IRA aimed to defend Ulster town against British Army in TV coup

In an effort to bring publicity to the Troubles, the Irish Republican Army had plans to take Ulster and defend her from the British Army in 1969.

Now I wonder whether this would have had the intended effect back then. Certainly today it would have an incredible effect. Just take a look at how we are glued to the television and the Internet during the Gulf War. Interesting to say the least:

Sir Andrew reported: “Several Irishmen have mentioned that in order to ensure proper ventilation of the Irish problem at the United Nations it might be desirable to create an international threat to peace by seizing some small town (preferably Catholic) in Northern Ireland by a bloodless coup and then defying by armed force all British attempts to recapture it.

“Television cameras would be assembled and urgent appeals made to the UN. I doubt very much if the Irish government would take part in any such operation in present circumstances, but the IRA quite certainly has the capability of carrying it out on its own.”