Bloody Sunday - Escalation in the Irish War of Independence I THE GREAT WAR 1920

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The British government was confident that the guerrilla war against the Irish Independence movement would soon be under control. But with the events around Bloody Sunday and the Killmichael Ambush, the situation reached a new level of violence.
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» SOURCES
Dolan, Anne. “Killing the Bloody Sunday: November 1920” The Historical Journal
Vol. 49, No. 3 (Sep., 2006)
Hopkinson, Michael. “The Irish War of Independence” (Montreal & Kingston : McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2002)
“The Macroom Ambush” The Irish Independent, January 17 1921
McMahon, Sean. “The War of Independence” (Cork : Mercier Press, 2019)
O’Brien, Paul. “Havoc: The Auxiliaries in Ireland’s War of Independence” (Cork : Collins Press, 2017)
Ridley, Nicholas. “Michael Collins and the Financing of Violent Political Struggle” (New York : Routledge, 2018)
Roxbourgh, Ian. “The Military: The Mutual Determination of Strategy in Ireland, 1912-1921” in Duyvendak, Jan Willem & Jasper, James M. (eds) Breaking Down the State: Protesters Engaged, (Amsterdam : Amsterdam University Press, 2015)
Ryan, Meda. “The Kilmichael Ambush, 1920: Exploring the 'Provocative Chapters”, History, Vol. 92, No. 2 (306) (APRIL 2007)
Townshend, Charles. “The Republic: The Fight for Irish Independence 1918-1923” (London : Penguin Books, 2014)
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»CREDITS
Presented by: Jesse Alexander
Written by: Jesse Alexander
Director: Toni Steller & Florian Wittig
Director of Photography: Toni Steller
Sound: Toni Steller
Editing: Toni Steller
Motion Design: Philipp Appelt
Mixing, Mastering & Sound Design: above-zero.com
Maps: Daniel Kogosov ( / zalezsky )
Research by: Mark Newton
Fact checking: Florian Wittig
Channel Design: Yves Thimian
Contains licensed material by getty images
All rights reserved - Real Time History GmbH 2020

[@michaelsinger4638]

It’s sad that when you say “Bloody Sunday” you have to clarify which one you’re referring to.

[@eoincaomhanach1983]

there were more then 2 on the island of Ireland, says a lot really.

[@bayougtr]

@Kadir Garip Has nothing to do with Irish Independence.

[@tramorester]

@Khadirgarip of course it's valid that we know, it wasn't just the Brits killing civilians. Anyway there was a brief Soviet republic of Limerick in 1921 , of course the church and the soon to be Free Staters killed that, equality was only for a GPO proclamation , it was never meant to be practised

[@canman5060]

1921 or 1970 ?

[@callumpatterson7645]

@@tramorester catch a grip

[@WHickox83]

"Shot while trying to escape" is the "he hanged himself" of 100 years ago.

[@truckfreak4537]

“Suspect was resisting arrest”

[@Darwinek]

"Fell from the stairs" or "Stumbled and fell on a knife [five times]"

[@maximilianolimamoreira5002]

@@Darwinek stumbling and falling on a knife 5 times is bs, that is on purpose really.

[@youroneblackfriend6321]

@@maximilianolimamoreira5002 bruh. r/whoooosh

[@MrLorenzovanmatterho]

But in this case true, absolutely no evidence to the contrary.

[@narutojames225]

"Government approved reprisals" is an absolutely insane phrase to hear.

[@user-ys5yv2nz6w]

@@allanlank Pay back by killing civilians?

[@allanlank]

@@user-ys5yv2nz6w Civilians who were spies, sheltered murderers, and hid weapons and bombs.

[@tomaszzalewski4541]

@@allanlank Yeah, because 100% of Irish civilians supported the war. It's not like a notable portion of them were just Innocent bystanders. I don't know whether or not it's your ignorance or political brainwashing

[@Relocklabs]

@@tomaszzalewski4541 don't let the trolls get you upset my man

[@Conn30Mtenor]

@@tomaszzalewski4541 he's right though. The civilians gave the IRA intelligence, safe houses and joined the IRA ranks. The truth is the truth. In any revolution or insurgency, civilians will be targeted because the civilians are the enemies of the occupiers. Name one revolution where civilians weren't targets. When you're overthrowing an oppressor, every civilian, man woman or child is a target and if you think otherwise you're naive.

[@NMahon]

Some of the stories from Bloody Sunday are so sad. Little boys sitting on the wall watching the match gunned down. A girl who was due to be wed next week killed. An ex soldier who fought in the trenches killed in his home town by former fellow soldiers. They were so bloodthirsty they just massacred innocent people. It's one thing targeting officers and soldiers, it's another killing women and children. It's very stupid as well, because many of those in the crowd who weren't in the IRA would surely have joined them after this event.

[@johnroche7541]

@Thad Chad What about the Amritsar massacre in April 1919 in India? Was that justified?

[@AlwaysAC]

And we still haven’t learned. The same premise applies to the Middle East today. Every wedding bombed, every child caught in crossfire and every home levelled in our name pushes normal decent people towards violence and terrorism. Truly tragic.

[@joeviking61]

Why wasn't the Crown ever charged with War Crimes ?

[@guypierson5754]

@@joeviking61 By whom? The Crown is gonna charge itself with war crimes? The reigning monarch is the Commander in Chief of all British Armed forces. Britain still has a fat chunk of Ireland as a colony. A colony, in 2020, keep that in mind when you consider the UK an advanced country.

[@ShubhamMishrabro]

@@guypierson5754 i think Scotland would separate and Ireland will unite after some years

[@JobberBud]

This colorized footage is astounding.

[@anthonykatsivalis224]

Very

[@danielasterling6936]

USHUAIA BARILOCHE VILLA GESELL A R G E N T I N A

[@kevindoyle1884]

Barry was a tactical genius he managed wage a guerrilla war brilliantly with practically no supplies, in nearly all of his engaments his men had at most three rounds per engament. His book would go on to be studied at West Point and by the vietcong.

[@tramorester]

What I love about Tom Barry was the fact he was anti-treaty but did not a long protracted guerrilla against the free state. He argued that the 10,000 anti treaty republicans should take Dublin and hopefully reunite the staters with the IRA if the brits reemerged but if it was the free state they were fighting , it would be intense but short. Such a pity as we lost too many fine leaders from the republicans afterwards

[@johnsometimeswrong8742]

I think 3 rounds per volenteer is innacurate especially At Kilmicheal or Crossbarry but i do remeber reading i his book(28 years ago) about the pityful supply of ammo

[@bensanderson7144]

What impresses me about Barry was that oh, maybe 21 years of age when he led the flying columns

[@nipperparr6709]

I aggre, the man was an expert in gorilla warfare

[@lenorevanalstine1219]

@@bensanderson7144 every few generations there is born a brilliant tactician who are naturaly inclined to the kind of thinking that make them extremely effective

[@gannonwoods2456]

The colorization of the footage and photos really enhances the reality of the history. Excellent job and thank you to those that took the time to colorize.

[@Schnabelfreak]

You're welcome :) This is mostly done by an AI, and we put our final touch on it.

[@SeanONilbud]

@@ZolaClyde They didn't follow your orders.

[@adamazzalino5247]

nah distorts details in the original source

[@davey7452]

One mans terrorist is another mans freedomfighter. Prime minister David Lloyd George completely underestimated Irish Nationalism, he came to the conclusion after bloody Sunday a military solution is nolonger fiesible, he grudgingly began to go to Peace talks. In the end the British pulled out of southern Ireland but kept Northern Ireland, no one was completely satisfied and violence continued for many decades.

[@tiggergolah]

A terrorist targets unarmed civilians with the intention of terrorizing the civilian population. A guerilla fighter targets only military or armed government targets. There is a huge difference in the rules of war. Guerilla fighters have my respect, even those on the other side. Terrorists deserve no such respect, regardless of their cause. Deliberately targeting unarmed civilians damns your cause.

[@kenoliver8913]

"Michael Collins completely overestimated Irish support for terrorism, he came to the conclusion after bloody Sunday another six months a military solution is no longer feasible, he grudgingly began to go to peace talks." Equally true. De Valera didn't understand that and had Collins killed for it.

[@SantomPh]

Ironically Lloyd George was the first Welsh PM of the UK- a people long submerged by the English

[@djquinn11]

@@tiggergolah : No, the purpose of a terrorist is to terrorize.

[@freebeerfordworkers]

dave y74 If you read British Voices by William Sheehan Chapter 7 Lloyd George had started back stairs negotiations all Collins did that day was put them on hold until the fuss died down.

[@irelandjam]

Great work from all at The Great War, keep it up!

[@johnroche7541]

There is a lot of outstanding errors in this documentary.

[@uncertified-banger5595]

@@johnroche7541 cool.

[@IrishTechnicalThinker]

Michael Collins is running around gathering intelligence. Legend.

[@MrLorenzovanmatterho]

Michael Collins is a moron whose documents provided British intelligence with more info than anything else, Irish nationalists want to believe the legend so that can pretend they didn't lose.

[@guypierson5754]

@@MrLorenzovanmatterho I agree that Michael's actions were not always productive for the cause he purported to serve. But maybe he was doing his best to wage a war against a superpower with limitless resources using only his mind, every man has limits.

[@Rm-ss5gv]

@@MrLorenzovanmatterho how exactly did we lose ?

[@philipstokes865]

@@Rm-ss5gv read the Proclamation

[@freebeerfordworkers]

@@goldmanstaxxx6408 the British stopped being subjects of the crown and became citizens under the nationality act 70 years ago.

[@robertomeara3469]

One thing thats not mentioned here is the fear from upsetting Irish America by the British,this is very often overlooked.

[@philiprufus4427]

They tried that with Canada in the 19th century. The Canadians kicked them out and declared themselves A Crown Colony, they later became A Dominion.

[@johnnotrealname8168]

​@@philiprufus4427Irish America is significantly over-rated in terms of their effect in Ireland. The Proclamation was correct, Ireland had to rely on their own first. The @#£%&€$ Thomas Woodrow Wilson abandoned Ireland even after Irish opinion in America supported the Entente. It is why I think neutrality was a snub towards America too for not helping.

[@jacobtracy7847]

My Great Great Grandpa came to the US from Ireland in 1885. The town he was born in, Knockcroghery, was burned to the ground by the black and tans during the Anglo-Irish war.

[@tonyodoherty8983]

The Provence of Ulster has nine counties. Only six were included in Northren Ireland in order to create a Protestant majority.

[@brianmccarthy5557]

My paternal grandmother was a close relative of the famous Fenian Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa, though her immediate family were not IRA supporters at first. Several members of "The Squad" were cousins of hers. You have to remember that Irish families are large and extended so you typically have a lot of what the English word "cousins" describes. I'm also a distant relative, through both of my paternal grandparents, of Michael Collins, who was born in the parish of Clonakilty, which is the next parish to my grandfather's traditional village of Skibbereen in south Cork. He and my grandfather both attended the Christian Brothers School in Cork, though he was several years older than my grandfather, who emigrated upon his graduation at seventeen in 1913 to North America. One of the reasons Collins could count on the loyalty of his men was that many of them were related. Unlike most 20th Century revolutionaries the Irish were Catholics. Of the members of the Squad I know of, they went to Mass and took the Eucharist early that morning. I'm not sure how they handled their confessions, but at that point there were many priests who recognized them as legitimate Irish soldiers. My grandmother did end up running some guns for the Cork columns after the sacking and burning of Cork City by the English, and their murders of many Cork people. Ireland can be complicated, as she did have a minor romantic involvement with a British soldier at the same time. She emigrated to Boston during the Civil War period, around 1922/1923.

[@stephengrimmer35]

Brian, I hope you visit Skibbereen sometime. If you do, the Eldon Hotel is where Michael Collins spent his last night alive. And the rule is you my never pass a bar with your name on it without stopping for a drink. McCarthy is one of the most common names in West Cork 🍻

[@fintonmainz7845]

"Skibbereen the next parish to Clonakilty"

[@philiprufus4427]

It has now been proven that the Auxie who started tthe burning of Cork was a Scot from Selkirk and of German extraction. The family had a large country house near Selkirk and owned a weaving mill there.

[@fintonmainz7845]

@@philiprufus4427 it's ridiculous to state that an individual started it. There were multiple fires at different locations at the same time. This could not have been done by a dozen or so men.

[@XaloGunner]

Just bought the pass for the Berlin Documentary today and I'm really looking forward to it. Thanks for all you guys do! Been a fan since early days.

[@kevindoyle1884]

5his channel does an amazing job at actually telling the history as an Irish person we can be quite prticuler how our history is told but I just love the respect shown so far, great annunciation

[@MaryamofShomal]

Nothing but love and respect for the Irish!!! -Iranian-American whose never met an Irishman or woman who I didn’t adore 💚

[@jeeperspeepers8323]

One of the best educational videos on KZbin. Thank you.

[@bigounce4978]

What happens when the year is 2039? Are you guys gonna continue the Great War in real time channel by redoing World War 2 in real time?

[@joebradford7308]

Get out of my head! I was thinking the exact same thing! 😅

[@yourstruly4817]

More importantly, what happens when the year is 2077?

[@welatxwese8074]

Remember Indy Neidel? :') He does world war two week by week! He is now in November 1941. Channel name is' World War Two'

[@rojas6256]

The channel is going to be gone by 2023

[@rojas6256]

They are going to do till. 1923

[@thomasmichael559]

It’s interesting just how important intelligence is in a guerrilla war. The British coincidently had a similar problem with having too many conflicting intelligence agencies in Northern Ireland during the troubles. There was army intelligence known as the Force Research Unit, there was also MI5 the Secret Service, and lastly police intelligence known as the Special Branch. It was only in 1976 the confusion was resolved when the Royal Ulster Constabulary Special Branch was made the senior intelligence agency responsible for counter terrorism.

[@geraldoleary1259]

Police at Kilmichael ! No. Highly trained military officers with free reign to kill at will. Thankfully the IRA on the day dispensed with that potential element of British military terror in Ireland.

[@22grena]

In any war; Germany and Japan were both defeated because the British and Americans were reading their coded communication.

[@holidayhouse03]

Well ya talked me into spending the 12 bucks for the CS/nebula bundle. Watched some of your Berlin special...it’s great so far. Think this might be the best $12 I’ve spent in quite a while. Thank you to all at the Great War and real time history.

[@TheGreatWar]

thanks for the support and glad you are enjoying it

[@jessealexander2695]

Thanks a lot!

[@theoutlook55]

For sure!

[@torchofkck4989]

Thank you ! ! Besides the great content & presented covered so well... (Know just narration of facts) (But,) It is extremely refreshing to see what & how a true journalist covers all the facts & statements from both sides. (Discussing AAR of "False Surrender" clip) Even when portions of statement(s) seem obviously propaga from then current overpowering government. I don't believe that it can be infensized enough how refreshing to see what true journalistic coverage looks like. It seems like a lifetime sense we have openly witnessed it. Thanks again

[@surfstrat59]

Fantastic presentation!

[@cantonlowlifemedia]

Keep up this series on the Irish War of Independence! It's great!

[@danboland3775]

Fantastically balanced look at a little known part of history- great work all!

[@johnroche7541]

Sadly there is a lot of prominent errors.

[@danboland3775]

@@johnroche7541like what? I noticed some oversimplifications, sure, but that's the nature of the format

[@johnroche7541]

@@danboland3775 Check out my reply to "C Coady Long" above.

[@danboland3775]

@@johnroche7541 thanks, it was an interesting read. The inaccuracies you've pointed out are certainly worth correcting, but are minutiae. You said yourself they're mistakes found in other sources. A history channel that jumps around is going to have them. None of the big picture stuff was inaccurate as far as Im aware

[@johnroche7541]

@@danboland3775 The quote in relation to the IRA and Michael Collins he erroneously attributed to David Lloyd George. This quote is actually from Tom Jones(Secretary to Lloyd George) in a letter to Bonar Law. When historians quote David Lloyd George's famous "We have murder by the throat speech" in early November 1920 they dont emphasise that it was optimistic and premature as IRA operations contradicted it. It was a vital month that historians fail to grasp the significance of it as it reflects the growing insurgency. David Lloyd George's speech was in early November but look what happens by the end of the month.A)Bloody Sunday,B)Kilmichael Ambush,C)IRA attacks on Liverpool docklandsD)Over 60 Crown Forces killed which was the heaviest death toll for any single month of 1920. In the UK barricades were put up to the entrance of Downing Street. Prominent historians who are specialists on this conflict should be aware of the significance of November and they dont emphasise my point which in my opinion is a dereliction of historical duty. One has to highlight David Lloyd George's optimism and contradict it with the reality on the ground. After all these years I cant comprehend why historians fail to highlight the significance of November 1920. It is like a historian talking about the Battle of Stalingrad and refusing to state it was a turning point in the 2nd World War. I am an ex-soldier and I am a researcher. I have been to Ireland both in N.Ireland and the Republic consulting the Archives in Belfast and Dublin(Military Archives). I have also visited the ambush sites and scenes of IRA attacks in the conflict. In the UK I have consulted the National Archives in London,consulted the regimental museums in England,Scotland and Wales and British Library Archives. I know this conflict intimately and have corrected established historians.

[@memisemyself]

Well done on a well researched and unbiased account of these tragic events.

[@johnroche7541]

There is a lot of outstanding errors in this documentary. See my reply to "C Coady Long" above for details.

[@memisemyself]

@@johnroche7541 Having read a number of articles by historians on the two events just recently, I see no problems with what he said. There was much more detail that could have been given to explain different aspects of the events but he was constrained by time. There will always be discrepancies in records of events, especially of this nature. There will also be discrepancies in the interpretation of those records. That's the nature of things. Your reply to C Coady Long doesn't enlighten my one bit.

[@silverkitty2503]

It was a VERY VERY anti irish account of events ...and a very pro british events ....i actually suspect he is paid some how by the british. He would NOT be well received by the irish people nor irish nationalists. They would go mad watching this!

[@silverkitty2503]

@@memisemyself He says this is about bloody sunday but fails to mention the massacre at croke park. He is obviously taking the british side for some reason.

[@captainohcaptain9588]

@@silverkitty2503 fails to mention bloody Friday or the disappeared or the Birmingham bombings as well

[@emmetoconnor5105]

well researched and objective

[@oliversherman2414]

I love your channel keep up the great stuff!!

[@22grena]

Very well done.

[@johnwatt0]

In the 1918 General Election the pro-independence Sinn Féin won 73/105 Irish Seats In accordance with the Sinn Féin manifesto, their elected members refused to attend Westminster, having instead formed their own Irish parliament. Dáil Éireann was, according to John Patrick McCarthy, the revolutionary government under which the Irish War of Independence was fought and which sought international recognition. The Black and Tans were the brainchild of Churchill, he sent the thugs to Ireland to terrorise at will. Attacking civilians and civilian property they done Churchill proud. Rampaging across the country carrying out reprisals. He went on to describe them as “gallant and honourable officers”. It was also Churchill who conceived the idea of forming the Auxiliaries who carried out the Croke Park massacre. They fired into the crowd at a Gaelic football match, killing 14. Of course this didn’t fulfill Churchill’s bloodlust to repress a people who he described as “odd” for their refusal “to be English”. He went on to advocate the use of air power in Ireland against Sinn Fein members in 1920. He suggested to his war advisers that aeroplanes should be dispatched with orders to use “machine-gun fire or bombs” to “scatter and stampede them”. The British (UK) Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) members called "Black and Tans" soon gained a reputation for brutality. In the summer of 1920, "Black and Tans" paramilitary police began responding to IRA attacks by carrying out arbitrary reprisals against Irish civilians, This usually involved the burning of Irish homes, businesses, meeting halls and farms. Some buildings were also attacked with gunfire and grenades, and businesses were looted. Reprisals on property "were often accompanied by beatings and killings". Many villages suffered mass reprisals, including the Sack of Balbriggan (20 September), Kilkee (26 September), Trim (27 September), Tubbercurry (30 September) and Granard (31 October). Black and Tans burned many houses in the surrounding villages of Milltown Malbay, Lahinch and Ennistymon, and killed five civilians. In early November, Black and Tans "besieged" Tralee in revenge for the IRA abduction and killing of two local RIC men. They closed all the businesses in the town, let no food in for a week and shot dead three local civilians. On 14 November, Black and Tans were suspected of abducting and murdering a Roman Catholic Priest, Father Michael Griffin, in Galway. His body was found in a bog in Barna a week later. From October 1920 to July 1921, the Galway region was "remarkable in many ways", most notably the level of "Black and Tans" brutality towards "suspected" IRA members, which was far above the norm in the rest of Ireland. The British government, the British administration in Dublin Castle Ireland, and senior officers in the British RIC tacitly supported reprisals as a way of scaring the Irish civilian population. The Auxiliary Division of the Royal Irish Constabulary (ADRIC) was a paramilitary unit of the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) Temporary officers did not cope well with the frustrations of counterinsurgency: hurriedly recruited, poorly trained, and with an ill-defined role, they soon gained a reputation for drunkenness, lack of discipline, and brutality worse than that of the Black and Tans. They were disliked by members of the Royal Irish Constabulary (police), who considered them "rough." They seem to have been unpopular with the British Army as well. One British officer, who served as adjutant for the 2nd Battalion, Cameron Highlanders, wrote in his memoirs that the Auxiliaries "were totally undisciplined by our regimental standards". One wrote in his memoirs that "the exploits of certain companies under weak or inefficient commanders went a long way to discredit the whole force". The Auxiliaries became infamous for reprisal attacks on civilians and civilian property in revenge for IRA actions, including "extrajudicial killings" and arson; most notably the burning of Cork city in December 1920.

[@viktro546]

"was shot while trying to escape" as a euphemism of execution. hmmm why does it sound so familiar

[@albertofrankdiaz6664]

The same excuse in every war from the start of history. Even the roman say the same 🤣

[@ralphbernhard1757]

Yes, I remember the US wartime "newsreels" about "Japanese Banzai attacks". Only, the dead Japanese were lined up in a ditch next to the road... The dead don't speak.

[@cardenasr.2898]

Mexican president Madero and his VP were executed after being deceived into thinking they'd be exiled. The new president Huerta declared they tried to escape and some of their supporters shot the military guards, triggering a shootout

[@MrLorenzovanmatterho]

Because it was true. There is no evidence to contradict the authorities version of events and every right to doubt it.

[@iammaxhailme]

"I had no choice, he was resisting arrest!"

[@TheophilusBoone]

Excellent! Top notch!

[@revmo37]

Awesome video !

[@songsmith31a]

There is still controversy about the selection of those targeted by Collins' gunmen on Red Sunday as it was originally called. Indeed, my late father's first cousin was a military barrister and lecturer in law. I wonder in retrospect whether he was chosen because of his work in trials that resulted in successful convictions against the Crown's Irish opponents. My father had survived 1917-1918 on the Western and Italian Fronts, and following the Amistice had, as a 21 year old former subaltern, joined the RIC Auxiliary Division, and was posted to the west of Ireland. He had only been there for a matter of months when he must have learnt of the shooting of his cousin, with whom he was close , on that fateful November Sunday. I can only imagine his feelings at that time and place. Young men of his generation were obliged to mature very quickly in the cruellest circumstances.

[@Niinsa62]

Great work, I like! Keep it up! Well, I don't like the brutality of Bloody Sunday, but you know what I mean, I like your work. I saw a movie a long time ago called The Wind That Shakes The Barley. Fiction, I think, but it paints a very powerful picture of what it was like back in 1920-21.

[@robertthomas4234]

Jim Sheridan, who made that movie, says it was a document. Remember the British ships laden with food for export?😷

[@benrlego]

Surprisingly an overlooked part of the post-WWI era in countries outside the UK/Ireland.

[@johnroche7541]

From a military historical point of view you would see the emergence of the urban guerilla in this conflict. It would see the development of the IED tactic. The famous Thompson Submachine Gun would make it's military debut in this conflict and the IRA would be the first to use it in combat. It would inspire both politically and militarily future wars of liberation and anti-colonial conflicts. The IRA tactics would be emulated and expanded upon. Ho Chi Minh was a waiter in London at the time and was influenced by the conflict.

[@Roller_Ghoster]

@@johnroche7541 it was a sectarian conflict at its heart no matter how Republicanism dressed it up and saw 3000 plus dead during later Troubles. It, as you know, resulted in a stalemate with no winners.

[@senan7191]

@@Roller_Ghoster Well Ireland became a free state so....

[@Roller_Ghoster]

@@senan7191 well Northern Ireland is still British so....

[@senan7191]

@@Roller_Ghoster losing 6/32 is a minor sacrifice considering we got the rest so.....

[@eringobreathtiocfaidharla1446]

Absolutely wonderful concise video ,watching here with a class of cider..thank you buddy)

[@michaelc225]

Yes very rare for a video about any form of Irish struggle for independence to not be biased and on the brits side

[@shaider1982]

Wow, did you guys interpolated the footage? It seemed smoother than the usual videos from that era.

[@leesmith5288]

Your videos are great

[@leonardhughes2226]

I like your impartial approach. My great uncle was a part of this, with Michael Collins. He was not mentioned in open history, for reasons you should know, if you looked into Michael Collins and the Squad deeply enough. I know it has been a couple of years since you did this video, buy let me know if you would like to chat.

[@stephengrimmer35]

So Michael Collins outdid Heisenberg and Jack Welcher's gang: 14 coordinated hits in a few minutes

[@spookerredmenace3950]

would be awesome to see the Berlin doc on a physical dvd

[@cardenasr.2898]

I'd buy that, rather than watching documentaries in streaming platforms I like having the physical medium

[@spookerredmenace3950]

@@cardenasr.2898 ya streaming platforms either can skip or not load or only last for a small time, physical copy's will last, easily be found, sometimes lol i've lost a few movies in my time lol

[@patricklucey8850]

Forget not The boys of Kilmichael. Thank you Tom Barry and the 3rd West Cork Brigade.

[@j24130]

Why not VHS?

[@j24130]

You know you can download these videos

[@grahamwood9428]

A very balanced and thought provoking programme. Giving all sides of points of view is a rarity nowadays.

[@kathleankeesler1639]

Thank you

[@dominik8306]

I love Ireland from Poland :)

[@jokeeffe2006]

hello Poland Ireland here

[@liamobrien4767]

I had the very great Honour as a young 18 year old school boy of buying Tom Barry a Birthday drink in a an unexpected encounter in a famous Cork Pub

[@tamasmarcuis4455]

The Cairo Gang was a British death squad or assassination troop, made up of people with experience of targeted murders a tacit used in British colonies. It was the first time since South Africa the British had used the tactic against Europeans. Such operations were organised through the British Admiralty and consequently under Churchill. Sending in murder squads to wipe out the IRA in one grand act is typical of the grandios thinking of Churchill. The IRA had little choice but to wipe the group out including any local police who volunteered to join. The British did still go on to use murder squads particularly against family members of suspected IRA. The effect being more like random terrorism which in my opinion is symptomatic of the collapse of the British forces in Ireland.

[@edwardbourke5240]

The name Cairo gang is unknown prior to 1958 until used by Rex Taylor and is not mentioned in any of the Bureau of military history witness statements. Secret service and Royal Irish Constabulary formed the murder gangs who assassinated Sinn Fein politicians and activists. The shooting into the crowd at Croke park was done by an RIC group from the Phoenix park Depot who were forerunners of the Igoe gang (identification group). When Lloyd George said he had "murder by the throat" he had flooded Ireland with assassins. See book Murder by the throat assassination collaboration and execution during war of independence.

[@johnnotrealname8168]

​@@edwardbourke5240Yes, there was no such thing as a Cairo gang. Furthermore such squads are legitimate, depending on the target. It should be noted too that it was the British that started it.

[@johnroche7541]

@@johnnotrealname8168 There was no such thing as the "Cairo Gang" . It is a term that was used in retrospect. For example one of the biggest myths is that these were former British intelligence officers that served in Cairo, Egypt in WW1 or that they frequented the "Cairo Cafe" off Grafton Street. Are you familiar with that iconic photo in some history books on the Irish War of Independence that purports to be the Cairo Gang? I know for certain that it is in Dan Breens memoir "My Fight For Irish Freedom". It shows a photo of members of the Crown Forces wearing civilian clothes and some smoking cigarettes. The photo is taken in the grounds of Dublin Castle. Most history books state erroneously that these are the Cairo Gang. Absolute nonsense. This photo was captured by IRA intelligence. With the exception of one I can name everyone in that photo. I can categorically state that everyone in that picture is an Auxiliary Cadet that served with "F" Company. In modern military parlance they were "Black Ops" that targeted HVT(High Value Targets). They moved around in mufti. They mistakenly killed an innocent man named John Lynch who they mistook for the wanted IRA Cork officer Liam Lynch. Not one of these men were killed Bloody Sunday(21st November 1920). In fact you can see two members of this group in Auxiliary uniform in another famous photograph which was taken in February 1921 after the shooting of a British soldier. Only one in the picture that was taken in the grounds of Dublin Castle was killed and that was Cadet Appleford who was killed in June 1921. By the way I am an ex soldier and now a genealogist but military research is my forte. I have studied the Irish War of Independence for over 20 years and have debunked a lot of Republican and British myths. I have also corrected both Irish and British historians in terms of respective books through the publishers of the respective works.

[@eoinmaguire6691]

I'm a proud Irishman and like many Irishmen Michael Collins is my Irish hero, The British really met there match with this giant of a man known as the "Scarlett pimpernel" Many of the British only saw him 4 the first time when Dev sent him over 2 England 2 sign the treaty which left England with the north and in Michaels own words "I've just signed my own death warrant" Like many Irish families I have great uncles that are passed a longtime but my great uncle who was 94 when he died in 1989 was on Collins side those men would have and did give up there lives 4 him and country.. At Michael Collins grave there's a plaque around it with hundreds of people's names who fought with him and I'm so proud that my great uncles name is amongst them.... Those extra "army" you said they brought over were the black and tans, No more then a bunch of ex prisoners and people kicked out of the army they were animals they were no soldiers just a bunch of animals... Collins and his.cell assinatinated ligimat targets what those auxiliaries and tans did shooting there way in 2 a football match and killing innocent people was nothing more then murder and war crimes.... Now I want 2 state that this is no way me taking a swipe at the British now thankfully we've come a long way from those dark days so don't want any comments saying I'm this or that against the British I'm not I'm talking strictly on our past.... Even the British held Michael Collins in high regard hence Loyd George and his cabinet ministers went 2 Collin's funeral out of there respect 4 the man.... I even heard Che Guevara got his gurella warfare tactics from Collins or Collins was someone he looked up 2?? Says alot about the man but it's nothing us Irish dont already no, Collins was way ahead of his time... He'll be 100yrs dead August 22/23?? 2022 may him and all those great Irishmen and Women who fought 4 our freedom RIP🙏🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪

[@theoutlook55]

Did you enjoy that biopic movie about Collins, starring Liam Neeson?

[@eoinmaguire6691]

@@theoutlook55 I actually thought it wasn't to bad, Didn't know what to expect from Hollywood.. They romaticized it alot but the only romantic part in the film was his love for Kitty, I'm not a huge Liam Nesson fan but he was brilliant everything I imagined Collins to be.... I've seen alot worse biopics let's put that way👍

[@theoutlook55]

@@eoinmaguire6691 gotcha. Thanks. I've never watched it myself but have always wondered.

[@cristianvandenbosse8989]

Can you sell those maps in the background i would like to have them

[@gomey70]

Great content. My grandfather was in an IRA flying column and was captured by crown forces twice, and escaped twice. We still have the letters he sent to my grandmother from prison.

[@captainohcaptain9588]

Child killers

[@thebunkerparodie6368]

really like the color image

[@noodlyappendage6729]

Here we go..

[@dragosstanciu9866]

The British were so obsessed with keeping control over Ireland although the island itself is not rich in mineral resources or oil and the people there hated the UK.

[@spookerredmenace3950]

now adays the IRA are liberal and support the British, which is a shame Michael Collins would roll in his grave , also great movie

[@connormccann7254]

dragosstanciu the British were fearful of Ireland falling into French or Spanish hands. France and Spain were long time rivals of Britain and the island of Ireland would be most advantageous for launching an invasion of Britain. Even if the military threat from mainland Europe was absent, Ireland was still on Britains doorstep and from their perspective, was easy pickings. As the saying goes Ireland is easy to invade but is absolutely ungovernable. Britain also genuinely believed Ireland naturally belonged to them and that the Irish people were simply a lesser version of themselves.

[@adampatterson4857]

But that just simply isn't correct now is it....

[@ralphbernhard1757]

@old school honour and respect. How do you know that? Was a referendum or plebiscite ever held?

[@MrLorenzovanmatterho]

I'm source you mean the British government sought to protect the lives and human rights of Irish Unionists?

[@Niinsa62]

About the top notch intelligence work performed by Michael Collins and his organization, I remember a few lines from the movie Garda. Or "The Guard" as it's called in English. An Irish cop trying to bring down a drug smuggling ring that killed his partner needs to know that he is not stepping into IRA turf, and meets with an IRA member. It turns out the drug smuggling has nothing to do with the IRA, so there will be no bad blood if he takes matters into his own hands. And he also gets weapons from the IRA contact, weapons that cannot be traced back to him. Including a small pistol, that the IRA guy says "the homosexuals like, you can hide them in your crotch, no straight bloke would want to check there". And the cop asks in surprise "you have homosexuals in the IRA now?". And the IRA contact answers, a bit ashamed, "yeah, it was the only way we could successfully infiltrate British Intelligence..." :-)

[@dewayneweaver5782]

Burn cork was used by soldiers to dark in their faces. Even American football players used it under the eyes to decrease the Suns glare.

[@johnmcpherson3661]

Joined CS using the link provided, but have not found Nebula or GW yet. How do we access them? Under what search word are you found there?

[@jessealexander2695]

You should get an email from Nebula how to access it for free.

[@mikhailv67tv]

The squad would make great material for a movie.

[@nunceccemortiferiscultu7826]

It would be ruined by Hollywood. There's no "POC" so they'll bluntly insert painful positive stereotypes into all the prominent charater roles. Black Michael Collins anyone? Lol

[@jammyjamer]

@@nunceccemortiferiscultu7826 made up scenario

[@johnnypatrickhaus890]

Wonderfully detailed and respectful. Go raibh maith agat.

[@floydvaughn836]

Kilmichael. There's a town in MS of that name. Wonder where the founders were from?

[@jimcronin2043]

In a broad sense, there are several parallels between the British military effort in the Irish War of Independence and the Us involvement in Vietnam.

[@brianmccarthy5557]

So broad, in fact, as to lose any meaning at all.

[@jimcronin2043]

@Razor Mouth☘️ There are several similarities which struck me as I watched the video. First, in both cases government forces were more successful in large population centers but were unable to wield any influence on the countryside, especially in specific areas (Mekong Delta in Vietnam and County Cork in Ireland). Second, the events of Bloody Sunday parallel those of the Tet offensive in which government forces were surprised at the outset but gained the upper hand later, however, the insurgencies created the propaganda myths that they had won a great victory. Third, the insurgencies had developed an energetic and skilled guerilla force (Kilmichael Massacre) while the government forces had fallen into a conventional, lethargic routine. Fourth, in both cases the government gradually escalated forces with the same mission when current strength faced mission failure. Finally, all the while that the fighting was gong on there were peace feelers going on behind the scenes. So there are my reasons for the comment. Perhaps you agree or maybe not. Help me understand why you would respond with a snarky, pejorative comment as you did instead of politely asking for an explanation of my comment. Was it your immaturity? Do you believe that you know everything and others know nothing? Some other reason?

[@r.ladaria135]

Sure, both Nam and Erie are rainy lands.

[@jimcronin2043]

@@r.ladaria135 My point was that in both wars the occupying forces were unable to control the countryside and their strengths in the cities gave them a false sense of success. In the case of Vietnam it was especially true in the Mekong Delta and in Ireland's case, the County Cork area. Also, in both cases the Americans and British kept responding to lack of success by inserting more forces rather than changing tactics. And finally, in both wars the occupying forces had recently completed successful conventional wars and inserted troops to conduct that kind of war while the insurgents conducted guerilla tactics which bypassed much of the conventional efforts. It's unfortunate that you limited yourself to a snarky comment. As you grow older and mature you will learn to express yourself better.

[@r.ladaria135]

@@jimcronin2043 So your point is that in both confrontation the rebels deployed the same guerrilla tactics that almost every guerrilla warriors have used since the spanish war of independence against Napoleon. Which one is the equivalent Tet offensive in Ireland? Khe Shan? When the British occupied Manila, they discovered that it was of no use to them because their domain extended to the range of their artillery, from then on they were dead men... when the Italians kicked the Turks out of Libya something similar happened to them, they could hardly get out of Tripoli or Benghazi, of course the desert is much easier to control from the air than the rainy forest and they had some success in the late 1930s. The clear landscape of the Sahara has allowed Morocco to massacre the original settlers and extend its dominate further South with western support. As it is an effort that the kingdom cannot afford I wonder if that will end in an Iran-style uprising ...Despite Morocco is a dry land like a desert but such a mountainous terrain ... like Vietnam.

[@eduardovaldivia5572]

Open warfare would have resulted in an Irish version of the Tet offensive in Vietnam. The Tet offensive in military terms was a disaster. The Irish would have been defeated so they made the right decision in that regard and Irish independence still happened.

[@philiprufus4427]

Collins and Griffiths amongst others made the decsion,he knew The Brits.

[@johnnotrealname8168]

​@@philiprufus4427The Tet Offensive was morally successful and there was such an attack but I oppose it primarily for the destruction of priceless archives.

[@PCB888]

Love the Irish history videos keep them coming! Maybe the Irish Civil War next?

[@davidskeffington1269]

It should be always remembered that those who die in any conflict lose. Be suspicious of any leader who wants their followers to die or kill for their cause.

[@brianmccarthy5557]

Oh, horseshit. Sometimes you have to fight for the right things. Those who are most interested in their own advantages are the contemptible ones.

[@Prodrentjet]

so every military leader in existence deserved to be treated with suspicious intent?

[@kevindoyle1884]

Michael Collins is a legend in modern Irish history RIP

[@jackd5089]

And traitor

[@waxCelebration]

@@jackd5089 Same thing as the American revolution war against the brits, same thing

[@LuisAldamiz]

@@jackd5089 - Traitor to whom? To the enemy of Ireland? Traitors are those who lick the boots of the oppressor.

[@barra6709]

@@LuisAldamiz he was controversial as well as popular. Lots of people were mad he agreed to partition of the island and dominion status, then he ordered artillery fire on his old comrades who took over the Four Courts.

[@LuisAldamiz]

@@barra6709 - OK, that kind of traitor... my bad then. Sorry.

[@tomasstride9590]

It seems a little incongruous that coming shortly after a war when millions died that the violence here should be characterised as causing outrage. The violence described here would have passed unnoticed on any day during the Great War. I guess soldier's lives just don't merit the same degree of outrage when they are lost.

[@padraigpearse1551]

Its the fact that this was during peace time. If something like this happened the same day as the somme or gallipoli then it would go unnoticed because those are larger events.

[@johnroche7541]

@@padraigpearse1551 How is it peace time when there is a low intensity insurgency happening?

[@RapidAssaultEuro]

Most people in Britain weren't directly affected so for them it's peacetime. Same way that British soldiers fighting in Afghanistan wasn't too page news every day, it doesn't really disrupt daily life.

[@Fairfax40DaysforLife]

It's pretty astonishing what people are outraged at ... and what they aren't. It's all about the publicity. People of color killed by police in USA yearly: several hundreds Children killed by their parents (abortion) in USA yearly: about a million Which one do you keep hearing about on the news?

[@Prodrentjet]

@@Fairfax40DaysforLife well considering people of color murdered by the institutions meant to protect them are actual people and not just clusters of cells I would say that merits to why the news covers them more....

[@don1jon]

So sad to say that these significant events were practically ignored in Ireland, on their 100th anniversary.

[@barontaylor7139]

Was this inspiration for the U2 song?

[@anthonycosgrave8539]

No. That song was an inspiration to another Bloody Sunday later on.

[@davidturner7590]

I just signed up with Curiosity Stream but was unable to find any of your content when I searched for The Great War, World War Two, or Between Two Wars. I asked for help from the "Help" area, but got nowhere. I know you are not Curiosity Stream, but I hope you can help me.

[@MadMax-bq6pg]

I got suckered the same way; I’m in Australia, not really much to see. No I won’t be renewing

[@prazcuray1388]

Never doubt the tenacity and wit of a woman or man that wants their country to be free and independent

[@johnroche7541]

In wars or conflicts never underestimate the tenacity or stoicism of the ordinary citizens. There is a story from Cork Harbour at the time of the Irish War of Independence where the coffins of fallen British troops are being loaded on to ships to be repatriated back to the UK. An elderly Irish woman states to a British officer "Make sure you bring those coffins back empty and we will fill them again".

[@johnnotrealname8168]

​@@johnroche7541That seems a bit callous to be honest. I hate loss of life.

[@johnroche7541]

@@johnnotrealname8168 Totally agree but members of the Crown Forces committed what would be war crimes under a UN charter.

[@johnnotrealname8168]

@@johnroche7541 So did the I.R.A., also that document is one of the most useless of all time.

[@johnroche7541]

@@johnnotrealname8168 The Crown Forces murdered 3 Catholic clergymen in cold blood during the conflict and arrested over 40. Obviously every soldier and combatant is directed by his own moral compass. Can you give precise examples of IRA war crimes as I certainly can in relation to Crown Forces in terms of names and dates. There was also cases of rape of Irishwomen by Crown Forces which in one case resulted in death when soldiers from the 1st Bn Northamptinshire Regiment gang raped a woman in Co.Tipperary in December 1920. No British soldier was charged with this rape as they were deployed elsewhere including Russia. I would recommend everyone to read the anti Boer War speeches of David Lloyd George as after reading them it is hard to comprehend that it is the same man when he became Prime Minister unleashed both the Black & Tans and Auxiliaries on Ireland. . By the way the two aforementioned forces have an infamous reputation for their barbaric methods during the conflict but the regular British Army committed war crimes on a par. For example the 1st Essex Regiment,South Staffordshire and Cameron Highlanders in Co.Cork would earn a barbaric reputation and the Royal Scots(Lothian Regiment) would have a nefarious record in Co.Clare. These are just a few examples.

[@TheGreatWar]

Support us and get 40% off Nebula: go.nebula.tv/the-great-war Watch 16 Days in Berlin on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/16-days-in-berlin-01-prologue-the-beginning-of-the-end?ref=the-great-war

[@Daniel-OConnell]

@old school honour and respect. Perhaps you could point out exactly which parts you find incorrect, or biased. The Irish people had overwhelmingly voted for Sinn Fein in the democratic election of 1918 and the elected representatives chose not to sit in Westminister, but instead founded their own Irish parliament . Please also note that the IRA had several guises, the IRA of the war of Independence had strong public support in Ireland. The Provisional Sinn Fein/IRA who emerged in 1970 were quite different and just used the same name to justify their cause. They had little public support in Ireland and indeed there were many veterens of the war of independence who condemned their tactics.

[@marks_sparks1]

@@Daniel-OConnell well said.

[@Daniel-OConnell]

@old school honour and respect. Invitation by whom? when? 1169 was the year of the Norman Invasion of Ireland when a local warlord requested their help to settle a territorial dispute and married his daughter to the Norman leader Strongbow. Henry II came in 1171 or 1172 and Britain stayed for almost 800 years!

[@kevin2harty]

If I remember correctly I once read that one examination of the bodies of the auxiliaries after the ambush at least one of them were found with bullet wounds under their arm pits which indicated there hands were in the air.

[@goddessoflesbians1153]

Where is the other host who did the first world war every day videos?

[@TrufflesMusic]

I have adhd can someone gimme a timestamp of the actual event? I keep missing it thx

[@johnmcgrath5698]

The english fucked over the irish for 100s of years in 1919 is the period he is talking about 1919 till 1922

[@wilsonflood4393]

Can't find nebula. Something about Google not allowing it.

[@GF-pf6xh]

Great photos.

[@doubleducks814]

It's odd to remember that I lived thru the same history in the 1970's. Bloody Sunday Derry, the burning of streets. My house bombed, shoots fired into my flat. Friends and family murdered. Having to share my school with the British army, they walked on the left in the corridors us kids on the other side. They used us as human shields!

[@desmondhull5778]

JACKANORY

[@captainohcaptain9588]

The IRA focused on killing civilian ppl human shields they didn't care who they killed as long as it helped the ethnic cleansing of the northern Irish ppl

[@jdb47games]

And then I woke up.

[@doubleducks814]

@@jdb47games St Peters School Britons Parade Belfast. Time you woke up.

[@jamie8032]

It was Eamon De Valera, who criticized the IRA's hit and run tactics. He wanted the IRA to behave "legitimately" and engage in large scale engagements - he wanted "a show of force". Which led to the assault on the customs House in 1921. An absolute disaster.

[@JakusLarkus]

It's a double-edged sword, and I still don't know whether De Valera or Collins was more in the right. Do you organise into a structured, regular army which shows the world you are a legitimate country with a standing combat force (and risk playing along with British battle tactics and losing), or do you sacrifice that legitimacy for the sake of an overwhelmingly successful guerrilla campaign (and leave the politics of statehood for later)? I think it's the latter that won us the war, but the former that won us our country back.

[@icemanire5467]

@@JakusLarkus Collins was right militarily. Collins was initially right politically, but Dev despite being a serious victim of revisionism since the 90s was more effective politically. He got Ireland's port's back and he put a stop to land reparations to Britain that Collins signed off on and defiantly declared the Free State a Republic and implemented a constitution that can only be changed by referendum, something that Fine Gael opposed.

[@georgethomas4419]

Tom Barry was a great military mind and game as a lion made of Irish steel

[@Deus_ex_Machina1]

Nice

[@mysticedge4]

Broken bottles under children's feet Bodies strewn across the dead-end street But I won't heed the battle call It puts my back up, puts my back up against the wall Sunday, Bloody Sunday - Paul Hewson (Bono)

[@michaelc225]

That was about a different blood Sunday in northern Ireland in derry 30th January 1972 where the brits shot 24 inoccent civilians having a peaceful March killing 14

[@jeremiahchairez7794]

"The Worst...IS YET....TO COME!!!" - Kimberly Guilfoyle

[@wB5980]

Where does that door behind him lead????

[@ashebermulugata9]

I thought this was about the " Bloody Sunday" in my era.

[@padraigpearse1551]

My great great uncle was one of the men hand picked by collins to help the squad in the assassinatoons of the cairo gang. As someone from derry, ireland (the second bloody sunday location) I really appreciate this channel bringing attention to irish history.

[@adampatterson4857]

Londonderry

[@padraigpearse1551]

@@adampatterson4857 don't even start

[@WhatChaMaCalum]

@@padraigpearse1551 Why don't we change it back to county Coleraine?

[@WhatChaMaCalum]

@UC0BFbizZ5lgxz3opCp2cWBg Its the only county in Ireland to have its name changed I say change it back you have your Derry I have my county Coleriane.

[@padraigpearse1551]

Why don't yous take your petty arguments elsewhere. This is not the place for something so trivial

[@Gillemear]

There was one report, only one from an unnamed source, of shooting against crown forces on Bloody Sunday. One out of the near 4,000 people at the match. One from an alleged unnamed witnesses who was supposed to have stood next to the reporters stand. Yet those same reporters, trained and experienced at noticing even the most minute detail, saw nothing of the sort. And this despite the fact that two of the first murdered, two boys sitting in trees overlooking the pitch outside the stadium, had wounds which indicted they were looking towards the oncoming Auxiliaries when hit, not at the stadium, which would be more natural if a loud sound like that of out-going shot came from Croke Park. This was a murderous rampage by ill-disiplined forces, pure and simple

[@philiprufus4427]

There were some bad elements in The Tans and Auxies of this there is no doubt,many were war damaged. To unleash such men armed to the teeth on a civilian population was asking for trouble some were wanton killers. However men used to fighting the armies of The Central Powers were not going to shrink from the likes of The IRA,who did not help the civilian population by ambushing and chucking bombs into the Auxie trucks. One dreads to think how German or Turkish Troops would have retaliated.The response of The Auxies and Tans was bad enough. The IRA butcher and bolt tactics meant the civvies were going to bare the brunt. Especialy as so many IRA were civvies themselves. One of the Auxie commanders a Brig Crossier resighned in frustration at his attempts to discipline his force.

[@johnnotrealname8168]

​@@philiprufus4427Yes, it is why I find it difficult to support insurgencies. They require using civilians.

[@johnroche7541]

@@philiprufus4427 You conveniently forget that hundreds of the IRA were also Great War veterans and 5 were decorated for bravery including a VC recipient. It is no coincidence that the best IRA units had Great War veterans in the ranks. Also it is no coincidence that the biggest IRA victories in the war were either planned by an IRA Great War veteran or they played a crucial role in their success. Emmet Dalton was IRA Director of Training at the GHQ in Dublin. He was awarded the Military Cross for bravery at Guinchy in September 1916 during the latter stages of the Battle of the Somme while serving with the 9th Bn Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Martin Doyle was an IRA Intelligence Officer in Co.Clare where he was in a British army barracks and passed on information. He was awarded both the Military Medal and more prestigious Victoria Cross for bravery on the Western Front while serving with the Royal Munster Fusiliers. In June 1919 he was at Buckingham Palace for a special event held by His Majesty George 5th for Victoria Cross winners. The most successful IRA Field Commander was Tom Barry who served with the Royal Field Artillery. Frank Percy Crozier was OC of the Auxiliary Division. He was a decorated soldier and had a distinguished military career from the Boer War to WW1 He joined the Ulster Volunteers before the outbreak of WW1. He served with the Royal Irish Rifles in WW1. He trained the Lithuanian Army at the start of the Russian Civil War. He resigned as OC of the Auxiliaries due to their barbarity. He personally investigated the death of Fr Michael Griffin in November 1920 by the Auxiliaries of "D" Company. He also uncovered a plot by members of the same Auxiliary company to murder the Bishop of Killaloe,Co.Galway and throw his body in a river. He wrote an excellent book "Ireland Forever" in the 1930's. Two other Catholic clergymen would be murdered during the conflict. Canon Magner who was 73 was murdered by Auxiliaries from "K" Company in Co.Cork on 15th December 1920. Fr James O'Callaghan was murdered by Black & Tans in the early hours of 15th May 1921. Remember a lot of IRA men were at the Marne,Cambrai,Loos,Gallipoli,Somme,Pashendale,Salonika and Middle East. By the time of the 11th Jult 1921 Truce the IRA volunteer in military terms could be considered a first rate light infantry soldier.

[@Eliminator5555]

I'm so confused. Wasn't this video as well as many others on this channel in 4K like five days ago? I could swear that I watched this video in 4K about a week ago. Now it's ONLY available in 1080p, which just doesn't compare. Can anyone confirm that this and other vids from the channel were available in 4K just a short time ago? Why would the quality go down? It is possible that I'm mistaken too. But I'm quite certain of having watched it in 4K.

[@extrahistory8956]

KZbin, the app, has chosen to place 4K content behind a paywall for certain devices. That means that you still watch it in 4K if you have a computer, labtop or newer smartphone, but not if you phone is over an older model

[@Eliminator5555]

@@extrahistory8956 I have an S22+, which is a new device, and it still doesn't allow me to watch in 4K.

[@extrahistory8956]

@@Eliminator5555 That's odd. I think you have to update your KZbin app on the Play Store to access it. I knew that KZbin had removed 4K content behind a paywall a few months ago, but they apparently did away with that in mid-October. For my own part, I've been able to see the 4K content on my Acer Chromebook 311 laptop, as well as on my Samsung Galaxy S20.

[@samdumaquis2033]

Interesting

[@rabihrac]

The Irish resistance movement to the British escalating to becoming a state of war between the two is actually shocking! No artillery bombings involved but still, a quite similar result in Cork. Cold blood killing is shocking too, even if it is for the advocated cause of independence; the same applies to false surrenders in my opinion... I couldn't but laugh at the British quitting using the postal services and I am sooo glad that Jesse and TGW crew always win the intelligence war at the end of the day, 100 years later!!

[@kevin2harty]

I remember reading once that on examination of the bodies of the auxiliaries after the ambush by the coroner. their was at least one of the bodies which had bullet wounds under their arm pits indicating there arms were in the air. Take what you will from that but it's just something interesting I once came across

[@uncertified-banger5595]

Gonna need some proof on that claim.

[@givenfirstnamefamilyfirstn3935]

Or firing from a prone position? They were surrounded.

[@uncertified-banger5595]

@@givenfirstnamefamilyfirstn3935 Well considering his proof so far is 'I remember reading once' I'm not really inclined to believe him/believe whatever narrative he may be pushing.

[@saint4life09]

@@uncertified-banger5595 It wasn't an unheard of thing for the IRA to execute surrendered police and auxiliaries. Although whether this specific account is true or not, who knows.

[@johnroche7541]

@@saint4life09 Maurice Meade was an IRA man who had previously served with the Royal Irish Regiment in WW1. In his memoirs he admitted to shooting 2 Black & Tans after the Dromkeen ambush in February 1921 in Co.Limerick.

[@dillonwalshpvd]

History Buffs sent me ^.^

[@michaelpalmer8629]

Being shot while trying to escape was a trick used during the guerrilla campaign in Missouri during the American Civil War as well

[@robertthomas4234]

..and now they're trying to quash legal action into perpetuity! Snakes!!

[@PanglossDr]

My family background is Sinn Féin/Fianna Fáil so Michael Collins for us was on the wrong side during the Civil War. Regardless, I consider him one of our greatest.

[@jamie8032]

Collinites as my grandmother calls them haha.

[@conlaiarla]

My background is the opposite of yours and I believe that the greatest achievement of De Valera was in maintaining neutrality during " The Emergency " Respect to you.

[@PanglossDr]

@@conlaiarla Neutrality was a political necessity. Any other leader would have done the same. It was however neutrality in name only, Ireland was very much on the Allies side.

[@amirdiglisic6069]

How did ww1 German stormtroopers get recruited, also what did they do in the allied counterattack which was the hundred day lffensive

[@kenoliver8913]

Croke Park did far more damage to Britain in Ireland than the morning's shootings did. The IRA was by this time not at all popular among the Irish, which is exactly why Lloyd George thought the worst was over. Until Croke Park.

[@brianmccarthy5557]

Not popular in Dublin, you mean. Typical that the state of opinion in the rest of Ireland is disregarded. Just as it is today.

[@icemanire5467]

Don't know about the their political wing took over 70% of the vote in the general election 2 years before.

[@thegunman2.031]

Most people liked the IRA

[@michaelc225]

@@brianmccarthy5557 this is so true. I was born in America to irish parents and grandparents and my grandparents made sure I got sent back to Ireland every year (belfast) so I wouldn't loose my "irishness" and my whole family where involved in the PIRA and in the free state they seemed to enjoy a great deal of support even being harbored and helped to escape capture as well as most arms dumps being in the south

[@spookerredmenace3950]

my family is from County Cork, but they moved in 1837 to Canada

[@MrLorenzovanmatterho]

Protestants/Unionists ethnically cleansed by Irish Nationalists?

[@theflyingshamanthegreatmin9788]

@@MrLorenzovanmatterho Irish didn't ethnically cleanse anyone. Could be an Irish catholic.

[@MrLorenzovanmatterho]

@@theflyingshamanthegreatmin9788 Of course we did, as part of the British Empire and certainly in places like Australia and the US. Oh you mean Irish Nationalists? Yes, of course you did, you wanted to kick the British out of Ireland so you could have a totalitarian state where everyone was the same and we Unionists are the British.

[@Prodrentjet]

@@MrLorenzovanmatterho ciunas tan

[@MrLorenzovanmatterho]

@@Prodrentjet I beg your pardon? Can you put that in Irish?

[@Legitpenguins99]

They really need to find a more descriptive name for "Bloody Sunday". In wikipedia I found over a dozen events titled plainly "Bloody Sunday" with the only distinction being the dates

[@eruno_]

Same with how many IRA there existed as well.

[@silverkitty2503]

@@eruno_ There are like LOTS of IRA organizations even now its hard to keep track of the names and how they are separate etc. TBH most 'ONLINE ' experts are not experts.

[@michaelc225]

@@silverkitty2503 I mean there's the big ones the IRA the PIRA RIRA OIRA NIRA CIRA

[@dumdebadaba]

Considering small Ireland and the monstrous resources of the British Empire, it is a miracle the South is a free Republic.Yes, I understand the frustration of division, but that is the case with most countries, liberated by revolution. Sometimes such newly liberated countries are torn in three pieces, instead of just two.

[@yoloswaggins7121]

It's actually a testament to British incompetence. They should have easily kept hold of Ireland and fully absorbed it into the UK, but instead they allowed the protestant elite to abuse the population for centuries and stuck their heads in the sand as Ireland spiralled out of control.

[@robertopedrollo521]

I have a question, did the allies was starving as the central powers by the end of the war ? How bad was the economy of the british,french,italy and so on..

[@guypierson5754]

No, I guess you mean the Entente when you write allies, they were being supplied from across the world, despite the Uboat there never was a blockade of the Entente: how would the Central Powers achieve that? Look at the map, its the Central Powers who are surrounded and in danger of blockade.

[@guypierson5754]

@Martin Casinillo Not sadly my dude, it's just what happened. The central powers started that whole thing and if either side had to starve it should be the one's who cannot organise themselves a decent revolution.

[@gregoryemmanuel9168]

“Shot while trying to escape…” standard Brit practice all over the world.

[@nunceccemortiferiscultu7826]

You mustn't have met anyone else because other people get way worse lol.

[@ralphbernhard1757]

London: "Hey Germany, you can't have Danzig, but we can have Ulster." Logic and reason:

[@douglasballantine2712]

Winners and losers in wars, is what it is

[@doug6500]

Why does noone seem to mention the most important back drop to all this? Britain had just fought in the most devastating conflict in human history and had lost more men than in any other conflict it had, or would be involved in. This, more than any flying column or ambush, swayed British decision-making.

[@fearmor3855]

Ye war weary Britain wanted to avoid war so bad they committed multiple war crimes against their own citizens at the time. I really do feel for them yk, I can't help but kill civilians myself when they pose no threat to me :)

[@washerdryer3466]

The bloodiest war in British history was their home-grown English Civil Wars(s) , 1642-1651. Approx. 2.5% of the population died.

[@anthonydowney6069]

You have just contradicted yourself in that statement. Work it out for yourself.

[@johnnotrealname8168]

​@@anthonydowney6069Did he? He seems to be emphasising World War I.

[@johnroche7541]

You make a valid point in terms of the military butchers bill if you forgive the coarse expression when you make a reference to WW1. However thousands of British troops were being killed and wounded in Afghanistan,Mesopotamia(modern day Iraq) and Ireland during the period historians refer to "Crisis Of Empire". Dont underestimate the Irish War of Independence 1919-1921. This was a conflict on Britains doorstep and not in some far flung corner of the Empire. The repatriation of Crown Forces back to the UK was making headlines in both newspapers both at a national and local level. The Crown Forces sustained over 1,000 casualties in the last 6 1/2 months(January to July 1921) of the conflict. There was more British soldiers killed in these 6 1/2 months than the worst full year for either the conflict in Northern Ireland(Troubles) or Atghanistan. The political fallout for Britain was immense. The insurgency by the time of the 11th July 1921 Truce was gaining momentum. A fact acknowledged by Winston Churchill in a speech in the House of Commons in February 1922. Consult "Hansard". Churchill admitted that to defeat the IRA there would have to be a major military commitment that would be un essence a reconquest of Ireland.

[@brokenbridge6316]

Nice video. And this war is getting worse all the time. But what can you say anti-insurgency war is the most vicious type of warfare that ever existed. Great job.