The Irgun Zvai Leumi, or National Military Organization, were a Jewish underground movement operating from 1931 to 1948 in Palestine; founded because of varying ideals from the passive stance taken up by the main military force of the Jews, the Haganah. The Irgun were extremely well organized and disciplined, adopting intensive recruitment techniques, military training, and military rankings. They not only fought Arab’s, but also the occupying British largely for their publishing of White Papers of 1939 which in the eyes of the Irgun had adverse effects on Jewish settlement in Palestine. An exception being during some of World War II when the Irgun called a ceasefire with the British in order to fight the biggest threat to the Jewish people, …show more content…
These attacks were not met without opposition though, as the British began arresting hundreds of Irgun members and sending them to detention camps. The Irgun also attacked “civil structures, railroads, communication lines and bridges.” As well as carrying out raids against British military and police bases. In 1946 the Irgun bombed a British embassy in Rome. In just a one month period during 1947 the Irgun reported attacked 18 military camps installations. All of these attacks were in an attempt to not only demoralize the British, but also entice an overreaction from the British for a worldwide audience to see and take notice of in favor the Jews. All of the acts were important for the Irgun, but possibly the single most influential actions by the Irgun was the kidnapping and hanging of two British sergeants in Palestine. This caused a major outcry in Britain that influenced the termination of the Mandate and creation of a Jewish and an Arab state, eventually leading to the Palestine War of 1948 between the Jews and Arabs and the integration of the Irgun with Israeli Defense Forces. In conclusion, the Irgun were extremely effective in advancing their nationalistic cause through terrorism. Operating from 1936 to 1948, they attacked Arabs and British government facilities and infrastructure in order to demoralize them, as well as entice the British into overreaction which the Irgun could use for their benefit, international sympathy. They successfully terminated Britain’s government in Palestine and created a state of