Conscription, Us Intervention and the Transformation of Ireland (1914-1918): Divergent Destinies

273 Pages·2022·53.094 MB·English

by  Emmanuel Destenay

Conscription, US Intervention and the
Transformation of Ireland, 1914–1918
i
ii
Conscription, US Intervention and
the Transformation of Ireland,
1914–1918
Divergent Destinies
Emmanuel Destenay
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Th is book is dedicated to Cornelius Crowley
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Contents
List of illustrations x
Preface xii
Acknowledgements xiv
Note on Translation xvi
Biography of France’s Representatives xvii
Introduction 1
Echoes of Sarajevo 1
Conventional narratives 5
Plea for a new historiography of the Irish Revolution 10
Diplomatic sources and French narratives 13
1 Political Crisis, British Intentions and Wartime
Uncertainties (January 1913–March 1916) 19
Home Rule and Ulster Unionism: the impossible settlement 19
War breaks out: Asquith’s strategy, recruitment, and the leap
into the unknown 29
A distant war: propaganda and the war economy 34
Laissez- faire policy and French concerns 40
Conclusion 48
2 Was the Rebellion a Turning Point? (April 1916–October 1916) 49
Allegiance and opportunities: US neutrality and the
preparation for an insurrection 49
Rebellion, reactions and extrapolations? 51
Aft ermath and executions: the transformation of Ireland? 57
Partition: ongoing deadlock and critical solutions 63
Procrastination and the end of the old administrative regime 68
Conclusion 70
3 All Changed, Changed Quietly (October 1916–March 1917) 71
October 1916 and the threat of conscription 71
Opposing conscription, supporting Redmond 76
Th e decline in recruitment 80
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viii Contents
Th e North-Roscommon by- election: the twilight of
Sinn F é in 83
Conclusion 89
4 Resisting Conscription, Redefi ning Ireland
(March 1917–October 1917) 91
March 1917: the Home Rule controversy 91
Re- organizing Sinn F é in: towards the Á rd Fheis 94
Th e South Longford by- election: the men of Easter Week
saved your sons from conscription 98
Tightening the grip: the East-Clare election 103
Th e Kilkenny by- election 113
Á rd Fheis: the Sinn F é in Convention in October 1917 118
Th e shift ing position of the Roman Catholic clergy 122
Th e growing number of Sinn F é in sympathizers 125
Conclusion 129
5 Th e Wartime Internationalization of the Irish Question
(April 1917–March 1918) 131
US intervention: a blow to the separatist movement? 131
Colonel House and Ireland 136
Th e April 1917 Irish Convention: a ‘fl at failure’ or a
‘political camoufl age’? 138
British procrastination 146
From fear of another black ’47 to fear of conscription
(January–March 1918) 148
Unholy alliances, survival and despair 154
Th e goal of the Peace Conference takes hold 158
Conclusion 163
6 Conscription, Betrayal and the Agony of the Irish
Parliamentary Party (April 1918) 165
From the Ulster ‘conscription cry’ to the German off ensive 165
Heated debates and some revelations 170
A stab in the back of the dead man: a second execution
of dead heroes 175
‘Th e miracle has been performed’ 180
Preparing the fi ght here and abroad 186
An unpopular move among the British authorities in Ireland 189
Contents ix
Conscription: a counter-Wilsonian move? 192
Conclusion 195
7 Endgame (May 1918–December 1918) 197
Th e German plot 197
On the road to victory: summer 1918 201
December 1918: the triumph of the Internationalists 211
Conclusion 214
Epilogue 215
How the Great War transformed Ireland 215
Diverging destinies 218
National minorities, post- war order and disillusions 221
Bibliography 225
Index 241