Blueshirts

The Army Comrades Association (ACA), later named National Guard and better known by its nickname The Blueshirts, was an Irish political organisation set up by former IRA leader, police commissioner and Irish Army General Eoin O'Duffy in the 1930s. Its opponents accused it of being the Irish Free State's equivalent of Hitler's Brownshirts and Mussolini's Blackshirts which were all members of the European fascist movement, given that Blueshirts leaders all wore Fascist-style blue-shirts and gave the Roman salute. Its leaders argued that it was simply defending democracy, citing the actions of the IRA, who had attempted to break up meetings of Irish opposition groups whom they regarded as 'traitors'. It viewed its role as protecting opposition political parties from IRA attack.

Related Topics:
Irish - IRA - Police - Irish Army - Eoin O'Duffy - 1930s - Irish Free State - Brownshirts - Blackshirts - Fascist - Roman salute - IRA

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