0 of 12
- A British soldier drags a Catholic protester during the "Bloody Sunday" killings 30 January 1972 when British paratroopers shot dead 13 Catholics civil rights marchers in Londonderry. Shortly after, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) declared that their immediate policy was "to kill as many British soldiers as possible". Since the partition of Ireland in 1921, the IRA has fought for a complete withdrawal of British troops from Northern Ireland and a reunification of the island of Ireland. But it was in 1969, when civil rights marches flared into violence, that the old IRA split and the Provisional IRA was born. Around 3,500 people have died and almost 40,000 have been injured in sectarian violence involving the IRA and pro-British-rule unionist paramilitaries--the so-called loyalists. (Photo by THOMPSON / AFP) (Photo credit should read THOMPSON/AFP via Getty Images)
- British troops search civilians on the day of the Bloody Sunday massacre, when British Paratroopers shot dead 13 civilians on a civil rights march in Derry, Northern Ireland, 30th January 1972. (Photo by William L. Rukeyser/Getty Images)
- Youths confront British soldiers minutes before paratroopers opened fire killing 14 civilians on what became known as Bloody Sunday. The standoff is near barricade 14 on William St, Londonderry, Northern Ireland on 30th January 1972 (Photo by William L. Rukeyser/Getty Images)
- An ambulance collects victims of British paratroopers at dusk on Rossville St, Londonderry, Northern Ireland. 14 civilians were killed, the day became known as Bloody Sunday. 30th January 1972. (Photo by William L. Rukeyser/Getty Images)
- Arrested civilians are marched towards detention in the Bogside Area of Londonderry by British troops on Bloody Sunday 30th January 1972 (Photo by William L. Rukeyser/Getty Images)
- 30th January 1972. British soldiers and members of the press are pictured behind armoured water cannon and armoured cars as tensions rise during a civil rights march in Derry. Soldiers opened fire on the civil rights march, killing 14 on what became known as Bloody Sunday. (Photo by William L. Rukeyser/Getty Images)
- Civilians carry a shooting victim to a waiting ambulance during a lull in paratroopers' gunfire near to Rossville flats in Londonderry, 30th January 1972 (Photo by William L. Rukeyser/Getty Images)
- NORTHERN IRELAND - JANUARY 30, 1972: Demonstrators run after tear gas explosions on "Bloody Sunday" , January 1972 in Northern Ireland. (Photo by PL Gould/Images/Getty Images)
- 30th January 1972. A civilian, shot and wounded by British paratroopers, is rushed to a waiting ambulance. Soldiers opened fire on the civil rights march, killing 14 on what became known as Bloody Sunday. (Photo by William L. Rukeyser/Getty Images)
- 30th January 1972. British soldiers are pictured behind armoured water cannon and armoured cars as tensions rise during a civil rights march in Derry. Soldiers opened fire on the civil rights march, killing 14 on what became known as Bloody Sunday. (Photo by William L. Rukeyser/Getty Images)
- A British soldier guards firemen fighting a blaze after a bomb blast at a miller's beside the River Foyle in Londonderry, when bombers opened a new offensive in the city in response to the shooting deaths of 13 civilians at the weekend by British soldiers. (Photo by PA Images via Getty Images)