Why did British General Reginald Dyer order troops to fire at Jallianwala Bagh?

British General Reginald Dyer ordered his troops to fire on the crowd at Jallianwala Bagh as part of his efforts to restore order in Amritsar following violent protests against the Rowlatt Act.12

After being tasked with suppressing unrest—which had included the killing of four Europeans and the beating of a missionary—Dyer implemented a ban on public gatherings. On April 13, 1919, a large crowd gathered in the enclosed Jallianwala Bagh, defying this ban. While some attendees were peaceful protesters, others had gathered to celebrate the Baisakhi festival.123

Dyer arrived with troops, sealed the only exit, and ordered them to fire into the crowd without warning. He later justified this brutal action by claiming it was necessary to produce a "moral and widespread effect" on the population. This massacre, which resulted in hundreds of deaths, is widely condemned as an act of extreme violence and a profound violation of human rights.132