On June 6, 1921, the British government made a significant conciliatory gesture during the Irish War of Independence by officially calling off the policy of house burnings as reprisals. This policy, often carried out by the Black and Tans and Auxiliaries, involved destroying homes and property in response to IRA attacks, causing widespread suffering and resentment. The decision to halt these punitive actions was a crucial step towards de-escalation and preceded the truce that would be agreed upon in July 1921, paving the way for negotiations that led to the Anglo-Irish Treaty.
