a point with the allies, but on the other hand those Irish people who volunteered to fight alongside the British were treated abominably when they came home.
+3
Level 49
May 3, 2022
Sweden also supported the Axis quite heavily by selling them steel and other goods, while not selling to the Allies. This was to prevent invasion from either A) Germany after Norway fell or B) the USSR if Finland fell.

Anyways, they never gave troops, never declared war, etc. Therefore, they were neutral.

+3
Level 50
Mar 15, 2019
Missed Ireland and Vatican City.
+11
Level 70
Mar 15, 2019
Turkey was all the war neutral but declared just for fun war on the Axis when the war was actually over. To my knowledge, Turkey was neither invading or invaded during WW2. (Or do you just not consider Turkey as part of Europe?) On the other hand, Switzerland was bombed (probably accidentally) by both the Axis and the Allies and the Swiss shot down several planes from both the Axis and the Allies. And what is about the Spanish Blue Division? There is a difference between declaring neutrality and not invade/get invaded.
+9
Level 82
Mar 15, 2019
Shooting down planes breaching your air space is in line with neutrality
+2
Level 70
Mar 21, 2019
Switzerland had (inhabited!) POW penal camps during WW2. How would you call it when you fight/capture foreign soldiers on/above your territory? An invasion? Switzerland during WW2 is a nitpicking curiosity. But don't we all like those contra-intuitive facts/exceptions? ;-)
+7
Level 77
Mar 22, 2019
Yes we do :) That's why all this 'negative' comments are actually positive.
+6
Level 64
May 25, 2019
You have to capture soldiers of other countries if you're neutral. Belgian soldiers were also detained in the Netherlands in WWI. If you don't detain all soldiers fleeing to your country from all countries that are at war, you're breaking neutrality.

The fact that a neutral State uses force to repel attempts to violate

its neutrality cannot be regarded as a hostile act.

Neutral States receiving troops belonging to the belligerent armies on

their territory must intern them. It would be a violation of the duty of

non-participation if the neutral State permitted such troops to take part

again in hostilities.

Source: https://www.icrc.org/en/doc/assets/files/other/law8_final.pdf

+9
Level 74
Mar 17, 2019
Technically the Blue Division soldiers were "volunteers" (División Española de Voluntarios). This quiz might be better called 'countries who declared themselves neutral and were never invaded, and never officially declared war on another country (even though they did all kinds of non-neutral stuff).' Rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?
+1
Level 37
Nov 18, 2022
The main reason for Turkey to enter the war was to be a founding member of the United Nations, which was planned to be established after the war.
+16
Level 80
Mar 15, 2019
San Marino wasn't invaded. The Italians were briefly there but it was never an actual invasion.
+3
Level 25
Mar 2, 2022
Sam Marino was neutral but bombed by the UK during the invasion of Italy
+2
Level 63
Mar 17, 2019
Got them all with 1:40 remaining this morning. A good quiz! Also an easy quiz if you know your WWII history.
+2
Level 48
Apr 24, 2019
What about Iceland? Wiki says it was "invaded" by the UK but that seems dubious.
+8
Level 70
May 25, 2019
It was occupied to keep Germany out.
+12
Level 71
Feb 26, 2020
Iceland was part of Denmark and became independent in 1944.
+9
Level 24
Jun 3, 2020
it wasn;'t a country in its own right at the time, and was occupied by britain with fear of nazi control of an island so close to home.
+2
Level 91
May 25, 2019
Only missed Andorra.
+2
Level 57
May 25, 2019
spain was on the axis powers' side...
+7
Level 60
Apr 10, 2021
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spain_during_World_War_II
+5
Level 52
May 25, 2019
How did I miss Switzerland?
+2
Level 67
May 25, 2019
I only got Switzerland for a while, but then in the last 30 seconds I got like 4.
+4
Level 33
May 27, 2019
0:36. Got hung up on Vatican City, as I kept trying Turkey as an answer.
+3
Level 62
Jun 1, 2019
same
+3
Level 39
May 27, 2019
Can anyone give insight as to why the Nazis never invaded nations they could've easily taken over, like Switzerland and Liechtenstein?
+7
Level ∞
May 28, 2019
Not sure about Liechtenstein, but Switzerland was armed to the teeth. They mobilized hundreds of thousands of soldiers, and the country was protected by a ring of defensive positions. The Germans maybe could have conquered it, but their casualties would have been enormous.
+3
Level 46
Jul 14, 2019
Also, Switzerland would probably have protected Liechtenstein if invaded.
+6
Level 78
Mar 30, 2021
and Switzerland served as a kind of piggy bank for Nazi loot.
+1
Level 45
Aug 17, 2023
It would have meant big losses and they needed their forces elsewhere. It wasnt a big threat and they counted on being able to deal with it later when the major powers were beaten. Same with Sweden, when surrounded by nazis they counted on being able to pressure them into submission. Fortunately the tide turned in time.
+3
Level 50
Sep 16, 2019
I think they didn't bother with Liechtenstein as it is very mountainous terrain and difficult to invade, and is a tiny country that wouldn't have given the Nazis anything rewarding.
+1
Level 77
Apr 12, 2021
Switzerland has a geographical advantage against any invaders. If you're curious what warfare in Switzerland might have been like, check out the Italian front in World War I. As for WWII, the strategy dubbed "blitzkrieg" by the media likely wouldn't have been feasible against Switzerland.
+2
Level 46
Jul 14, 2019
Was San Marino invaded?
+2
Level 65
May 1, 2020
Yes, briefly by Germany and the Allies.
+6
Level 74
Sep 6, 2019
Neutral is not the same as "non combatant" but the point is clear here.
+1
Level 63
Mar 22, 2021
Andorra declared war on Germany but didn't send any troops to fight. Does that count as neutral?
+1
Level 50
Apr 10, 2021
The question wasn't about being neutral, but about being either occupied or the occupant...
+1
Level 60
Apr 10, 2021
The instructions said countries that werent invaded and didn't invade. Andorra follows this.
+3
Level 71
May 16, 2023
The title is misleading then.
+3
Level 64
Apr 10, 2021
How can someone be neutral to genocide and global terror? If you aren't against it, you are for it
+1
Level 90
Apr 10, 2021
Exactly - a list of coward countries.
+8
Level 57
Apr 10, 2021
But how is Andorra supposed to resist a Nazi invasion? The decision makes sense - preserving your own nation. And even these countries didn’t do nothing - places like Sweden sheltered Jews from the Nazis.
+10
Level 73
Apr 10, 2021
Most western countries are currently supporting or ignoring genocide and global terror in a variety of ways. Black and white lines aren't easy to draw.
+3
Level 60
Apr 14, 2021
Spain and Portugal were also fascist, Sweden and Switzerland were formally neutral but providing material assistance to the Nazis, Ireland was a poor country which had just fought a war of independence against one of the Allies. Andorra and Liechtenstein are microstates with no appreciable military to fight anybody, and the Vatican were collaborators - which isn't surprising because mid-century Catholics were very reactionary and they are surrounded by Italy.
+2
Level 56
Apr 11, 2022
Portugal was nationalist not fascist (even though the ideologies had a lot of overlap) and had better relations with the UK than Germany. Spain just went through a civil war so they were too busy repairing after that to get involved. Also they were nationalists not fascists (though the ideologies again had a lot of overlap and they were sympathetic towards the fascists). Switzerland and Sweden provided material assistance to both side of the war. They both also protected Jews and captured any soldiers who came within their borders whether they were Axis or Allies. Ireland provided a lot of help to the Allies despite the animosity between them and the UK. Though many Irish citizens were sympathetic towards the Axis with some volunteering for them but some also volunteered for the Allies.
+4
Level 65
Oct 27, 2022
The crimes commited by the nazis would only be fully known near the end of the war. Even a direct report from Polish resistants infiltrated in Auschwitz, the Pilecki report, was considered too big to be real as their crimes were unthinkable (industrial death camps), only when the major death camps were liberated did the world understand the scale of what happened. And by this point it was obvious that Germany was going to be crushed, joining wouldn't have been necessary to ensure its defeat.

People during the war did not have the same informations that we have now.

+5
Level ∞
Feb 19, 2023
There is genocide happening right now and yet the world does nothing. Don't be so quick to volunteer other people to die for a cause. It's easy to accuse, hard to act.
+2
Level 41
May 16, 2023
For real?
+2
Level 54
Jul 19, 2023
The Chinese are murdering Uyghurs in Xinjiang, and the Russians are committing cultural genocide by kidnapping Ukrainian children.
+2
Level 64
Apr 10, 2021
But does count countries which sent Jews away in nazi camps?
+2
Level 46
Apr 12, 2021
if they weren't invaded or an invader, then yes
+1
Level 52
May 16, 2022
Well, The Netherlands was neutral untill Germany suddenly invaded
+1
Level 84
Aug 14, 2022
The Germans debated invading in World War I. But someone pointed out that the Royal Navy would slap a blockade on German traffic in the North Sea. So having access to neutral ports on the North Sea was a good idea. Didn't work that way in the next war, though.
+1
Level 55
Jul 10, 2022
Was Iceland actually invaded?
+1
Level 67
Jul 11, 2022
The allies invaded Iceland to avoid a possibe nazi invasion.
+1
Level 64
Aug 26, 2022
I got all of them and missed switzerland...
+1
Level 58
Oct 21, 2022
No Afghanistan?
+2
Level 48
Nov 3, 2022
Afghanistan isn't European

Although I'd be interested to see a quiz on all countries that were neutral in WW2, it may already exist on jetpunk

+3
Level ∞
Feb 19, 2023
It would be a pretty silly quiz. There were many countries that piled on to declare war on Germany/Japan once the outcome was obvious. These countries took no risk, shouldered no burden, but hoped for a seat at the victor's table.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declarations_of_war_during_World_War_II

+1
Level 50
May 3, 2023
I did not expect Vatican until I checked the alphabetical order! Just typed vatican quick enough for it to count and I used 1:30 :D
+1
Level 61
May 16, 2023
I know very little about ww2, so for me the surprising fact in this quiz is Spain's neutrality.
+2
Level 49
May 16, 2023
Türkiye was also neutral
+1
Level 65
Jun 8, 2023
Considered Asian, also declared war on Germany on February 1945, although no troops deployed.
+2
Level 19
May 16, 2023
San Marino was never invaded or invaded another country
+1
Level 33
Jun 2, 2023
OH MY GOODNESS THANK YOUUUUU. That's all I could think of until i realized the quiz was in alphabetical order which really helped me BEAST MODE this quiz
+1
Level 55
Sep 15, 2023
I am ashamed for getting everything except for Switzerland...