This organization was known as the Social Democratic and Labor Party (SDLP). The
supporters of the old nationalist party were the supporters of this new party ("Chartres"
33). The first serious gun fights occurred in June 1970 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
They were identified as IRA units and some militant armed protestants. In the late
summer of 1970's both British army and police patrols came under fire from crude
weapons known as nail bombs ("Chartres" 34). "The Provisional IRA showed it's teeth
with 29 explosions, mainly directed against such targets like police stations, prison gates,
post offices and British owned airline offices." ("Chartres" 34).
The years of 1970, 1971, and 1972 were years in which the British regular army, the
RUC and to an increasing extent the UDR family became locked into a battle with the
IRA ("Chartres" 32). The consolidation of violence can also be labelled a period of time
in which the Irish Republican Movement struck hardest (see Figure 3). The
Provisional IRA, had recruited too many people who actually enjoyed killing, wounding
and torturing British people. In march 1972, Britain suspended the Northern Ireland
government and established direct rule. Britain also appointed secretary of state to take
over the executive power. Direct rule ended in january 1st, 1974 when a new
government made up of 78 members called the Northern Ireland assembly and a 15
member executive council took control ("Northern" World Book 526). The year of 1972
opened up with the horrific episode of "Bloody Sunday", which took place in Derry,
Northern Ireland. On this date 13 civilians were shot dead by British troops, as
suspected terrorists, even though there was no proof of their guilt of innocence.