Unit 7: 1972 – Alienation of Both Communities
Commentary
As you will see from your readings, 1972 was the worst year of the “Troubles.” It was the year that the Provisional IRA believed they would win the war and be the generation that ended partition. In fact, their slogan was “Victory 72” and the suspension of Stormont seemed to validate that slogan and their belief. The fact that the British talked to the IRA in an effort to find a way to end the conflict also bolstered the belief within the IRA that it was winning the war. They believed that, if they intensified the conflict and kept up the killing of British soldiers, British resolve would crumble and they would win the war. Consequently, in 1972 they intensified their campaign, launching an offensive against the British Army and the security forces. By the end of the year 497 people had been killed. Of that number Republican groups killed 281, Loyalist groups killed 121 and the Security forces killed the rest. This was also the year that gave us “Bloody Sunday” and “Bloody Friday,” the introduction of the car bomb by the IRA, the Abercorn bombing and the dramatic increase in Loyalist violence. “Horror piled on horror” as McKittrick and McVea put it (p. 86) and the continuing violence and counter-violence illustrated the brutal nature of this war and also made it clear that this would not be the “year of victory” for the Provisional IRA, or for the Loyalists or the governments involved.
So, we now begin our study of the period that was, without a doubt, the worst of times in Northern Ireland. There were other periods that were bad, October 1993 comes quickly to mind, but the 70s , in particular the years from 1972-1975, were a terrible time in terms of the death toll and the physical and mental suffering of the people of Northern Ireland on both sides of the divide.
So, since 1972 was such a watershed, we will focus on the major events of this year and their impact as this was a year that did so much to define this conflict.
Required Readings
1. pp. 77-87 in McKittrick
2. Annotated chronology of events in 1972 at CAIN
3. pp. 110-136 in Provos
4. Annotated chronology of Bloody Sunday at CAIN
5. BBC on Bloody Sunday- With Real Audio remembrances
6. List of the victims of Bloody Sunday
7. Go to Courseweb and click on Unit 8 and then choose the folders "Alienation of Nationalists," "Bloody Sunday" and "Bloody Friday" to view the videos related to this Unit.
8. Watch Big Jon McCort tell his personal story of Bloody Sunday. - DO NOT OPEN on your computer. Right click it and download it to watch.
Additional Resources for this Unit
Declassified Government Documents dealing with Internment - GREAT RESOURCE!
Northern Ireland Office Documents dealing with the violence of 1972, Bloody Sunday and proroguing Stormont
BLOODY SUNDAY
Bloody Sunday – Manchester Guardian Special Report
The Saville Inquiry - Full Report
UTV Report on Bloody Sunday- includes footage taken up to the time the filmmaker was shot dead.
BBC Report on the Saville Inquiry - includes David Cameron's unequivocal apology.
Commentary (cont.)
The readings here will provide you with two insights. The first is that the IRA really believed it was on the road to victory. The second insight is the impact that the IRA ceasefire and the subsequent proroguing of Stormont would have on the Protestant population. For Protestants the conjunction of these two and the continuing IRA violence was clear evidence that guns and bombs were effective in influencing the British government to change its policies and that the British were planning to sell out the Protestants in Northern Ireland.
Required Reading
1. Review pp. 77-86 in McKittrick
2. Introduction of Direct Rule
3. BBC - 1972 – Real Audio
4. pp. 128-to bottom of 135 in Provos
5. pp. 94-100 in Loyalists
Commentary (cont.)
We step back for a moment here and examine “Bloody Friday.” This is necessary because this day was as traumatic for the Unionist/Loyalist community as Bloody Sunday was to the Nationalist/Republican community. As Bloody Sunday pushed many young men and women into the armed struggle for their community and country, Bloody Friday pushed many young Protestants from ordinary Unionism into “Loyalism.” This was now a real war to them and like their counterparts in the IRA these young men took up the armed struggle in the belief that this was the only way to defend their community and their country.
Required Readings
1. Chapter 9 in Loyalists.
2. pp.148-152 in Provos
3. Annotated chronology of Bloody Friday at CAIN
4. BBC on Bloody Friday – This site gives you a very real sense of the impact of Bloody Friday on ordinary Protestants.
5. Bloody Friday and video on YouTube (VERY GOOD)
6. Bloody Friday Video - Go to Courseweb and click on Unit 8 Videos and then the folder marked Bloody Friday.
7. "Tit for Tat" Videos - Go to Courseweb and click on Unit 8 Videos and then the folder marked "Tit for Tat."