This book proves the saying "one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter".
Squad formed by Michael Collins during the Irish War of independence was formed with sole purpose in mind - execute British intelligence and police personnel in order to sow terror and scare the British authorities and most importantly (or most frighteningly - depends on how much you think that means justify the end) push British government into spiral of blood and huge civilian casualties all resulting in increase of popular support for IRA.

Did the British make wrong moves - absolutely and they made not one but numerous errors. Inclusion of paramilitary forces that went tit-for-tat against the IRA and Collins' Squad, indiscriminate shootouts, burning and pillaging of entire cities, atrocities against civilian population (targeted killings, kidnaps, torture and disappearances) all pushed public support not only in Ireland but in rest of the world to IRA side.

But to instigate all of the above and watch your people literary burn to achieve common goals but through your means (since Collins seems to considered others incapable) is mark of a cynic and in my opinion not a patriot. Because what makes any fight against oppression count? People, not land. For all means and purposes Collins was more a gang leader. Was he audacious? Sure. Was he loyal to his friends? Sure. Was he loyal to his people - for me this is questionable. If you are willing to sacrifice your folk knowingly to gain public support through actions that are more akin to gang-style murders against public officials and their families makes you [definitely] a scary man but very very cynical and narcissist person that sees oneself as one and only messiah while all the others are just incompetent buffoons. And even worse he never ceased with killings until he was finally relieved of command of Squad in late 1921, early 1922.

Events described in the book don't give much insight into Collins' own death but I think all parties wanted him gone. For a simple reason - man wielding this much power, running assassination squad that worshiped him and was ready to go through hell and back for him, could never find his place in peace-time and in debates with people he always considered inferior in both political views and approaches. He would be a dangerous person to keep around and most definitely his violence would surface again in such a way that new Irish republic would always be on a brink of internal strife.

And yet with all being said Collins was not different from any radical revolutionary of the period - they all ended more or less in a same way as Collins did. In the shadows, under not very clear circumstances.

Collins and his squad were product of their times, tools of war that lost their humanity while engaged in constant guerilla war against British forces, fighting a battle where everyone is a eligible target. While their actions were terrorist in the nature (no doubt about it) - very cold and intentional yanking of the chains of a huge lion [British military and police] in order to provoke disproportionate response and backlash against civilians - they did fight bravely for their country and most definitely played a huge role in wearing down British forces in a way that finally brought peace to Ireland (at least the Republican part, Northern Ireland remained troubled land for long years after).

They just could not survive move to the peace-thriving era because it would be completely unnatural for them.

Excellent book and very important for our times (together with excellent [b:In the Heart of the Whore: The Story of Apartheid's Death Squads|759233|In the Heart of the Whore The Story of Apartheid's Death Squads|Jacques Pauw|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1419864557l/759233._SX50_.jpg|745342] by [a:Jacques Pauw|401031|Jacques Pauw|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png]) because it shows that constant irregular conflict and militarization of population and police apparatus can have far reaching consequences - in civilian casualties that could be averted and most importantly because basic humanity gets lost very soon in all the participants of the conflict because having it is considered as sign one is "weak" in actions against ones enemies. ( )

http://www.susanhatedliterature.net/the-squad/ ( )