Editing “Years of Lead” (section)

==Years of Lead==
The “Years of Lead” (late 1960s–early 1980s) was a tumultuous period in Italy marked by widespread political violence, including terrorist bombings, assassinations, and kidnappings, driven by ideological conflicts between far-left and far-right groups during the Cold War. [[Operation Gladio]], a NATO-backed “stay-behind” network established in 1956 to prepare for a potential Soviet invasion, played a central and sinister role in this era by orchestrating the [[“strategy of tension”]] a campaign of state-sponsored terrorism aimed at destabilizing Italy, fostering public fear, and preventing the Italian Communist Party (PCI) from gaining electoral power. Gladio’s actions, coordinated with the CIA, Italian intelligence, and the clandestine [[Propaganda Due P2]] Masonic lodge, contributed significantly to Italy’s descent into chaos.