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South Armagh was especially dangerous for UK security forces. It could only be accessed safely by air.

Northern Ireland: 1968-98 - The Role Of The Security Forces

This GCSE History quiz looks at the role of the Army and police in Northern Ireland, from peacekeeping aims to controversies that shaped community attitudes during the Troubles.

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Fascinating Fact:

On Bloody Sunday in January 1972, British soldiers shot dead 13 unarmed civil rights marchers in Derry. The event badly damaged the Army’s reputation and boosted IRA recruitment.

In GCSE History, you study how security forces such as the British Army and the Royal Ulster Constabulary operated in Northern Ireland, including their methods, their powers, and the impact of their actions on both communities.

Key Terms

Security forces: The Army, police, and related units responsible for maintaining law, order, and public safety.
Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC): The main police force in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.
Internment: The imprisonment of suspects without trial, used by the government as an emergency security measure.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What were the security forces in Northern Ireland during the Troubles?

The main security forces were the British Army, the Royal Ulster Constabulary, and the locally recruited Ulster Defence Regiment. They were tasked with keeping order and tackling paramilitary violence.

Why were British troops first sent to Northern Ireland in 1969?

British troops were deployed in 1969 to restore order after serious riots and to protect civilians. At first many Catholic communities welcomed them, but attitudes changed as the conflict continued.

How did security force actions affect relations with local communities?

Actions such as house searches, roadblocks, and arrests were seen by some as necessary for safety, but others viewed them as unfair or biased, which increased mistrust and tension.

Try These Related Quizzes

1 .

Jack Lynch, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland at the very beginning of the "Troubles", suggested that an outside force should intervene in the Province. Which force or forces did he have in mind?

Units of the British army

Police officers from the Irish Republic (Gardaí)

A United Nations Force

A force made up from Commonwealth countries

The government of Southern Ireland felt that it had a responsibility to protect the minority Catholic community in the North

2 .

A special forces unit of the British army achieved the greatest Provisional IRA loss of life in one incident during the Troubles. Which unit was this?

The Special Boat Squadron

The Special Air Service

The RAF Regiment

The Army Air Corps

Small elite units could be highly effective in the circumstances of Northern Ireland

3 .

In January 1972 British troops killed 13 Roman Catholics in Londonderry. Which unit of the British army was responsible for this outrage?

Royal Marine Commandos

The Brigade of Guards

The Parachute Regiment

The Royal Engineers

This was a shocking event, in which armed troops gunned down unarmed demonstrators on the streets of a British city

4 .

Which of the following interrogation techniques was not used by British forces in Northern Ireland for a while during the 1970s?

Hooding

"White Noise"

Sleep Deprivation

Waterboarding

These methods were revealed in the 1970s and were thereafter discontinued. However, allegations of "torture" persisted, and the damage had already been done to relations between British troops and local Roman Catholics

5 .

Which was the worst year during the "Troubles" for deaths among the security forces?

1971

1972

1979

1982

In the absence of a political settlement the security forces were left to battle it out with paramilitaries from both sides of the sectarian divide

6 .

Which mainly Catholic area, bordering on the Irish Republic on the east side of the frontier, was exceptionally dangerous for the security forces, who arrived in and left the area by air?

County Fermanagh

County Tyrone

South Armagh

County Londonderry

A hostile population and the proximity of the Republic made this an especially hazardous region

7 .

"Operation Banner" (the intervention in Northern Ireland) was the longest continuous campaign fought by the British army anywhere. How long was this?

36 years

29 years

39 years

38 years

When the troops were deployed to the Province in 1969, few can have thought that they would be kept there for anything like as long as this

8 .

Later in 1969 Harold Wilson's Labour government did decide to deploy British troops to Northern Ireland. How were these troops received initially by the Catholic inhabitants in Belfast and Londonderry?

With indifference

With hostility

With welcoming cups of tea and other refreshments

With books and pamphlets outlining the case for a United Ireland

The troops' arrival undoubtedly prevented a massacre, and reassured - temporarily - fearful Catholics

9 .

In 1972 "Operation Motorman" involved a military invasion and occupation of the Bogside area of Londonderry - and the introduction of internment. What was meant by internment?

Arresting and imprisoning suspects locally without trial for an unlimited period

Arresting suspects and keeping them in prison for a short while, before releasing them

Arresting suspects and keeping them in prison for a while, before putting them before a court

Arresting suspects and sending them indefinitely to prison on the UK mainland

The Northern Irish authorities had difficulty in getting witnesses to testify against known paramilitaries. Internment was an attempt to overcome this problem

10 .

An immediate enquiry was set up into the events of "Bloody Sunday". Which judge presided over this investigation, which was widely criticised for being too favourable to the security forces?

Widgery

Hutton

Savile

Scott

This early enquiry left in many people an uneasy feeling that justice had not been done

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Changing relations: Northern Ireland and its neighbours, 1965-98

Author: Edward Towne