The terrorist groups in Italy and Peru both wanted to
A. gain personal freedom.
B. separate from the country.
C. unite various ethnic groups.
D. overthrow the existing government.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is D. overthrow the existing government.
Both Italy and Peru have experienced significant domestic terrorism and political violence driven by groups that sought to challenge and ultimately overthrow their respective governments.
In Italy, the 1970s and 1980s were marked by the activities of various left-wing terrorist organizations, such as the Red Brigades. This group aimed to dismantle the Italian state and replace it with a Marxist-Leninist regime. Their actions included kidnappings, assassinations, and bombings, with the most notorious incident being the kidnapping and murder of former Prime Minister Aldo Moro in 1978. The Red Brigades believed that violent action was necessary to incite a revolutionary movement and challenge the existing political order, which they viewed as corrupt and oppressive.
Similarly, in Peru, the Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) emerged in the late 20th century as a Maoist guerrilla organization. They aimed to overthrow the Peruvian government, which they considered a puppet of imperialist interests and a tool of oppression against the rural poor. The Shining Path resorted to extreme violence, including bombings, massacres, and assassination of government officials and perceived enemies, with the ultimate goal of establishing a communist state. Their campaign led to a brutal civil conflict that resulted in significant loss of life and displacement of communities.
In both cases, these terrorist groups justified their violent actions as necessary for the liberation of their people from what they perceived as oppressive governments. Their shared objective was to challenge the political status quo and replace it with a system that aligned more closely with their ideological beliefs. Thus, the primary goal of both the Italian and Peruvian terrorist groups was to overthrow the existing government, making option D the correct answer.