British Counterinsurgency Operations in Ireland 1916-1921. A Case Study.
Abstract
From the Easter Rising in Dublin, 24-30 April 1916, through the Troubles of 1913-1921, a struggle between Colonialism and independence took place in Ireland. This struggle, which was a nationalist insurgency, culminated in a truce in July 1921 followed by a treaty which established an Irish Free State on 6 Dec 1921. Unable to build or equip a conventional army, the Irish mounted a guerrilla insurgency. The actions the British government took in response to the Easter rising and the subsequent Irish rebellion it triggered indicate that they considered the situation a low intensity conflict rather than a full scale war. Thus, the principal focus of the British police, military and para military effort during this period was a counterinsurgency campaign within the context of a MOOTW. Although the discontent in Ireland which came to a head on 24 April 1916 in the form of the Easter Rising was caused by a broad range of political, social, economic, military and cultural issues, this paper primarily focuses on the British military aspect of the Irish insurrection or rebellion. This is not a definitive study of British involvement in Ireland from 1916-1921, rather it is a case study of British counterinsurgency operations during that period.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 06, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA325079
Entities
People
- Michael R. Fierro
Organizations
- Naval War College