Guests Yoshikuni Igarashi and Patricia Steinhoff discuss the origins and violent descent of the United Red Army, a Japanese terror group. They explore the influence of anarchism on the Japanese Communist Party, the Meiji Restoration era, and the extreme violence and self-discipline within the Red Army. The podcast also touches on encounters at the gym with anime fans and disruptive behavior, as well as British queuing and the colonial history of Japan.
The United Red Army started as a revolutionary group aiming for a violent armed revolution in Japan and worldwide communism.
The group subjected its members to brutal conditioning, forcing them to abandon their own well-being for the sake of the revolution.
Increased crackdown from authorities and public opinion backlash led to the decline and disbandment of the United Red Army, with remaining members facing legal consequences.
Deep dives
Formation of the United Red Army
The United Red Army was formed by the merger of two radical leftist groups in Japan: the Red Army Faction and the Revolutionary Left. The goal of the United Red Army was to carry out a violent armed revolution in Japan and eventually spread worldwide communism. The group faced challenges in obtaining weapons, but managed to steal shotguns from a gun store. They engaged in acts of violence, such as hijacking a plane and firebombing police boxes. However, they faced setbacks and increasing crackdown from authorities.
The Mountain Compound and Ideological Conditioning
The United Red Army relocated to a remote mountain compound called Gumbra. Under the leadership of Hiroko Nagata and Mori Suyoshi, the group demanded absolute commitment and a willingness to die for the revolution. They viewed the body and its desires as weaknesses and considered comfort and personal needs as bourgeois. They conditioned members to embrace violence and brainwashed them to abandon self-care and self-preservation. They declared their own bodies as enemy territory and saw guns as living beings of the revolution.
Extreme Measures and Brutality
Within the United Red Army, brutal measures were taken to enforce absolute commitment and ideological purity. Members were subjected to violence and punishment, with some even being executed for desertion or alleged betrayal. The group pushed individuals to forsake their own well-being and focus solely on the revolution. This extreme ideology and conditioning led to infighting, paranoia, and a ruthless crackdown on dissent within the group.
Increasing Crackdown and Decline
The United Red Army faced increased crackdown from authorities and public opinion turned against them. Their violent actions, such as hijackings and firebombings, provoked a strong response from law enforcement. As the group's leadership was arrested and internal conflicts escalated, the United Red Army began to decline. The extreme measures and brutality backfired, leading to divisions, arrests, and a loss of public support. Eventually, the group would disband and its remaining members would face harsh legal consequences.
The United Red Army: A Cult of Violence
The podcast episode delves into the disturbing activities of the United Red Army, a revolutionary group in Japan. The group started as a faction within the Japanese Communist Party, but soon devolved into a cult-like organization. They subjected their members to brutal beatings and forced self-criticism, believing that violence and submission were essential to the revolution. This resulted in the deaths of many members, who were beaten unconscious or died from starvation and mistreatment. The group's reign of terror ended when they were discovered by the police, leading to their arrest and imprisonment.
The Asama-Sanso Incident
The podcast covers the aftermath of the United Red Army's downfall, specifically the Asama-Sanso incident. After escaping their mountain camp, a group of surviving members took refuge in a vacation villa and held a woman hostage. The police surrounded the villa, but the group refused to surrender. An eight-hour standoff ensued, with the police bombarding the villa with baseballs to keep the group awake and demoralize them. Eventually, the police stormed the villa, resulting in the arrest of the remaining members. The incident showcased the extent of the group's violence and the tragic consequences of their radical ideology.
The terror group the United Red Army was born out of the fires of the anti imperialist student movement of japan but rapidly turned into a death cult. Within a few weeks even taking a shower would be considered counter revolutionary.
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Sources:
Yoshikuni Igarashi. Dead Bodies and Living Guns: The United Red Army and Its Deadly Pursuit of Revolution, 1971–1972.
Patricia Steinhoff. Hijackers, Bombers, and Bank Robbers: Managerial Style in the Japanese Red Army
NHK World. The United Red Army: A Troubled Legacy
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