Reasons for the Truce: British Stalemate Flashcards
Hart and English on stalemate?
Both historians have shown the IRA had forced a stalemate militarily. Each side made few gains and were bogged down in “Tit for Tat” Violence
Describe Tit for Tat 1920
> MacCurtain (SF Mayor of Cork and IRA commander) was gunned down by a gang of plainclothes policemen (Likely anyway) in his own home in March.
> Lt Colonel Smith believed to have order Curty’s death was assassinated in July, later DI Swanzy who was involved was assassinated outside Church in August
> Bloody Sunday (November) 11 police killed, with 12 civilians killed in Croke Park by Auxies.
The Customs House Attack: a case study?
De Valera returned from the USA and wished to focus attacks so that they were more hard hitting: in May 1921 a major raid on the Dublin Customs House was organised which successfully destroyed government records but left IRA 6 dead and 70 arrested.
> The IRA was resource restricted; this was a major blow
Ferriter’s view on the IRA at this point
They had been close to achieving stalemate and the Customs House Attack was a propaganda victory.
The turning tide
> By 1921 the Black and Tans were increasingly vicious and effective:
- daily reprisal killings in the countryside,
- mobile squads to tackle the Flying Columns was formed
- improved intelligence allowed for success in capturing weapons as well as interning 450 IRA members May-July
