 At the start of World War II, Ireland declared its neutrality and proclaimed "The Emergency".By July 1940, after Germany's military conquests of Poland, Denmark and Norway (Unternehmen Weserübung), as well as Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands and France (Westfeldzug), Britain stood alone, with its Commonwealth and Empire against Nazi Germany.By May 1941, the German Air Force had bombed numerous British cities, including Belfast in Northern Ireland during "The Blitz".