Midterm 2: Red Army Faction Flashcards
What and where was the RAF?
They were a radical left-wing revolutionary terrorist group in 1970s West Germany
What type of terrorism was the RAF?
group secular
RAF participants
students from upper and middle-class families
RAF aim
worldwide revolution and an end to the Vietnam War
Where was the RAF primarily attacking
West Europe, Italy, and Germany - operations were conducted internationally via alliance with other groups
Who was the RAF’s enemy?
post-war German state and US military units in Germany
RAF strategies
-incorporated crime strategies such as bank robberies for funding
-main method was plane hijackings
What other name was the RAF known as?
The Baader-Meinhof gang
*this was used by the state and media and legitimized it (“gang”)
Media role in RAF
the media turned glamourized it by turning them into pop culture icons
*this gave them a sense of authority and legitimacy
Why was the RAF opposed to the state?
Believed the democratic state of West Germany was a continuation of the previous Fascist regime (continuation of Nazi Germany)
*there was widespread government corruption at the time and many Nazis were given positions in the new government
Was the RAF old or new terrorism?
Old terrorism because they had a clear goal - later, the goal became to free the key RAF leaders from prison
*The German Autumn: kidnapping of political figure Hanns Martin Schleyer and demanded that the Stanheimm prisoners be released
Was the RAF successful?
No; the public did not have a large interest in a revolution because they just got out of Nazi Germany and were more concerned with East Germany
RAF Legacy
psychological
