What lead to the reason for troops being sent to northern ireland in 1969?

Question

What lead to the reason for troops being sent to northern ireland in 1969?

Answer 1

The civil government had fallen apart.  The Anglo Church followers had one militia and the Roman Catholic Church followers had another.  A Civil war was coming (or there).  The troops were sent to quell the situation.  Problem was that the Angelo Church majority, was the same with the troops that came into North Ireland.  That led to the Catholics to fight against both.

Answer 2

A long explaination required here.

Throughout the post war period in Northern Ireland, nationalists (Catholics) felt discriminated against in local government, housing and employment etc. The PM of Northern Ireland Sir Basil Brooke 1943-1963 was openly prejudiced against Catholics and advised Protestant (mostly Unionist) employers not to employ them etc. The few Nationalist MPs who were elected would not take their seat in parliament because of the oath of allegience to the Queen (among other reasons) and so a poor situation was made worse by lack of representation.

In the late 1960's a number of peaceful civil rights marches were held. Aggressive stand offs were seen at these between supporters of the Catholic civil rights movement and unionist opposition. Fighting broke out, October 1968, between nationalist demonstrators and the RUC (police). On 12 August 1969 a large scale riot began after an Apprentice Boys of Derry (unionist) parade marched through the Catholic bogside of Derry. This was the Battle of the Bogside. Following this, violence spread across NIre to Belfast and beyond.

The RUC were not equipped to handle such widespread violence and so asked the British government to send in troops. 14 August 1969 British troops began to patrol the streets of Derry.

They set up the "peace line" which was a barrier between the Shankill and Falls Road, which was later made a permanent brick wall.

Answer 3

Elaine's answer is excellent but I would change one thing: It wasn't that the RUC wasn't equipped to handle the violence, but rather that they were active participants in the violence. Troops were not sent to help the RUC, but rather to protect Catholics from the RUC and other Protestant groups.