Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-n9wrp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-17T13:27:02.950Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Red Brigades (1969–1974): An Italian Phenomenon and a Product of the Cold War

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 January 2016

Roberto Bartali
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

With the removal of Khrushchev in 1964 the Soviet Union adopted—at the level of the secret service—a more aggressive policy towards western countries, with a more intensive recourse to so-called ‘covert operations’. These operations regarded even western communist parties, such as the Italian Communist Party (PCI), which were close to being viewed as ‘orthodox’ by the Soviet leadership. The so-called ‘active measures’ which resulted were realised through the infiltration of agents, the training of (usually young) extremists, and (through them) the sending of warnings to the PCI leadership about its divergence from the Soviet line. This context helps us to understand better than before three key events of the years 1968–1973: the emergence of the first terrorist groups in Italy (the Partisans Action Groups and the Red Brigades); the bombing of the electric mains line where Giangiacomo Feltrinelli lost his life; and the car crash in which Enrico Berlinguer was involved in 1973 during an official visit to Bulgaria. An analysis of the Cold War context in which Italian terrorism (and specifically the Red Brigades) developed reveals origins and patterns that are different to those usually identified in the literature.

Type
Research Article
Information
Modern Italy , Volume 12 , Issue 3 , November 2007 , pp. 349 - 369
Copyright
Copyright © Association for the study of Modern Italy 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

References Primary sources

ACM (Archive of the Mitrokhin Commission), 26.2. 2004, hearing of Emeritus President Francesco Cossiga.Google Scholar
ACM, 20.7. 2005, hearing of Rosario Priore.Google Scholar
ACM, 22.7. 1994, Mandate of the Republic at the Courts of Rome, Application for the archiving of the criminal proceedings 8393/92 B - ‘Ionta/De Ficchy’.Google Scholar
ACM, 30.3. 1982, SISMI Report, doc. 180, p. 36.Google Scholar
ACM, PELIZZARO-MATASSA, 2006, Report on the Separat Group .Google Scholar
ACP2, Documents from the ‘Parliamentary Enquiry Commission into the P2 Masonic Lodge’, Doc. XXIII, Vol. VII.Google Scholar
ACS (Archive of the Stragi Commission Stragi), IX legislature, documents from the ‘Moro Commission’, Majority Report, p. 131.Google Scholar
ACS, 1.7. 1997, hearing of Senator Paolo Emilio Taviani.Google Scholar
ACS, 17.3. 1999, hearing of Alberto Franceschini.Google Scholar
ACS, 1993, Parliamentary Enquiry Commission into the kidnapping and killing of Aldo Moro, Majority Report; to be found in: documents from the ‘Moro Commission’, Vol. 1, pp. 141 et seq .Google Scholar
ACS, 22.11. 1990, hearing of Gen. Romeo.Google Scholar
ACS, 24.1. 1983, documents from the ‘Moro Commission’, Sentence in the Moro trial I, p. 933.Google Scholar
ACS, 6.11. 1997, hearing of Senator Francesco Cossiga.Google Scholar
ACS, Doc XXIII, No. 64, Vol. III, p. 53.Google Scholar
ACS, dossier ‘Ever. Sinistra’ 9/3a.Google Scholar
ACS, SISMI Report, 30 March 1982; to be found in: Archive of the Mitrokhin Commission, doc. 180, p. 36.Google Scholar
ACS, SISMI, 12. 1981, Documents from the ‘Pellegrino Commission’: The international links of Italian terrorism .Google Scholar
ACS, XIII legislature, Interview with Sejna, dossier ‘Ever. Sinistra’ 9/7.Google Scholar
APC (Archive of the Italian Communist Party), 1968, Istituto Fondazione Gramsci, Minutes from meetings of the chief executive, mf. 020, pp. 959–960.Google Scholar
CIA-FoIA archive, 13 June 1968, Czechoslovakia: the Dubcek Pause , http://www.foia.cia.gov/.Google Scholar
CIA-FoIA archive, 30 September 1968, The sino-soviet dispute on aid to north Vietnam (1965–1968) , url: http://www.foia.cia.gov/.Google Scholar
CIA-FoIA archive, 4 January 1972, The Soviet Defence Council and military policy making , http://www.foia.cia.gov/.Google Scholar
CIA-FoIA archive, Soviet support for international terrorism and revolutionary , 27 May 1981, SNIE/11; url: http://www.foia.cia.gov/.Google Scholar
Arconte, Antonino, 21–22.4. 2005, collection of testimonies by the author.Google Scholar
Cristiana, Famiglia, 21/2002.Google Scholar
Alberto, Franceschini, 31.3. 2006, collection of testimonies by the author.Google Scholar
L'Unità , 23.8. 1968.Google Scholar
La Stampa , 10.6. 1991.Google Scholar
Panorama , 28.10. 1991, interview with Emanuele Macaluso.Google Scholar
Tonino, Paroli Loris, 18.9. 2006, collection of testimonies by the author.Google Scholar
The Washington Post, Washington, D.C., 7 March 1968.Google Scholar

Secondary sources

Andrew, C. & Gordievskij, O. (1993) The Secret Story Of The KGB , Ed. Bur, Milan.Google Scholar
Andrew, C. & Mitrokhin, V. (1999) L'archivio Mitrokhin: le attività segrete del KGB in Occidente , Ed. Rizzoli, Milan.Google Scholar
Andrew, C. & Mitrokhin, V. (2005) L'archivio Mitrokhin. Una Storia Global della Guerra Fredda da Cuba al Medio Oriente , Rizzoli, Millan.Google Scholar
Barbagallo, G. (2006) Enrico Berlinguer , Carocci, Rome.Google Scholar
Bocca, G. (1982) From'68 To Terrorism , Curcio Editore, Milan.Google Scholar
Boock, P.J. (2003) The German Autumn: Schleyer-Mogadiscio-Stammheim , Deriveapprodi, Rome.Google Scholar
Bukovskij, V. (1999) Gli Archivi Segreti Di Mosca , Spirali, Milan.Google Scholar
Cervetti, G. (1993) L'oro Di Mosca , Baldini & Castaldi, Milano.Google Scholar
Cipriani, G. (2002) Lo Stato Invisibile. Storia Dello Spionaggio In Italia Dal Dopoguerra Ad Oggi , Sperling & Kupfer, Milan.Google Scholar
Courtois, S. (1998) Il Libro Nero Del Comunismo , Mondadori, Milan.Google Scholar
Curcio, R. (1993) A Viso Aperto: Vita E Memorie Del Fondatore Delle B.R. , Mondadori, Milan.Google Scholar
De Lutiis, G. (1993) Storia Dei Servizi Segreti In Italia , Ed. Riuniti, Rome.Google Scholar
De Lutiis, G. (1996) Il Lato Oscuro Del Potere: Associazioni Politiche E Strutture Paramilitari Segrete Dal 1946 A Oggi , Ed. Riuniti, Rome.Google Scholar
Della Porta, D. (1990) Il Terrorismo Di Sinistra , Il Mulino, Bologna.Google Scholar
Donno, G. (2001) La Gladio Rossa Del Pci (1945–1967) , Rubbettino, Catanzaro.Google Scholar
Drake, R. (2001) ‘Why The Moro Trials Have Not Settled The Moro Murder Case: A Problem In Political And Intellectual History’, The Journal Of Modern History , Vol. 73, p. 2001.Google Scholar
Fasanella, A. & Incerti, C. (2005) Sofia 1973: Berlinguer Deve Morire , Fazi, Rome.Google Scholar
Fasanella, A. & Pellegrino, G. (2005) La Guerra Civile , Ed. Bur, Milan.Google Scholar
Fasanella, A. & Rossa, S. (2006) Guido Rossa, Mio Padre , Ed. Bur, Milan.Google Scholar
Fiori, G. (1989) Vita Di Enrico Berlinguer , Laterza, Bari-Rome.Google Scholar
Flamigni, S. (1997) Il Mio Sangue Ricadrà Su Di Loro. Gli Scritti Di Aldo Moro Prigioniero Delle Brigate Rosse , Ed. Kaos, Milan.Google Scholar
Flamigni, S. (1998) Convergenze Parallele , Ed. Kaos, Milan.Google Scholar
Flamigni, S. (2004) La sfinge delle Brigate Rosse, Delitti, Segreti e Bugie del Capo Terrorista Mario Moretti , Ed. Kaos, Millar.Google Scholar
Franceschini, A. & Fasanella, G. (2004) Che Cosa Sono Le Br , Ed. Bur, Milan.Google Scholar
Freemantle, B. (1997) Il Kgb. Storia Della Più Potente Organizzazione Spionistica Del Mondo , Mursia, Milan.Google Scholar
Galli, G. (1986) History Of The Armed Party 1968–1982 , Rizzoli, Milan.Google Scholar
Giannulli, A. & Cucchiarelli, P. (1997) Lo Stato Parallelo. L'italia ‘Oscura’ Nei Documenti E Nelle Relazioni Della Commissione Stragi , Gamberetti, Rome.Google Scholar
Giovagnoli, A. (2005) Il Caso Moro: Una Tragedia Repubblicana , Il Mulino, Bologna.Google Scholar
Ilari, V. (2001) Guerra Civile , Ed. Ideazione, Rome.Google Scholar
Marchese, S. (1989) I Collegamenti Internazionali Del Terrorismo Italiano , Ed. Japadre, L'aquila.Google Scholar
Manconi, L. & Catanzaro, R. (1990) Il Nemico Assoluto: Antifascismo e Contropotere della Fase Aurorale del Terrismo di Sinistra , Il Mulino, Bologna.Google Scholar
Moretti, M. (1994) Brigate Rosse: Una Storia Italiana , Anabasi, Milan.Google Scholar
Morucci, V. (2004) La Peggio Gioventù , Rizzoli, Milan.Google Scholar
Nassi, E. (1974) La Banda Meinhoff , Fratelli Fabbri, Milan.Google Scholar
Pelizzaro, G. P. (1997) La Gladio Rossa: Dossier On The Most Powerful Armed Band To Have Existed In Italy , Settimo Sigillo, Rome.Google Scholar
Pergolizzi, P. (2006) L'appartamento, Br: Dal Pci Alla Lotta Armata , Reggio Emilia, Aliberti.Google Scholar
Pons, S. (2003) La Formazione Della Politica Internazionale Di Berlinguer: Europa, NATO, URSS (1968–1976) , in Craveri-Quagliarello (A Cura Di), 2003, Atlantismo Ed Europeismo , Rubbettino, Catanzaro.Google Scholar
Pons, S. (2006) Berlinguer E La Fine Del Comunismo , Einaudi, Turin.Google Scholar
Primakov, E. & Kirpicenko, V.A. (1996) KGB: La Vera Storia Dei Servizi Segreti Russi , Hobby & Work, Milano.Google Scholar
Provvisionato, S. & Baldoni, A. (1989) La Notte Più Lunga Della Repubblica , Serarcangeli, Rome.Google Scholar
Renosio, M. (1999) Tra Mito Sovietico E Riformismo , Ed. Gruppo Abele, Turin.Google Scholar
Riva, V. (1999) Oro Da Mosca: I Finanziamenti Sovietici Al Pci Dalla Rivoluzione D'ottobre Al Crollo Dell'urss , Mondadori, Milan.Google Scholar
Satta, V. (2003) Odissea Nel Caso Moro. Viaggio Controcorrente Attraverso La Documentazione Della Commissione Stragi , Edup, Rome.Google Scholar
Satta, V. (2006) Il caso moro e i suoi falsi misteri , Soneria Mannelli Rubbettino.Google Scholar
Sechi, S. (2000) L'esercito Rosso. Il Dipartimento Di Stato E L'apparato Militare Del Pci , in ‘Nuova Storia Contemporanea’, no. 4, May–June 2000, pp. 41 et seq. Google Scholar
Sechi, S. (2006) Compagno Cittadino. Il Pci Tra Azione Parlamentare E Lotta Armata , Rubbettino, Soneria Mannelli.Google Scholar
Sejna, J. (1982) We Will Bury You , Sidgwick & Jackson, London.Google Scholar
Sharif Bassam, A. & Mahnaimi, U. (1996) Il Mio Miglior Nemico , Sellerio, Palermo.Google Scholar
Sogno-Cazzullo, (2000) Testamento Di Un Anti-Comunista , Mondadori, Milan.Google Scholar
Turi, R. (2000) Gladio Rossa , Marsilio, Venice.Google Scholar
Vásárhelyi, G. (2004) Merényletek Moszvkva Árnyákában , Hamvas, Budapest.Google Scholar
Wolf, M. (1997) L'uomo Senza Volto , Rizzoli, Milan.Google Scholar
Zaslavsky, V. (2001) L'apparato Paramilitare Comunista Nell'italia Del Dopoguerra ('45–'55): Report For The ‘Stragi Commission’; in Nuova Storia Contemporanea , 5/2001.Google Scholar
Zaslavsky, V. (2004) Lo Stalinismo E La Sinistra Italiana 1945–1991 , Mondadori, Milan.Google Scholar
Zavoli, S. (1995) La Notte Della Repubblica , Mondadori, Milan.Google Scholar