Ireland's Neutrality During WWII (called The Emergency in Ireland) proved fatal to Great Britain. its refusal to allow the British Naval bases on Irish soil gave the U-Boats a fatal edge. This was chiefly due to fears amongst the Irish government that the U.S. Army might attempt an invasion of Ireland, following its occupation of Iceland, to open naval bases on the Western Approaches against the U-Boats. When Britain surrendered, Ireland went into the Nazi Camp, as a member of the NSF. This move effectively boxed the U.S. out of the western hemisphere, with Iceland its closest base to Europe.