Portugal was neutral throughout World War II, but the location of its different territories and colonies placed it directly on the routes of war, while the fascist/ nationalist government, led by António Oliveira Salazar, did everything to prevent entering the conflict assuming a "cooperative neutrality", first with the Nazis and then with the Allies.
The country was a gateway for refugees, spies, special envoys and all kinds of personalities, more or less obscure that transformed Lisbon in an important place for all the pararell events related with the war.
Neutrality allowed the collaboration and trade with the two blocs in conflict, in a game of compromise and resistance that adapted itself to the unfolding of events.
The population - generally poor and oblivious to the major world events - was although often witness or participant in events.
The site "Portugal 1939-1945" wants to make known some of the stories that the Portuguese lived during World War II ...
I wish you a good trip through our history ...
Here you can find information related with air activity and aviation in Portugal. At this moment you can reserach information about more than a hundred belligerent planes that crashed or landed in the country during World War II.
In this area you can find information related with maritime activity in Portugal. At this moment you can find here part of the information related with the rescues made by Portuguese ships during World War II.
In this area you find information about Portuguese or Portuguese descendants who participated in military actions; Portuguese military missions to theaters of operations or belligerent countries and information sent from diplomatic missions.