For quarter of a century now the British Army has been involved in a bloody and protracted conflict in Northern Ireland. This book looks at the roots of the current struggle and of British military intervention, setting both in the longer perspective of the Anglo-Irish Troubles. It is, however, more than a chronicle of military strategies and sectarian strife: it seeks to place the use of the army within the context of the wider British experience of dealing with political violence, and to address the broader issue of how democratic states have responded to both ethnic conflict and the threat of 'internal' disorder.
Introduction: The British Army in Northern Ireland
Chapter 1. The Background to 1969: Political Violence, Rebellion and Nationalisms in Ireland
Chapter 2. The Resurgence of the Two Irish Nationalisms
Chapter 3. From Peacekeeping to Containment: The Campaign of the British Army in the Cities, 1969–74
Chapter 4. From Containment to Ulsterization, 1974–80
Chapter 5. The Search for Political Solutions: The Move to Military Withdrawal? 1980–85
Chapter 6. Stalemate in Ireland: Violence Institutionalized, 1985–90
Chapter 7. Redefining the Role of the British Military in Ireland: Debates Over Peace, 1990–95
Chapter 8. Conclusions: The Long Retreat?