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Of late there was a frankly partisan BBC documentary about Irish soldiers, who deserted to the allied side during World War 2
Someone asked me, if there was any threat to the Irish state at the time.
Well indeed there was, what Dan Byran called our Pearl Harbour
Well indeed there was, what Dan Byran called our Pearl Harbour
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Raid
There is a belief that the IRA and FF, were exploring a popular front, into the late 1930s. Devalera's party wanted peace, and were willing to give the benefit of the doubt, to their old comrades. We will assume the belief is true. It depends on how you view the players at the time
There is a belief that the IRA and FF, were exploring a popular front, into the late 1930s. Devalera's party wanted peace, and were willing to give the benefit of the doubt, to their old comrades. We will assume the belief is true. It depends on how you view the players at the time
So, we will have a drop off, in IRA activity. It makes sense for the IRA strategically. Dev is in power, so on paper the republicans are winning
With an IRA playing nice in the 26 counties . Sean Russell, one of the IRAs leaders is to die, earlier of the gastric ulcers, that plagued him . For giggles make it Detroit. Just after Russell was arrested by the secret service. In our time line he was arrested because Colin Firth, Sorry George VI was visiting Canada, and was just across the border , have the Ulcer, burst while Russell is in custody, for the Americans. For Kewlness have Father Coughlin say the last rites, there was a protest in the house against the arrest of Russell, and rather cutely it gives Coughlin, a last national story to front.
With an IRA playing nice in the 26 counties . Sean Russell, one of the IRAs leaders is to die, earlier of the gastric ulcers, that plagued him . For giggles make it Detroit. Just after Russell was arrested by the secret service. In our time line he was arrested because Colin Firth, Sorry George VI was visiting Canada, and was just across the border , have the Ulcer, burst while Russell is in custody, for the Americans. For Kewlness have Father Coughlin say the last rites, there was a protest in the house against the arrest of Russell, and rather cutely it gives Coughlin, a last national story to front.
With the death of Russell, the S Plan, filters out in England, as the IRA regroup. The deaths of Barnes and Mcomrick, (Two IRA bombers, hanged by the crown) mobilized a lot of popular support in Ireland. With Russell dead then Sean McBride, moves back into the organisation. McBride believes that he can lead, a popular front republican movement.
For a while he will succeed. The purists, will drift away, from him in time. This does not actually matter. While the hard boys, are quieter, they are getting more guns and ammo, from the US and the UK. The wave of sympathy, following Russels death. It may also tie some anti semitism to the IRA
The IRA aree not sleeping, they ar making bombs, they are scouting targets. But with Russell dead, and McBride on paper in charge, they are quiet for a year. The IRA are still doing robberies, it is an active peace
For a while he will succeed. The purists, will drift away, from him in time. This does not actually matter. While the hard boys, are quieter, they are getting more guns and ammo, from the US and the UK. The wave of sympathy, following Russels death. It may also tie some anti semitism to the IRA
The IRA aree not sleeping, they ar making bombs, they are scouting targets. But with Russell dead, and McBride on paper in charge, they are quiet for a year. The IRA are still doing robberies, it is an active peace
So in Eire McBride, leads protests and sit ins. The use of the treason act, and the offenses against the state act are challenged in the courts. McBride holds out the promise of a reunited republican movement.
So McBride, will be the leader nominally at least of the IRA. McBride will also be the figure head of a popular front movement disaffected against Dev’s government. For the moment, its mostly peaceful. Its members are IRA men, republicans. Communists Some Pro Germans, who are just there for devilment? Some of FF, want to explore the offer. There are those who argue Dev sought a truce with the IRA, until about 1940.
Events from outside are going to take over
Special branch, in Ireland, has their headquarters in Dublin Castle. As one presumes, that someone really decided to mess with the minds of our subversives. The IRA smuggled a bomb into special branch offices. Now with McBride leadership, we will make the IRA militarily less ambitious,
Instead of trying to capture the ammo at Magazine fort. They content themselves with destroying the ammo. Which tactically makes sense since, the Irish army are useless without it too. This also mean a larger attack on Special branch. A bigger bomb, and have someone with a grudge take Alan Clark's advice and wait for the survivors to come out. Waiting with a Thompson gun
The explosion, is dramatic and distracts Irish law enforcement, allowing the IRA to get away. In otl, some IRA men were just captured after the Magazine fort raid. This time, the Ammo and the files, are destroyed. Its a double headed strike
The result is that the Irish state, is now basically defensiveness. It’s ammunition stores have gone up in smoke. Its files on subvervsives are burnt. In our timeline, the ammo was recovered. Here it is with O Leary in the grave. Oh yes special Branch can go out and intern people,
But a year has passed
But a year has passed
Its July 1940
Now it gets interesting. Dev orders, the Garda after the IRA. So instead of a large operation with a visible tail, and prisoners captured to interrogate. The IRA has been quiet. Sean McBride, leads protests against the Police tactics. He takes it out to to the streets
There are sit in’s and strikes, and marches across Ireland.
However despite what McBride thought
``They have not gone away you know’’
Turns out, McBride, was not in the charge, of the organisation. ( Or perhaps he was. The Irish intelligence agency believed he was too close to the soviets. Lying outright to him, when he asked for information on British forces across the border. Its 1940, and Moscow and Berlin are still allied.
So the special branch men go out. They round up dozens. But when night comes, it’s a different story. The IRA are eager for a fight. They are a few hundred men, with fewer weapons
Except that the Irish army are not much better off.
And the Garda are worse off.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_O'Brien_(policeman)
Now imagine, that was a village policeman who had pissed off the wrong person in West Cork
Now imagine, that was a village policeman who had pissed off the wrong person in West Cork
In normal times, the state security forces would win this easily. But it’s not normal times its an emergency.
So Devalera is looking for bullets. Churchill refuses. France has fallen, and asking for help, from Germany, is giving Churchill, another excuse to act. Devalera tries to bluff his way out. But the country is in trouble. A mood of general lawlessness and protest and once, it becomes apparent, that the IRA can act with impunity in some areas things begin to snowball. A shoot out, with some B-Specials who live on the Irish side of the border. Raises tensions with Northern Ireland . Across the Island scores are settled. Churchill, will not act to save Dev, if Britain should fall, than it should take Dev down with him. Not an inch, not a bullet.
Somewhere in Meath a single parachute lands, with a few German rifles, and a small amount of ammo.
In our timeline, a German parachutist was landed successfully there, and with the support of Irish groups other than the IRA, or the state evaded capture for a year. The rifles are used to scare of a robbery at a bank in Old Castle. Was it the IRA? Was it local thieves? Who knows? The news is reported around the world. Dev is not in control. The Garda are exhausted. The RC church, is looking to buy ammo from Salazar, and Franco. They will not sell. Even if they could, they would not be able to get it across the water
In our timeline, a German parachutist was landed successfully there, and with the support of Irish groups other than the IRA, or the state evaded capture for a year. The rifles are used to scare of a robbery at a bank in Old Castle. Was it the IRA? Was it local thieves? Who knows? The news is reported around the world. Dev is not in control. The Garda are exhausted. The RC church, is looking to buy ammo from Salazar, and Franco. They will not sell. Even if they could, they would not be able to get it across the water
In September 1940. Archbishop McRory, and Lemass, and Douglas Hyde insist Dev. ask FDR for help. FDR agrees on the insistence, that the Irish open their ports, at least to US shipping.
Dev agrees, in the winter of 1940. The second Irish civil war began. Despite joining the united nations during the war. Ireland would never be a happy member of the Allied family. It did not join NATO, and remained outside the EEC.
