Italy reckons with NATO's secret Cold War army Gladio decades later

France 24 reports on Gladio, a clandestine NATO-backed network established after World War II to prevent communist expansion across Europe, with cells operating in approximately ten countries including Italy where it operated under that code name. The covert operation, revealed publicly decades later, remains one of Europe's largest state secrets and continues to generate political controversy and historical reckonings in Italy today. Understanding NATO's Cold War shadow operations provides Americans critical context for modern European politics, trust in institutions, and the lasting consequences of proxy conflicts that shaped post-war geopolitics. The documentary-style report examines declassified details and ongoing debates about the network's activities and accountability.