War of Independence

War of Independence

New Title: War of Independence 1919-1921

Keywords:• Abstention• IRA• Guerrilla Warfare• The squad• The flying columns• Black and Tans• The Auxiliaries• Terence MacSwiney• Bloody Sunday 1920• Government of Ireland act (1920)

The First Dáil• Sinn Fein were abstentionist (would not take seats in House

of Commons).• Sinn Fein invited all Irish MP’s to attend a new assembly in

the Mansion House in Dublin.• No other party attended.• Only 27 Sinn Fein candidates attended the assembly on

19/1/1919. Most of the rest were still in prison over German Plot.

• They set up Sinn Féin courts to try people for crimes and encouraged the public to come to these courts rather than the official British ones.

• Collins organised a loan for the work of the government.

Video: The First Dail

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKSFVQxybuo

• The first shots of the war of independence occurred on the day of the first Dail

• The first fighting was at Soloheadbeg, Tipperary when an RIC patrol was ambushed by an IRA. The policemen were guarding a supply of explosives

• The IRA used guerrilla tactics against the British forces. These were ambush or “hit and run” tactics

• Michael Collins organised an intelligence network, using spies to collect information.

• He organised a special group in Dublin called “The Squad”. Their job was to kill spies, informers and detectives

• As the IRA grew it was organised into “flying columns” – mobile units that were able to move around the countryside, getting food and shelter from local people

The War 1919 - 1921

The squad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-L3zeCNzH8

• The British government recruited ex-soldiers -the “Black and Tans” in an attempt to restore Law and Order in Ireland

• They had a bad reputation and were considered cruel and brutal in their treatment of Irish people

• The government also recruited ex-officers – the “Auxiliaries” who were equally despised

• They often used reprisals for guerrilla attacks by burning houses, barns and creameries and attacking innocent people

• This encouraged even more people to join the IRA and fight for independence

• The British government also passed the “Government of Ireland Act” in 1920 – set up two parliaments – one in Dublin - one in Belfast

The British response to

Black and Tans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OepO_IAjsWY

• Ultimately, the Government of Ireland act came too late as the IRA/Sinn Fein were determined to gain complete independence from Britain. Most Irish people now wanted complete independence from Britain.

The government of Ireland act (1920)• 2 Parliaments were to be established, 1 in Belfast and 1

in Dublin• A border would be established between North and

South. This is called partition.• Unionists succeeded in gaining Fermanagh, Tyrone and

Derry despite Catholic majorities in these areas• As Sinn Fein refused to take their seats in Westminster,

nobody opposed this move

Major incidents • Members of the RIC murdered Tomás MacCurtain, Lord Mayor

of Cork, in front of his family on 20/3/1920. • Terence MacSwiney, the next Lord Mayor of Cork, was arrested

and went on hunger strike to protest. He eventually dies of hunger.

• On “Bloody Sunday”, 21/11/1920, Collins’ “Squad” killed 11 British agents in Dublin

• Later the same day, in retaliation, the Black and Tans broke into a GAA match at Croke Park and killed 14 people, including one player, Michael Hogan

• That evening 3 IRA prisoners were shot by the British

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOiQRkK1tyg&index=1&list=PLWZ2FTPlpVRkXbGxH7Ci0DwERlEyEmC0q

• In December 1920 DeValera returns from hiding in America and as president of the republic, he begins to exert control over the war of independence

• After an ambush at Crossbarry Co. Cork, on 11/12/1920 the Black and Tans burned down the centre of Cork City.

• The IRA attacked the Custom House on 25/5/1921 and some of it was burned down.

• This attack was suggested by De Valera to counter accusations of the IRA’s tactics being simply murderers rather than fighting a real war

• Michael Collins disagreed with this tactic• The attack led to the capture or death of 80 IRA men• From this point on DeValera was keen open lines of negotiation with

the British for a peace settlement

The Truce

Both sides wanted a truce

because

The British were being criticised at home and in the USA for the behaviour of the Black and Tans and Auxiliaries

Both sides agreed to a truce in July 1921.

The IRA were running short of ammunition and men

The war was costing the British a lot of money

The general population of Ireland were getting tired of war and wanted peace

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jUYWfFKd80&list=PLlI5HF5vbozmjZ2bgzVt4PcRSlR2bt5fm

Video summary: War of Independence

The Illustrated London News, November 27th 1920Terrible events took place in Dublin on Sunday November 21 when 14 British Army officers were murdered in their homes by gangs of assassins and a fight between troops and a football crowd resulted in 12 deaths and wounding of over 50 people. The above photograph is typical of the state of things in the country. It was taken during “the battle of Tralee” where a convoy of R.I.C. cadets was ambushed by Republicans. Three Sinn Feiners were killed and one cadet was wounded. The cadet and two of the dead Sinn Feiners are seen lying in the road. In the background Cadets are taking Sinn Feiners as prisoners

Questions:1. Who are the assassins that killed 14 British Army officers?2. What is the name given to the “fight between troops and a football crowd “ 3. Do you think this article is biased? Refer to the article in your answer4. What was the public reaction to the Black and Tans in America and further abroad? What effect did this have on the British government?

The Illustrated London News, November 27th 1920Terrible events took place in Dublin on Sunday November 21 when 14 British Army officers were murdered in their homes by gangs of assassins and a fight between troops and a football crowd resulted in 12 deaths and wounding of over 50 people. The above photograph is typical of the state of things in the country. It was taken during “the battle of Tralee” where a convoy of R.I.C. cadets was ambushed by Republicans. Three Sinn Feiners were killed and one cadet was wounded. The cadet and two of the dead Sinn Feiners are seen lying in the road. In the background Cadets are taking Sinn Feiners as prisoners

Questions:1. Who are the assassins that killed 14 British Army officers?2. What is the name given to the “fight between troops and a football crowd “ 3. Do you think this article is biased? Refer to the article in your answer4. What was the public reaction to the Black and Tans in America and further abroad? What effect did this have on the British government?