Irish History- Reasons for the End of the Anglo-Irish War (1919-1921)-
Who was under the most pressure to agree to a truce in July 1921?
Essay Plan
1. Military Pressure on the British
2. Military Pressure on the Irish
3. Political Pressure on the British
4. Political Pressure on the Irish
Military Pressure on the British
Lack of Cooperation from the Irish Public
● The Irish public did not support the British, allowing the Irish Republican
Army (IRA) to succeed through guerilla tactics.
● For example, the first shots of the war were fired on 21st January 1919
in Soloheadbeg. No locals claimed the £1000 reward for information
regarding the assassination of two Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC)
constables.
● District Inspector Hunt was assassinated in broad daylight on 23rd July
1919, but no witnesses cooperated with the British investigation.
Attacks by the IRA
● Two RIC constables are assassinated in Soloheadbeg, Co. Tipperary,
on 21st January 1919.
○ The Volunteer Journal declared a “state of war”.
● District Inspector Hunt was killed by IRA assassins in Thurles on 23rd
July 1919.
● In April 1919, two RIC constables were killed in County Clare. The
county was placed under military rule.
, ● The IRA attempted to assassinate Viceroy French on 19th December
1919.
● The RIC was forced out of 400 barracks within six months in 1919. The
IRA then burned these barracks to convey a sense of lawlessness.
● During 1919, Collins established the elite assassination group “The
Squad”, which targeted British intelligence agents (particularly within the
Dublin Metropolitan Police).
● Attacks continued throughout 1920, which became known as the “Year
of Terror” because of the intensification of military pressure from both
sides.
● During 1920, the IRA started using “flying columns” (groups of
approximately 30 guerilla fighters).
● On Bloody Sunday (21st November 1920), Collins ordered the
assassination of 11 alleged British agents.
● That November, the IRA attack two police vans, killing 15 of the 17
officers present. The intensity of the violence forces Lloyd George to
concede that there is a war in Ireland.
● In 1921, the IRA increased their attacks on public roads and bridges to
disrupt communications.
● On 25th May 1921, de Valera commands 100 men to attack Dublin
Custom House. Whilst the attack is easily repressed by the British
government, it does represent an additional strain on resources.
● MacCready, leader of the British Army in Ireland, claimed that the British
troops were suffering from an intense “psychological fatigue” and could
not survive another winter in Ireland. He explained to Lloyd George that
an additional 250,000 men would be required to secure victory.
● In 1921 alone, 228 police officers were killed in the war as well as 96
British soldiers. This vastly outnumbered Irish casualties.
● Two unionist homes were attacked for every one nationalist home
attacked by the British.
Who was under the most pressure to agree to a truce in July 1921?
Essay Plan
1. Military Pressure on the British
2. Military Pressure on the Irish
3. Political Pressure on the British
4. Political Pressure on the Irish
Military Pressure on the British
Lack of Cooperation from the Irish Public
● The Irish public did not support the British, allowing the Irish Republican
Army (IRA) to succeed through guerilla tactics.
● For example, the first shots of the war were fired on 21st January 1919
in Soloheadbeg. No locals claimed the £1000 reward for information
regarding the assassination of two Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC)
constables.
● District Inspector Hunt was assassinated in broad daylight on 23rd July
1919, but no witnesses cooperated with the British investigation.
Attacks by the IRA
● Two RIC constables are assassinated in Soloheadbeg, Co. Tipperary,
on 21st January 1919.
○ The Volunteer Journal declared a “state of war”.
● District Inspector Hunt was killed by IRA assassins in Thurles on 23rd
July 1919.
● In April 1919, two RIC constables were killed in County Clare. The
county was placed under military rule.
, ● The IRA attempted to assassinate Viceroy French on 19th December
1919.
● The RIC was forced out of 400 barracks within six months in 1919. The
IRA then burned these barracks to convey a sense of lawlessness.
● During 1919, Collins established the elite assassination group “The
Squad”, which targeted British intelligence agents (particularly within the
Dublin Metropolitan Police).
● Attacks continued throughout 1920, which became known as the “Year
of Terror” because of the intensification of military pressure from both
sides.
● During 1920, the IRA started using “flying columns” (groups of
approximately 30 guerilla fighters).
● On Bloody Sunday (21st November 1920), Collins ordered the
assassination of 11 alleged British agents.
● That November, the IRA attack two police vans, killing 15 of the 17
officers present. The intensity of the violence forces Lloyd George to
concede that there is a war in Ireland.
● In 1921, the IRA increased their attacks on public roads and bridges to
disrupt communications.
● On 25th May 1921, de Valera commands 100 men to attack Dublin
Custom House. Whilst the attack is easily repressed by the British
government, it does represent an additional strain on resources.
● MacCready, leader of the British Army in Ireland, claimed that the British
troops were suffering from an intense “psychological fatigue” and could
not survive another winter in Ireland. He explained to Lloyd George that
an additional 250,000 men would be required to secure victory.
● In 1921 alone, 228 police officers were killed in the war as well as 96
British soldiers. This vastly outnumbered Irish casualties.
● Two unionist homes were attacked for every one nationalist home
attacked by the British.
