In the aftermath of World War II, a secret operation was initiated by US intelligence agents to frame the Soviet Union for a series of deadly car bomb attacks across Italy. This operation, known as Operation Gladio, was part of a larger scheme designed to create opposition against communist Russia in the event of an invasion of Europe.
Key Details of Operation Gladio
- The plot involved CIA-trained guerrilla armies carrying out bombings that resulted in the deaths of approximately 110 civilians throughout Italy between the 1960s and 1980s.
- Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti declared two bombings in 1990 as having been carried out by right-wing terrorists with ties to Operation Gladio.
- At the heart of Operation Gladio was a network of stay-behind groups established across Western Europe by US and European intelligence services. These groups aimed to undermine communist influence following WWII and prevent the USSR from expanding further into Europe.
Historical Context
- Information about Operation Gladio was feared public due to its sensitive nature. However, it is now known that these plans began before WWII, as American GIs fought Nazis on the front lines while planners had already decided what would come next.
- Reinhard Gehlen played a crucial role in shaping this strategy. He formed his own spy organization using former Nazis and anti-communists to conduct espionage operations against the Soviet Union during the post-war occupation. This organization became the precursor to the West German intelligence agency, BND, during the Cold War.
Coordination and Impact
- Allen Dulles, the head of the CIA, coordinated with NATO and European intelligence services to establish these stay-behind networks after WWII.
- Gehlen, who had spent years working for Adolf Hitler’s military high command, was captured by American forces at the end of the war. Instead of facing trial for war crimes, he was recruited by Dulles as a part-time advisor, eventually returning to service full-time.
- Gehlen’s organization was tasked with undermining communist influence and preventing the USSR from spreading further into Europe, a goal that remained central throughout their existence.
Consequences of Operation Gladio
- The operation included plans for sabotage missions inside Eastern Bloc countries if they ever fell under Russian control.
- At least three more bombs exploded elsewhere in Italy in the years following the initial attacks, highlighting the ongoing impact of Operation Gladio.
Operation Gladio remains a controversial chapter in Cold War history, illustrating the lengths to which intelligence agencies would go to counter perceived threats from communism.
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