They did so as they were happy to allow other countries to bear the brunt of confronting the utter evil of Nazism. The first two did so only because even Hitler thought invading them would tie up too many resources and was not necessary to achieve his initial aims; and can anyone doubt that had Britain been invaded and occupied, Ireland would soon have followed? Mr Skivington’s statement is an insult to the countries that did face down Hitler, particularly those which had not themselves been invaded; to the individual citizens of these three countries who chose not to “avoid” the war; and to the many Irish appalled at Éamon De Valera’s signing the book of condolences at Germany’s Dublin embassy on Hitler’s suicide. John Birkett Horseleys Park St Andrews