The events that occurred on 30th January 1972 became known as "Bloody Sunday". Why have these events produced such different historical interpretations? Refer to sources and other interpretations of the events from your studies to help you with your answer.
On January 30th 1972 in Londonderry, British paratroopers opened fire into a Northern Ireland civil rights march holding a protest against a corrupt government. 13 men were injured and another 13 were killed. "Bloody Sunday" set the agenda for over 20 years of violence. The troops claimed that they were fired on and were forced to shoot. The witnesses in the march claimed that those killed had no weapons on them and that the troops started firing for no reason.
Leading up to the event there was an ever-growing hostility there had been many civil rights protests from 1968, often they ended in violence. Since the British Troops had entered Northern Ireland their initial welcome had changed to resentment. Nationalist groups such as the IRA and Sinn Fein emerged; this increase in paramilitary action posed as a threat to the troops and to Britain.
On January 30th 1972 in Londonderry, British paratroopers opened fire into a Northern Ireland civil rights march holding a protest against a corrupt government. 13 men were injured and another 13 were killed. "Bloody Sunday" set the agenda for over 20 years of violence. The troops claimed that they were fired on and were forced to shoot. The witnesses in the march claimed that those killed had no weapons on them and that the troops started firing for no reason.
Leading up to the event there was an ever-growing hostility there had been many civil rights protests from 1968, often they ended in violence. Since the British Troops had entered Northern Ireland their initial welcome had changed to resentment. Nationalist groups such as the IRA and Sinn Fein emerged; this increase in paramilitary action posed as a threat to the troops and to Britain.