Exploring Why the British Troops Were Sent into Northern Ireland in 1969

Exploring Why the British Troops Were Sent into Northern Ireland in 1969

Ireland was once a Nation they claimed a moral right to live in

Ireland. Before 1500 the Gaelic lived in Ireland, they shared a

language and political structure. They were separated into smaller

groups. In the 5th century the Gaelic were converted to Christianity

by missionaries. After 1500 the English took control for the first

time by way of force due to the Irish being loyal to Catholicism and

the English were strong protestants. The soldiers drove farmers off

their land. The protestants were strongest in Northern Ireland,

Ulster. The Irish made a rebellion but this was crushed at the battle

of Boyne, many laws were passed to keep the Catholics quiet. Even up

to 1914 the Irish were unwilling to accept English domination. They

were completely against it. They called themselves Nationalists as

they were opponents to English rule. There are two types of

Nationalists, Revolutionary Nationalists and Parliamentary

Nationalists. The former believing that English rule could only be

removed through violence. They had many failed rebellions through

violent attempts. By 1914 the idea of an armed resistance was

abandoned. Parliamentary Nationalists believed that the English

protestants could be persuaded to give Ireland home rule without

violence but through discussion. By giving Ireland home rule they

were allowed control over their religion, education, health,

employment policies etc … In 1914 the British agreed to home rule.

The Ulster Unionists (protestants) didn’t want home rule as they

viewed themselves as separate to the Irish nation and thought th...

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...lice had gone on the rampage,

and in April when the Bogsiders had barricaded themselves to stop

another police invasion. Even though it may not seem to be, the

Catholics feared violence from the police. The police also feared

violence as they thought the Catholics would attack the Protestants

ghettos of the city.

For the first time to try and control the situation, the police fired

CS gas into the Bogside, the gas had been used on several other

occasions, but this was the first time it had been used in the UK. By

the next day the Battle had settled into an almost ritualistic pattern

of fighting. This parade turned out to be the turning point in

Northern Irish history. On the 14th August the Irish government sort

help from England. British troops were sent in as a temporary measure

to resolve the situation.