the British army entered Derry.
joined by the armed thugs of the "B-Specials", With the arrival of the British army the immediate threat of a pogrom subsided. A confident James Callaghan assured the House of Commons that the troops were there "to keep the peace', and even added that it was likely they would be back in barracks "by the week-end' For several weeks relations he tween the minority and their protectors" were friendly - British soldiers drank catholic tea, whilst army gencrais met minority leaders.
Tension grew a little when the Red Weekly 24 Detober 1974 Page G For two days the nationalist population, barricaded in the Bogside, had fought off and even defeated the onslaughts of the Royal Ulster Constabulary. But now their attackers had been barricades of Derry were removed by the troops one September morning, but on the face of it everything was lairly smooth.
On a visit to the North, Callaghan assured the catholics that 'a change is coming. And indeed it was.
HOLOCAUST BEGINS By the summer of 1970 the wel come was turning sour. Friction was increasing as the hopes of the minority showed no sign of heing realised.
This is what Irish workers detained by the troops can expect the army tinally showed its cards. On 2 July 3,5000 troops invaded the Falls Road in Belfast 'in scarch of arms'. dead and hundreds of smashed homes. Abo dead was any illusion in the peace-keepers"
Hul the lessons of the previous August had not gone unlearnt, Never again ority face ared intimidation with no defence-not from the Unionists nor from the army hour gun battle during the invasion of the Falls marked the rebirth of the armed resistance For the next year army harass ment increased in leaps and bounds Hundreds of homes were raided, and hundreds of people arrested. The great bulk of such actions were directed purely against the catholic population The mass hatred of the troogs grew in response, as did the military resistance of the Republicans Frantic efforts to defeat the IRA had no effect. The Provisionals" bombing campaign was rapidly bringing the Northern Ireland stateJet to its knees. The pressures on The army and on Stormont premier Brian Faulkner were enormous It was decided to start internment.
FUEL TO FLAMES The door they pulled me down and began to batter me. They took me down the road, belore we reached the jeep one of them fired a rubber bullet straight at me. I was only eight yards away. The pain was wild Tell down, and they threw me in the jeep like a sack of coal." (Barney Gilmore, b6 years old)
ged from the catholic ghettoes in the carly hours of 9 August But the attack had been anticipatedthe troops often had to make do with relatives and friends, and the armed resistunce remained intact.
As for the internees, they were forced to stand for days on end. hobbling barefoot over broken less.
The operation left four would the catholic minal in the catholic areas. to five on 9 August was imposed, perialism More than 300 people were dragwas on top'.