Editing “Strategy of Tension” (section)

==Strategy of Tension==

The “strategy of tension” (strategia della tensione) was a covert campaign of state-sponsored terrorism in Italy and throughout Europe initially and spread throughout the world. During the “Years of Lead” (late 1960s–early 1980s), it was designed to destabilize the country, foster public fear, and prevent any movement that was anti-imperialistic or anti-NATO from gaining electoral power. Orchestrated by elements within Italian intelligence, fascist groups with links to pre-war Germany, the [[Propaganda Due P2]] Masonic lodge, and supported by NATO’s [[Operation Gladio]] and the CIA, this strategy exploited Cold War tensions to maintain pro-western dominance and justify authoritarian measures. By staging violent attacks and blaming them on groups who opposed NATO or imperialism, the perpetrators aimed to create a climate of insecurity, pushing the public to demand stronger government control and reject any other ideologies.

Historical Context: The strategy emerged amid Italy’s polarized political landscape in the late 1960s, marked by economic struggles, student protests (1968), and labor strikes (Hot Autumn, 1969). The PCI’s growing electoral strength, peaking at 34.4% in 1976, alarmed Italy’s ruling Christian Democracy (DC) party, NATO, and the U.S., who feared a NATO unfriendly government in a key NATO ally. The Cold War’s 'anti-communist' fervor, coupled with social unrest, provided fertile ground for covert operations. Operation Gladio, established as a NATO “stay-behind” network, modeled after Hitler's stay behind network The Werewolves, to resist a hypothetical Soviet invasion, was use to execute internal subversion, with the CIA providing funding and strategic direction. The CIA used funding it garnered from its robust drug trafficking operation modeled after Chiang Kai Shek's operations during World War II.