Five Thousand Irish servicemen chose to fight for the Allies during World War 2. On their return they were shunned from society and cruelly punished by their own government. All those who left the armed services in Ireland to fight the Axis were formally dismissed from the Irish Army and so had their pay and pension rights removed. The Irish goverment also went as far as to ban these men from state funded employment. The Irish government referred to this as a "starvation order" revealing the disgusting purpose of enforcing institutional revenge . Many of these men were forced to leave Ireland in desperation and shame. Yet the Irish government has still not issued an apology over 60 years later. Even today many of these men still wear their medals in secret when they sacrificed so much for our society. The Irish government should acknowledge the importance of their service, and ask forgiveness for their severe mistreatment.