President Woodrow Wilson kept the United States out of World War One on August 19, 1914, when his Declaration of Neutrality was signed. The concept of staying out of conflicts, however, has a much longer history.
Switzerland's Longstanding Policy
The oldest example of a permanently neutral state is Switzerland, which has maintained its position since 1815. Historians trace this back to Medieval times, when the Old Swiss Confederacy suffered heavy defeats trying to conquer neighbouring kingdoms.
Switzerland remained famously neutral during both World Wars and keeps a healthy standing army to ensure it is left alone.
Costa Rica's Different Approach
Costa Rica took a different route, abolishing its armed forces when it declared neutrality in 1949. The money previously spent on defence was redirected into infrastructure, health and education. The country still has a 98% literacy rate, one of the highest in Latin America. The decision is celebrated every December 1 as Army Abolition Day.
Ireland's Secret Concessions
Ireland was theoretically neutral during World War Two but made secret concessions to the Allies. It shared intelligence and weather reports and repatriated downed Royal Air Force airmen. After the war, it emerged that the Nazis had planned to invade the state and use it as a base for attacks on the UK. Ireland has also given Ukraine military aid since 2022.
Ukraine's Shift
Ukraine was a proudly neutral state from its declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. It was forced to drop the policy in 2014, when Russia invaded the Crimean Peninsula on the country's southern coast. It has been trying to join NATO ever since, especially following Vladimir Putin's full-blown invasion in 2022.
Sweden and Finland, previously neutral Nordic states, have both joined NATO in response to fears they could be next on the Russian despot's shopping list. If attacked, they will now have the full support of all 32 members, including Britain and the US, on top of 340,000 military personnel between them.
Japan, which faced near-constant battle from the early Middle Ages until its surrender in World War Two, saw 250,000 die in the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Following that defeat, its constitution was amended to read “the Japanese people forever renounce war.”
