Bringing the war home : the Weather Underground, the Red Army Faction, and the revolutionary violence in the sixties and seventies

In this first comprehensive comparison of left-wing violence in the United States and West Germany, Jeremy Varon focuses on America's Weather Underground and Germany's Red Army Faction to consider how and why young, middle-class radicals in prosperous democratic societies turned to armed struggle in efforts to overthrow their states. Based on a wealth of primary material, ranging from interviews to FBI reports, this book reconstructs the motivation and ideology of violent organizations active during the 1960s and 1970s. Varon conveys the intense passions of the era--the heat of moral purpose, the depth of Utopian longing, the sense of danger and despair, and the exhilaration over temporary triumphs. Varon's compelling interpretation of the logic and limits of dissent in democratic societies provides striking insights into the role of militancy in contemporary protest movements and has wide implications for the United States' current "war on terrorism." Varon explores Weatherman and RAF's strong similarities and the reasons why radicals in different settings developed a shared set of values, languages, and strategies. Addressing the relationship of historical memory to political action, Varon demonstrates how Germany's fascist past influenced the brutal and escalating nature of the West German conflict in the 60s and 70s, as well as the reasons why left-wing violence dropped sharply in the United States during the 1970s. Bringing the War Home is a fascinating account of why violence develops within social movements, how states can respond to radical dissent and forms of terror, how the rational and irrational can combine in political movements, and finally how moral outrage and militancy can play both constructive and destructive roles in efforts at social change. Illustrations: 24 b/w photographs Why Did Young, Middle-class Radicals In Prosperous Democratic Societies Attempt To Overthrow Their Governments By Armed Force In The 1960s And 1970s? How Did They Carry Out This Program Of Violence? These Questions Form The Basis Of This First Comprehensive Comparison Of Left-wing Violence In The United States And West Germany. Using A Wealth Of Primary Material, Ranging From Interviews To Fbi Reports, Jeremy Varon Reconstructs The Motivations And Ideologies Of America's Weather Underground And Germany's Red Army Faction. Varon Conveys The Heated Passions Of The Era -- The Moral Certainty, The Depth Of Utopian Longing, The Sense Of Danger And Despair, And The Exhilaration Over Temporary Triumphs. Varon Explores The Strong Similarities Between The Weather Underground And The Raf And The Reasons For Their Developing Shared Values, Language, And Strategies In Spite Of Their Different Settings. Addressing The Relationship Of Historical Memory To Political Action, Varon Demonstrates How Germany's Fascist Past Influenced The Escalating Brutality Of The West German Conflict In The 1960s And 1970s, As Well As Why Left-wing Violence Dropped Sharply In The United States During The 1970s. Bringing The War Home Is A Fascinating Account Of How Social Movements Come To Embrace Violence, How States Can Respond To Radical Dissent And Forms Of Terror, How The Rational And Irrational Can Combine In Political Movements, And Finally How Moral Outrage And Militancy Can Play Both Constructive And Destructive Roles In Efforts At Social Change. Varon's Narrative Is Compelling And Has Wide Implications For The United States's Current War On Terrorism. Book Jacket.--book Jacket. Agents Of Necessity: Weatherman, The Red Army Faction, And The Turn To Violence -- The Importance Of Being Militant: The Days Of Rage And Their Critics -- Hearts And Minds: The Antiwar Movement, Violence, And The Critical Mass -- The Excesses And Limits Of Revolutionary Violence -- Deadly Abstraction: The Red Army Faction And The Politics Of Murder -- Democratic Intolerance: The Red Army Faction And The West German State. Jeremy Varon. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 361-373) And Index. In this first comprehensive comparison of left-wing violence in the United States and West Germany, Jeremy Varon focuses on America's Weather Underground and Germany's Red Army Faction to consider how and why young, middle-class radicals in prosperous democratic societies turned to armed struggle in efforts to overthrow their states. Based on a wealth of primary material, ranging from interviews to FBI reports, this book reconstructs the motivation and ideology of violent organizations active during the 1960s and 1970s. Varon conveys the intense passions of the era--the heat of moral purpose, the depth of Utopian longing, the sense of danger and despair, and the exhilaration over temporary triumphs. Varon's compelling interpretation of the logic and limits of dissent in democratic societies provides striking insights into the role of militancy in contemporary protest movements and has wide implications for the United States' current "war on terrorism."

Varon explores Weatherman and RAF's strong similarities and the reasons why radicals in different settings developed a shared set of values, languages, and strategies. Addressing the relationship of historical memory to political action, Varon demonstrates how Germany's fascist past influenced the brutal and escalating nature of the West German conflict in the 60s and 70s, as well as the reasons why left-wing violence dropped sharply in the United States during the 1970s. Bringing the War Home is a fascinating account of why violence develops within social movements, how states can respond to radical dissent and forms of terror, how the rational and irrational can combine in political movements, and finally how moral outrage and militancy can play both constructive and destructive roles in efforts at social change. In this first comprehensive comparison of left-wing violence in the United States and West Germany, Jeremy Varon focuses on America's Weather Underground and Germany's Red Army Faction to consider how and why young, middle-class radicals in prosperous democratic societies turned to armed struggle in efforts to overthrow their states. Based on a wealth of primary material, ranging from interviews to FBI reports, this book reconstructs the motivation and ideology of violent organizations active during the 1960s and 1970s. Varon conveys the intense passions of the era--the heat of moral purpose, the depth of Utopian longing, the sense of danger and despair, and the exhilaration over temporary triumphs. Varon's compelling interpretation of the logic and limits of dissent in democratic societies provides striking insights into the role of militancy in contemporary protest movements and has wide implications for the United States' current "war on terrorism." Varon explores Weatherman and RAF's strong similarities and the reasons why radicals in different settings developed a shared set of values, languages, and strategies. Addressing the relationship of historical memory to political action, Varon demonstrates how Germany's fascist past influenced the brutal and escalating nature of the West German conflict in the 60s and 70s, as well as the reasons why left-wing violence dropped sharply in the United States during the 1970s. Bringing the War Home is a fascinating account of why violence develops within social movements, how states can respond to radical dissent and forms of terror, how the rational and irrational can combine in political movements, and finally how moral outrage and militancy can play both constructive and destructive roles in efforts at social change.