Case 229 - The Troubles: The British Army in Northern Ireland, 1969-1970

Flanagan, Linda Head and William Rosenau

This case study describes the decision of the British government to place Northern Ireland’s police under the command and control of the British Army, marking the first time since 1916 that army personnel were responsible for policing British subjects. This case can be used to explore the subject of ethnic and religious conflict. It is also useful for exploring that the U.S. military calls “operations other than war.” The case can be usefully assigned along with its companion study, “The Dominican Intervention of 1965” (Case Study 208), to generate classroom discussion about OOTW. Other case studies that may be useful include “Operation Restore Hope: The Bush Administration's Decision to Intervene in Somalia” (Case Study 210) and “Key Decisions in the Somalia Intervention” (Case Study 211).