Explain the changing methods of the IRA from 1972 to the Present day

        After the major violence of the ‘Battle of Bogside’, British Troops entered Northern Ireland, and initially were welcomed by the IRA. But, the troops soon angered the Catholics, by enforcing curfews and searching homes.         In 1969 the IRA split between the Official IRA and the Provisional IRA. The Official IRA  became dedicated to peace, while the Provisional side were violent. The Provisional or the ‘Provs’ as called by the public, began to protect Catholic communities, this was to protect the Catholics from Loyalist Paramilitary groups and the British Troops. Following these events in 1970 the IRA bombed city centres in        Ulster. They wanted to keep the British out of Catholic areas, by this they bombed cities would draw troops into the city areas, leaving the Catholics area alone. This city bombing tactic, also damaged the economic interest of the Protestants, within Northern Ireland. The year of 1971 was the introduction of internment; imprisonment without trial. As a result of this, the IRA used peaceful methods to protest, against the whole idea of interest. This gave them positive publicity, and they used it to highlight how unfair the British Troops were. An example of this was the civil rights marches of the year 1971. When this became useless, they began to attack the British defence force. This was meant to scare the British Soldiers out of Ulster. Consequently, West Belfast became known as the ‘Wild West’, and on 9th February 1971, the first British soldier was killed whilst on duty. As well as attacking the troops, they began to attack the Protestants, to try and gain revenge, especially for the violence of 1964. The IRA bombed McGurk’s bar in Belfast on the 20th December 1971. This lead to 15 dead and 13 injured.

        Commencing 1972, the IRA began to become more violent, this resulted in ay casualties on all sides. At the start of 1972, January, the British troops opened fire on 13 unarmed protesters. This caused outrage. As a result of this the IRA stepped up attacks on British Soldiers. They were told, “Kill every British Soldier you can”. This was to achieve a British retreat from Ulster. Whereby venting anger from the catholic communities. As time pressed on towards 1975. The IRA held clandestine negotiations on whether to withdraw. But they still bombed in Northern Ireland. However, they changed in 1972 to bomb the British mainland. In a bid to remind the British about the troubles in Northern Ireland. As a result, important places were bombed such as Parliament and Scotland Yard. In 1972 in Birmingham a pub as bombed, resulting in 19 deaths, and 182 injuries. But, at the same time as bombing the mainland of Britain, they carried on bombing the Northern Ireland. Due to this there was a mass Protestant protest.