"We fought a military war; our opponents fought a political one. We sought physical attrition; our opponents aimed for our psychological exhaustion. In the process we lost sight of one of the cardinal maxims of guerrilla war: the guerrilla wins if he does not lose. The conventional army loses if it does not win."- Henry Kissinger commenting on the Vietnam War
The power of Fabian tactics.... Fascinating that the US would forget the tactics that won it her own independence... History truly is fascinating in that humanity is entertainingly flawed.
it was a bit of an Odyssey and involved a lot of Covid tests, but he needed to come over for Rhineland 45 filming anyway, so we said we film as much TGW as possible before it's time for the living room again.
As always, your content is outstanding, and I sympathize with the difficulties history creators run into on RU-vid. RU-vid can be a great, sprawling, jealous hydra-headed monster.
As a Brit, I find the Irish fight for independence to be a pretty interesting subject. The Easter Uprising, the Irish War of Independence, and the Civil War are all subjects I became curious about the first time I heard of them. I'm not very proud of the things our countrymen did in Ireland at that time, but it's important to remember what the Brits of today can't be held responsible for what happened over a hundred years ago. We should honour the fallen of both sides and learn from the past so that such violence is avoided in the future. May Northern Ireland, Great Britain, and Ireland all strive for a better future together 🇬🇧❤️🇮🇪
Yay! I've finally caught up with all the episodes! I learnt about this channel in August last year (way long after the war was over, I know, but better late than never) when I discovered the Sabaton History channel. I caught up in that channel and started watching every episode in order - including every special, biospecial and OOTT - in November. I've learnt soooo much. Awesome channel, from the beginning till now :)
One of the last british soldiers killed in the war was shot about ten minutes walk from where i live. He was out for a walk because he thought he would be safe because the treaty was due to take effect at midnight, he was picked up by two volunteers and escorted to a quarry and shot. On my road a wannabe double agent was shot and killed, he was ordered to kneel, was allowed to say his prayers and was shot.
@@seanmacuaiteir437 Just the guy out the lough. I think he was picked up where galvins off license is now in barrack street so he didnt have far to go.
I studied modern Irish history and my professor made several quotes, "Michael Collins is the father of urban guerilla warfare" and "The IRA were Cadillacs in terrorism".
I may be two years after release, but thank you for a series of un-biased fact (and truth!) heavy documentaries on the foundations of modern Ireland. This is the quality of production that should be on the curriculum of all UK and Irish schools. Thank you.
nice to see that the newer videos from The Great War are more objective and telling real stories without using some glamor words, like bravery eccetera, because in a war human are human, no matter in which part of the world
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What about the Crossbarry ambush, the successful rearguard action by Tom Barry's column of just over 100 men against 1200 British troops, plus auxiliaries, on a search and destroy mission? The closest thing the war came to a pitched battle, fought over just one hour on the 19th of March 1921, and one of the largest military actions of the conflict. Barry's men launched a series of preemptive ambushes against the approaching British columns to break out of a closing circle with only 40 rounds per man and successfully avoiding annihilation. One of the leading British commanders of the Essex regiment was a major Percival who would later, as Lt. General Percival , surrender Singapore to Japanese force half the size of his own!
there is only so much detail we can cover in each episode. the particular challenge for this conflict is the disparity in visual sources. lots of British photos etc. from arrests. But not so much from the IRA side. That's doubly true for the engagements. The attack on custom house was an outlier here that we found so many photos. And it's not just a question about if visual material exists, but also if we can get permission to use them for a reasonable price.
@@TheGreatWar Some thoughts on this. Cameras were expensive in the twenties. The forces of the crown had embedded journalists and photographers, the IRA had few, if any. Photography required fixed support services of chemists and darkrooms, which the IRA did not have much access to. And finally, few members of a clandestine army would want to be photographed, knowing that there was always the risk of that photo ending up in the crowns intelligence files on you, especially if the crown forces raided the darkrooms.
3rd generation "English" with Irish catholic ancestors and in Catholic schools of the '50s and '60s there was none of this explaoned or even mentioned.
@@ClearPathBeats In the 50's, we Catholic kids did have "fights" with the Prody dog kids but by the early 60's that social tension just faded away.... still despised the Tories but religion didn't seem to come into it any more. We might have been an isolated "liberal" pocket ( Acklam, Teesside ). Now I think of it, my "missing" history might have been because half of us were pushing into a science only school stream and I missed out on the subjects ( history, geography, art ) that I actually liked.
A fascinating episode about mysterious Ireland (at least for a viewer from the Levant). Well done Jesse and crew for this exciting episode about the Irish war of independance
Check out the book "The Irish War of Independence" by Michael Hopkinson. Also check out the book "Guerilla Day's in Ireland" by Tom Barry. Tom Barry was an Irishman who served with the British Army(Royal Artillery) during WW1 and saw service in the Middle East(Mesopotamia(modern day Iraq). When he got home to Ireland he joined the IRA and became the most successful rebel IRA commander in the conflict. A lot of IRA men were ex- British soldiers from WW1. Also check out the following movies with an Irish War of Independence theme. "Shake Hands with the Devil" which is from the 1950's and is in black & white. "The Wind that Sheakes the Barley", "Fools of Fortune" and "Michael Collins".
I haven't gotten notifications even though I have the bell on. I missed nearly two months of content because videos stopped showing up in my feed. Pretty weird.
Strictly speaking you are correct but the British would withdraw from 26 out of 32 counties of Ireland. Other countries would look at the military and political aspect of the conflict which would inspire future anti colonial conflicts and wars of liberation. The British Empire would implode and be dismantled over the following decades and historians would look at Ireland as the catalyst for this. Other countries within the British Empire such as India would be influenced by Ireland. Britain knew that success or lack of it in Ireland could have a domino effect on the nations within the Empire.
The Kilmichael ambush was just one of dozens of ambushes on British troops en convoy, the terrain was favorable for the guerilla forces, these attacks on troop carriers, armoured cars and tanks, crippled the British army and auxiliary forces, and was a major defeat for them, as they lost hundreds of men between 1919 - 1921.
6:08 you’ll see the Irish National Army logo and a caption on the car that reads the Fighting 2nd. This is the 2nd Motor Squadron of the (now) Defence Forces of Ireland which exists to the modern day as 2 Brigade Cavalry Squadron, based at Cathal Brugha Barracks in Dublin. It went on to be Ireland’s first blooded unit overseas during the Congo crisis in the early sixties, if I’m not mistaken.
True story....just a shame that all those lives lost for independence to then have Brussels running the ROI...also a shame they couldn't see 20+ years in the future to get dominion status, then independence without a shot beinf fired.
@@jamesygerrard2626 In 1921 Britain did abandon the Unionists in the today call Republic of Ireland. And today 100 years later in 2021 Britain do abandoning the Unionist in the rest of Ireland, include the Ulster
It was enough for the IRA to survive. They never had any hope of defeating the British militarily, but were able to achieve political victory by continuing the struggle until the British public and government lost the will to fight. Just what the Vietcong did to US forces more than half a century later.
Yes true the viet cong leader ho chi Minh was working as a waiter in London in 1921 and was inspired and learned from the Irish war of I independence to use that 45 years later
Great video as usual. If anyone is looking for a more in depth look at the Irish war of Independence,I would strongly recommend the Irish nation lives youtube channel.
@@Game_Hero No, only about the Polish-Lithuanian war which most Historians say as far as I know was a Part of the Independence war but not the Main fight against the Bolseviks.
'I was born on a Dublin street, where the loyal drums did beat, and the loving english feet , they walked all over us. And every single night when my da would come home tight, he'd invite the neighbours over with this chorus...............'
@@joseaca1010 the IRA didn’t do too much fighting like men - they sneaked around planting bombs and killing hundreds of off duty police and innocent civilian men, women and children for 25 years in the 1970s to 90s. The IRA actually killed more of their own community than the British Army did!
Thanks for explaining some of the complexity of this conflict. Too many people (especially Americans) oversimplify Ireland's fight for independence as a fight against colonialism. It is difficult for me to explain my views to ANYONE as an Irish-American protestant born to Irish and English protestant parents. Too many people assume Irish = catholic, and that having Irish heritage = IRA sympathies. If anyone is looking for a deep dive into the conflict, I read a great book about this called "Hope Against History" (I have no ties to this book or its author)
@@seanmacuaiteir437 How does killing innocent Irish protestant civilians advance the cause against British colonialism? Is it a crime to not be Catholic?
@@cpt_bill366 'Is it a crime to not be Catholic?' According to some left footers I've run into...Yes! But you are right. Irish nationalism is supposed to be about being Irish first and foremost. It was supposed to be a secular state IIRC. Were not some of the first Irish nationalists from the protestant faith, and even English in heritage? I consider myself Irish. But never Catholic or Protestant.
When boyhood's fire was in my blood I read of ancient freemen, For Greece and Rome who bravely stood, Three hundred men and three men; And then I prayed I yet might see Our fetters rent in twain, And Ireland, long a province, be. A Nation once again! A Nation once again, A Nation once again, And lreland, long a province, be A Nation once again!
I suspect that Jesse’s pronounciation is closer to the original Spanish than anyone’s in Ireland. Funnily enough I once shared a classroom with his granddaughter, the former minister Síle De Valera, and have played football against his great grandson, who weirdly is born and bred Italian.
Indy Neidell is currently working for the World War 2 Week-by-Week series, while Jesse, the current narrator is also doing a Franco-Prussian Week-by-Week series on the channel Real Time History.
Not sure why this wasn't mentioned ... especially as it was such a main part of the Hollywood movie 'Michael Collins# but ... De'Valera sent Collins to the UK to negotiate with Lloyd George. De'VAlera did this intentionally as he knew there was no way they would allow an Irish republic. After all the fighting, Collin knew this was the best offer we would get and seen it as a stepping stone to full independence. De'Valera did not agree .... as I'm typing this I'm thinking you may be planning to mention this in another video lol
Indy Neidell is currently working for the World War 2 Week-by-Week series, while Jesse, the current narrator is also doing a Franco-Prussian Week-by-Week series on the channel Real Time History.
Excellent video, educated Civil war is the most brutal of all wars, you are killing your own family. Negotiations and arbitration is best. Blessed is the peacemaker
The attack on the customs house was a disgrace on a military and cultural level. Such a stupid waste for stupid symbolism. Priceless historical records going back to the 1600s were destroyed in the fire. Another wretched feather in Dev's cap.
That is a difficult question to answer as it depends on your definition of "Irish" and "British". Pirates from the island of Ireland were raiding Britain back in the BCs, at a time when the native Britons were all Celtic speaking and there were no Anglo saxons.
100 year anniversary of the great struggle of a small country against the largest colonial empire, sadly ignored by the Irish government and the Irish people. Thank you to 'The Great War', you acknowledge the sacrifice of our grandparents, as our children do not appreciate the freedom from racial suffering.
I often rail at presenters for saying English or England when they mean British or Britain. And while the use of the words in this episode is technically correct, regarding the Irish, I absolutely blame the English. For hundreds of years, both before and after the 1707 Acts of Union, the English treated the Irish horribly. Even going so far as to literally sell Irish people into slavery. Sure there were human rights crimes committed by both sides, but it was the English who dragged it down to that level and made torture and murder status quo.
OK, but one problem. I don't remember any other part of the British empire protesting or condeming it at the time, being silent makes you indirectly responsible. So what I want to say is that it was in fact British who were involved in irish war of independence.
@@paulwalsh598 they tried to have them landed from a German sub at banna strand in kerry for the easter rising 1916 which is really when the war of independence started in my opinion.
@@jamescoughlan8193 1916 was a sepqate event imo, at that stage the bulk of the nationalist support was still for The Irish Parlimentary party and Redmonds volunteers. It was the British reaction to 1916 that gave rise to the war of indepence and the switch of support from Redmonds party to Sein Fein. However the point remains that the question asked was where the IRA got weapons and the answer to that was not from Germany but rather they were stolen from the RIC mostly, and from private hands secondly. I am aware of German attempts to land guns in Ireland both in Kerry and Roger Casements attempt on his yacht, but most of these attempts failed in the first instance and secondly most of the guns sucessfully smuggled in were captured upon the surrender of the 1916 rebels.
It is entirely correct the peace treaty of 1922. Although 10% of the free states population was protestant. The civil war cost 4000 lives. As opposed to the 414 the British murdered. Unfortunately the British state is very bad at these things as this is very current.I think alot of people need to revisit this event in history.
Thanks the stats were from a book I read in the 1990's. What Scotland in a much more muted form is what Ireland had through most of the,19th and early 20th centuries. Although obviously without the terrible effects of the potato famine and mass migration.
@@seanmacuaiteir437 I may have replied to some of your posts on other Irish War of Independence sites. Anyway this is an excellent episode from the Great War team. However some of the facts and figures are totally wrong. I have researched this conflict for over 20 years that has brought me to the archives and museums in London,Dublin and Belfast. I have also visited the libraries both at local and national level of both countries. I have also visited the regimental museums in Scotland, Wales and England. I would question his death toll for the conflict. I am not saying my figures are 100% correct but his is too low. His casualties for police is too low. Over 430 policemen were killed as a result of hostile action and this figure does not include dozens policemen killed as a result of accidents,suicide or blue on blue(friendly fire). For police casualties check out the works of Richard Abbott and Jim Herlihy who are police historians and have served as police officers in Northern Ireland and Republic respectively. However I have come across a couple of policemen who were killed accidentally but do not appear in either of these works. There is a Roll of Honour for police casualties in Belfast for this conflict and there is also one in Lancashire,England which has a casualty roll for all police casualties from the UK(from the founding date of all British police forces)including Ireland(pre-independence). I have also researched regular British Army figures. Around 180 British soldiers were killed as a result of hostile action. Their deaths can be confirmed by the CWGC. This figure for British soldiers could rise as there is some British soldiers who went "missing" and their fate unknown. However some of these missing soldiers were captured by the IRA and executed and secretly buried. For example the bodies of 2 British soldiers from the East Lancashire Regiment were found near Killarney in Co.Kerry in 1926. Hundreds of British soldiers died in Ireland as a result of accidents,suicide and sickness. You must remember that a lot of British soldiers died in Ireland as a result of the Spanish Flu after WW1 and I dont incorporate these in my figures. In Co.Limerick for example in the spring of 1919 over 30 British soldiers died as a result of Spanish Flu. I know that in Ireland there was a massive undertaking to chronicle all the deaths from 1916-1923 period. I think the title of this project is "The Dead of the Irish Revolution". One of the men involved is a teacher at TCD. I gave him a list of Royal Marines that were killed in Ireland during the conflict that he was not aware of. It is virtually impossible to come up with a 100% accurate death toll for any war or conflict.
The Brits had two other adversaries which were far more effective and devastating to the British military machine than the IRA, 1. The population of Ireland and, 2. Cumann na mban
At the time of the 11th July Truce 1921 the British Crown Forces in Ireland were over 58,500 soldiers and almost 16,000 policemen. I have no figures for RAF,Royal Marines and Royal Navy personnel. The British had at least 80,000 men in Ireland. They also had armoured cars,lorries,artillery,planes,calvary,both heavy and light machine guns and inexhaustible ammo resources. The IRA might have an impressive strength on paper but in terms of armed men they could only put into the field at their peak was 2,500 to 3,500 men. The IED was the most powerful weapon in the IRA arsenal. To use modern military parlance there was a troop surge in Ireland from April to July 1921 which involved thousands of Bditish troop reinforcements to deal with the escalating insurgency.
RU-vid is becoming that dog who was a a beloved part of the family for years and unfortunately was bitten by a raccoon with rabies the other day and now must be put down
When I look at the criminal incompetence of the British government nowadays the more I appreciate and am grateful for those hero's who broke free from their tyranny.
How about their successors who have now sold Ireland to the EU and international socialism. Get rid of one tyranny, here comes another. In both cases, by internal betrayal.
Don't drink. Probably younger than you. I live in California and it's just past dusk. And I can still recognize people who sell out their own country and people. Gobshite.
