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English scum which first came to Ireland in March 1920 was established to target the Irish Republican Army (IRA).  Dating back from when the English came over to Ireland to rule.  The soldiers they sent wore a mixture of uniforms – some military, some RIC. This mixture gave them the appearance of being in khaki and dark police uniform. As a result, these men got the nickname "Black and Tans", and it stuck.  They went round Ireland to enforce English Rule, became notorious through its numerous attacks on the Irish civilian population, forbidding people to speak their native language Gaeilge and beating and battering those who opposed English law.  For the Black and Tans, their primary task was to make Ireland "hell for the rebels to live in". Over 8000 Black and Tans went to Ireland and while they found it difficult to cope with men who used classic guerrilla tactics against them, those who lived in areas where the Black and Tans were based, paid the price.  What did the Black and Tans achieve? They served no purpose for the British government as they simply failed to stop what the IRA was doing. However, they did succeed in getting the republican cause a great deal of civilian support simply because of their acts – people may not have joined the IRA, but they were supporters of it and gave what financial help they could to the movement. The Black and Tans were pulled out of Ireland in ignominy.

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