**Operation Gladio** was a secret
[US](United_States_of_America "wikilink") government operation in
Western Europe officially aimed at secretly preparing the continent for
defense against a [USSR](USSR "wikilink")-led invasion during the [Cold
War](Cold_War "wikilink"), although some critics have argued it was
really used to wipe out surviving factions of the left. Much of
Operation Gladio's extent and purpose is still classified.