10 April 2012: Aftermath of War

After the Emergency Powers Act, which I discussed in the last post, was enacted, the Republicans took a much more peaceful approach to their rebellion and dissension. A few months after the Emergency Powers Act was enacted, 8000 out of 12,000 Republican prisoner that were being kept in Free State prisoners went on a hunger strike. This did not have the effect the prisoners desired it to have and lasted forty one days. One positive result from the strike though was that a large majority of the women prisoners were released from prison. Another positive result from the strike was that the focus of the Republican struggle was now focused on the prisoners and their subsequent organizations. After 13,000 Republicans had been taken as prisoners in July, de Valera realized the focus of the Republican action was now centered around the prisoners. Any progress the Republicans were going to make against the Free State was going to come from the prisoners. De Valera was quoted as saying, "the whole future of our cause and of the nation depends in my opinion upon the spirit of the prisoners in the camps and in the jails. You are the repositories of the national faith and will." Although few good things can come from imprisoning 13,000 people, it did mean that there was a dramatic decrease in the number of executions and overall violent outbreaks throughout Ireland. This was mainly because most or all of the people who would have committed these violent acts were in jail and could not cause any violence. It seemed as if de Valera was willing to accept to role that the Republicans were now forced to assume. If they were going to rebel in any way, it would be in a peaceful manner within the confines of their prisons. The hunger strike is a good example of this dissension. Essentially, the Republicans did one of the only things they could in another act of defiance against the Free State. Like I said earlier though, this only resulted in the Free State releasing the women prisoners that were being kept in the prisons. Finally, the Free State was in control and there was no threat of any type of uprising or conflict among the people of Ireland. 

Free State Army in Formation

When discussing the Irish Civil War, it is very important to first remember why the conflict was happening in the first place and second, who was fighting. The main source of the conflict was the difference of interest between the members of the then unified IRA. After the conflict with Great Britain and the subsequent secession from that same country, the IRA split up into two separate groups. One group was in favor of the treaty that was agreed upon while the other group was totally against the treaty. The Free State was the group the supported the treaty while the Republicans was the group that was against the treaty. The Free State supported Michael Collins, the man who was sent to negotiate this treaty. Some members of the IRA thought he was just going to negotiate and were extremely unhappy when he came back to Ireland with the treaty in hand. These people who were unhappy were the Republicans and allied themselves behind Éamon de Valera. They all thought the Republicans could have gotten much more freedom from the Britain through the treaty and were willing to fight and give up their lives for it.

Republicans Firing Weapons

Though the Irish Civil War was short, only a couple of years, it was very bloody. It started with typical fighting between the Free State Army and the Republicans but quickly escalated into a war of sabotage and executions. The Free State was much better equipped and organized while the Republicans were kind of a ragtag group of civilians who were equipped with poor weapons and even poorer strategy and very little training. As you can see from these pictures, it is quite evident which side was better equipped and trained. Next week, I will discuss the losses sustained by both sides and what the total result of the war was.