Ireland & WW1

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Loss of Ireland

Ireland's desire for independence climaxed during WW1.

English-Irish history

Ireland had been under English control since James I invaded it.
The Act of Union of 1800 brought Ireland into the United Kingdom from 1801.

The Home Rule movement

The Home Rule movement was an Irish group that campaigned for Ireland to be controlled by the Irish, rather than the English in Westminster. The movement became particularly powerful after 1870.
In 1893, Gladstone tried to pass Home Rule for Ireland. His bill to provide Irish self-determination passed in the House of Commons, but was rejected by the House of Lords.
In 1913, the Ulster Volunteer Force led a rebellion and in 1914, they imported 24,000 rifles from Germany (on the eve of World War One). Ulster wanted to remain in the United Kingdom.
In 1914, the onset of war meant that Herbert Asquith had to abandon his Home Rule for Ireland bill until the war was over.

Ireland in WW1

Around 210,000 Irishmen served in the British forces during World War One. 140,000 were volunteers and the others were conscripts.
35,000 Irishmen died during WW1.

Easter Rising

In 1914, Parliament legislated to pause Home Rule discussions until after the end of World War One.
However, in 1916, the Easter Rising occurred in Dublin. Irish rebels began attacking the British Army. 66 Irish rebels and 143 British troops were killed in the fighting.
The city of Dublin was shelled in response to the rebellion.
66 people were executed and thousands arrested for the uprising.
Kitchen (1996) says the savagery in putting down the rebellion meant that "Home Rule was no longer acceptable to Irish nationalists" and that it radicalised many Irish people.
Irish historian Ronnan Fanning believes that the British government’s response to the Easter Rising was heavy-handed.

Yeats’ ‘Easter 1916’ poem

'I write it out in a verse— MacDonagh and MacBride And Connolly and Pearse Now and in time to be, Wherever green is worn, Are changed, changed utterly: A terrible beauty is born.'

Settlements with Eire

The Easter rising was followed by guerrilla warfare against the British. If Britain wanted to fight the Irish, Kitchen (1996) says that "the army and police had no idea how to combat the Irish Republican Army's guerrilla tactics".
In December 1921, the Anglo-Irish treaty was signed. This created the Irish Free State and was signed by Eamon De Valera and David Lloyd George.
In 1922, the Catholic Irish Free State was given Dominion status.
- However, northern Protestant counties remained under British sovereignty.
In 1937, the Irish Free State took on the name Eire and was given full independence in the Statute of Westminster.

1High Water Mark of the British Empire, 1857-1914

1.1Development of Imperialism, 1857-1890

1.1.1Empires over Time

1.1.2Key Questions About Empires

1.1.3Expansion into Africa

1.1.4History of Egypt

1.1.5Control of Egypt

1.1.6Control of Sudan

1.2Imperial & Colonial Policy, 1857-1890

1.2.1The British Empire & India

1.2.2The British Raj

1.2.3International Relations with other Powers

1.2.4Scramble for Africa

1.2.5The Informal Empire

1.3Trade & Commerce, 1857-1890

1.3.1Trade & Commerce in the Empire

1.3.2Infrastructure of Trade & Commerce

1.3.3Products of Trade & Commerce

1.4Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1857-1890

1.4.1Explorers

1.4.2Missionaries

1.4.3Traders & Colonial Administrators

1.4.4Government Attitudes Towards Imperialism

1.5Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1857-1890

1.5.1Relations with India

1.5.2Relations with South Africa

1.5.3British-Boer Relations

2Imperial Consolidation & Liberal Rule, 1890-1914

2.1Consolidation & Expansion in Africa, 1890-1914

2.1.1Consolidation & Expansion into Africa

2.1.2Consolidation & Expansion in South Africa

2.1.3Historical Interpretations: Expansion into Africa

2.2Imperial & Colonial Policy, 1890-1914

2.2.1Policy in India

2.2.2Policy in Egypt

2.2.3Native Policy in Colonies

2.2.4International Relations with Other Powers

2.3Trade & Commerce, 1890-1914

2.3.1The Benefits of Trade

2.3.2Costs of the Empire

2.3.3Debates Over Trade

2.4Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1890-1914

2.4.1Key Administrators - Chamberlain & Rhodes

2.4.2Key Administrators - Baring & Milner

2.4.3Key Administrators - Curzon

2.4.4Government Attitudes to the Empire

2.4.5National Efficiency & the Boer War

2.4.6Popular Attitudes Towards Imperialism

2.5Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1890-1914

2.5.1Challenges in India

2.5.2Challenges in Africa

2.5.3Challenges in South Africa

2.5.4Historical Interpretations of the Boer War

2.5.5Relations & Business with Iran

3Imperialism Challenged, 1914-1967

3.1Expansion & Contraction of Empire, 1914-1947

3.1.1Impact of WW1

3.1.2Palestine

3.1.3Ireland & WW1

3.1.4Impact of WW2 on the British Empire

3.2Colonial Policy & Administration, 1914-1947

3.2.1Administration in India & Palestine

3.2.2Administration in Iraq & the Dominions

3.2.3Imperial Defence

3.3Trade, Commerce & Economic Impact of War

3.3.1Economic Impact of WW1

3.3.2Inter-War Trade & Commerce

3.3.3Economic Impact of WW2

3.4Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1890-1914

3.4.1Colonial Administrators

3.4.2Trusteeship

3.4.3Gandhi

3.4.4Montagu, Haig & Linlithgow

3.4.5Cameron, Mitchell, Cohen & Furse - African Admins

3.4.6Imperialist Ideals

3.5Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1914-1947

3.5.1Ireland & India 1914-1947

3.5.2The Middle East and Africa

4The Wind of Change, 1947-1967

4.1Decolonisation in Africa & Asia, 1947-1967

4.1.1Reasons for Decolonisation

4.1.2Decolonisation in East & West Africa

4.1.3Decolonisation in Central & South Africa

4.1.4Decolonisation in Asia

4.2Colonial Policy & Administration, 1947-1967

4.2.1Relations & Business with Iran after WW2

4.2.2The 'Winds of Change'

4.2.3The Suez Canal Crisis - 1956

4.2.4International Relations 1947-1967

4.3Trade & Commerce, 1947-1967

4.3.1The Economic Impact of WW2

4.4Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1947-1967

4.4.1Colonial Administrators: Cohen & Arden-Clarke

4.4.2Local Leaders in the Independence Movement

4.4.3Pan-Africanism in Nationalism

4.5Post-Colonial Ties, 1947-1967

4.5.1Windrush & Immigration

4.5.2Commonwealth Immigrants Act

4.5.3Residual Impact of the Empire

4.6Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1947-1967

4.6.1Challenges to Colonial Rule Post 1947

4.6.2Kenya & the Mau Mau Uprising

4.6.3Nigeria & Rhodesia

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