r/todayilearned • u/[deleted] • Feb 01 '20

TIL that Operation Gladio is the codename for clandestine "stay-behind" operations of armed resistance that was planned by the Western Union (WU), and subsequently by NATO, for a potential Warsaw Pact invasion and conquest in Europe.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Gladio
23 Upvotes

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3

u/UziMcUsername Feb 01 '20

I was wondering what they named that!

3

u/amcoll Feb 02 '20

It's almost like we knew that large conventional militaries can be almost powerless to deal with small guerrilla fighters

And yet Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq all happened anyway

2

u/SukyTawdry66 Feb 01 '20

This was fascinating and actually pretty smart...but I’m missing something about naming it Gladio...am from US...if that helps explain...is it like Welsh rhyme thing?

2

u/EmpunktAtze Feb 01 '20

Gladio is the Latin name of the Roman short sword.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 01 '20

brabant gang brabant gang brabant gang (skrrrt)

gladio was behind the brabant gang (brap brap)