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Between 1970 and 1974, Northern Ireland became
immersed in near civil war. This book analyses the
evolution of British government policy against the
backdrop of the first years of the Troubles .
Northern Ireland, with its ethno-sectarian conflict,
was perhaps the most puzzling British political
problem of the twentieth century. With rapidly
growing interest in the politics of this struggle,
there is a need for new kinds of interpretations of
what drove the conflict, and the success, or
otherwise, of the British in containing it. The book
is one of the first to investigate how British
policy political and military strategy was
formed and implemented, how the leading actors in
the warring communities moulded distinctive
identities to influence London, and the role played
by the Republic of Ireland in efforts to mediate the
conflict. It suggests that Britain long known
as Perfidious Albion on the international stage
was able to sustain a consistent and cunning
approach in the face of mounting instability. In
shedding new light on these problems, the book will
be of interest to historians and political
scientists, those in government, and students.
About the author
Lee Bruce, BA, MA, graduated from the School of History at the University of Leeds in 2006. It was here that he completed his thesis on the development and implementation of British political and military strategy in Northern Ireland during the period 1970-1974.
