ABSTRACT
The political process of Sinn Fein continues, and the Volunteers continue to recruit and expand. Two independent-minded Volunteer operatives attack and murder a party of Royal Irish Constabulary. Michael Collins and some ministerial colleagues give official sanction to this action and the Anglo-Irish War starts. Collins wages a campaign of terror in assassinating Royal Irish Constabulary and Dublin police detectives. Both organisations are nullified by casualties and resignations. Control of large parts of Ireland are lost to British control; the IRA “occupy” and take control, and Sinn Fein and the Dail government establish de facto government in these territories, including a criminal and civil justice system which earns universal approval for fairness, even amongst some of the British establishment. The British reinforce the military with two newly created paramilitary organisations, “the Black and Tans” and the Auxiliaries, who employ tactics of intense reprisal and regain some control. The Irish strategy, given the uneven nature of the struggle, is that of spasmodic guerrilla warfare amongst a supporting populace. The Irish hold out –– just – until Britain sends “feelers” and eventually a Truce is agreed, to arrange peace talks between both sides on Ireland’s future status. However, divisions have appeared within the leadership of the Irish.
