What was Operation Gladio and how did it reflect Cold War-era U.S. foreign policy strategies?

Operation Gladio was a controversial Cold War operation that involved assassination, psychological warfare, and false flag operations designed to delegitimize left-wing parties in Western European countries. The operation went as far as supporting anti-communist militias and right-wing terrorism, including the torture and assassination of communists, such as Eduardo Mondolein in 1969. While the United States rejected claims that they supported terrorists, maintaining that the operation only served to resist potential Soviet invasion of Western Europe, Operation Gladio exemplifies the morally questionable tactics employed during Cold War foreign policy. This operation represents the complex and often controversial methods used by the U.S. to counter communist influence in Europe during this tense geopolitical period.