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November 11, 2020 • 28min
#18 – The Madame Butterfly Effect (bonus episode)
The Martyr Made Podcast
This episode of the Martyr Made podcast, titled "The Madame Butterfly Effect", explores the unexpected historical connections between communist ideology, Japanese militants, Palestinian terrorist groups, and ultimately the 9/11 attacks. The host, Daryl Cooper, traces this winding path through history, demonstrating how ideas and tactics can spread in surprising ways across cultures and decades.
#18 – The Madame Butterfly Effect (bonus episode)
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Key Takeaways
- The episode traces an unexpected historical connection between Karl Marx's communist ideology, the rise of the Soviet Union, Japanese communists, Palestinian militants, and ultimately the 9/11 attacks
- Key events and figures include:
- Karl Marx publishing the Communist Manifesto in 1848
- Germany sending Lenin to Russia during WWI, leading to the Russian Revolution
- The rise of the Japanese Red Army in post-WWII Japan
- Fusako Shigenobu (the "Red Queen of Terror") bringing Japanese communist tactics to Palestinian militant groups
- The adoption of kamikaze-style suicide attacks by Arab militants
- The episode highlights how ideologies and tactics can spread in unexpected ways across cultures and decades
- It demonstrates the complex and often contradictory nature of political movements, such as German anti-fascists supporting Palestinian attacks on Israelis
Introduction
This episode of the Martyr Made podcast, titled "The Madame Butterfly Effect", explores the unexpected historical connections between communist ideology, Japanese militants, Palestinian terrorist groups, and ultimately the 9/11 attacks. The host, Daryl Cooper, traces this winding path through history, demonstrating how ideas and tactics can spread in surprising ways across cultures and decades.
Topics Discussed
The Origins of Communism and the Russian Revolution (2:02)
The episode begins by discussing Karl Marx and the publication of the Communist Manifesto in 1848. While workers initially didn't embrace Marx's ideas, intellectuals did, allowing the ideology to spread.
- In 1917, during World War I, Germany sent Vladimir Lenin to Russia in hopes of destabilizing their enemy
- This led to the Russian Revolution and the eventual formation of the Soviet Union
- Key quote: "70 years, one revolution, and 15 million Russian corpses after the publication of the Communist Manifesto, the world saw the emergence of the first Marxist state."
World War II and Its Aftermath (6:02)
The episode then jumps to World War II, discussing how Germany's actions ultimately led to its own destruction by the Soviet Union it had inadvertently helped create.
- The Soviet Union played a crucial role in defeating Nazi Germany
- At the end of the war, the U.S. and USSR began jockeying for global influence
- The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki prevented a Soviet invasion of Japan
The Rise of the Japanese Red Army (8:03)
The narrative then shifts to post-war Japan and the emergence of communist groups like the Japanese Red Army (JRA).
- Fusako Shigenobu, known as the "Red Queen of Terror", becomes a central figure
- Shigenobu's background:
- Born in September 1945, just after the atomic bombings
- Grew up in poverty, developing a hatred for oppression and inequality
- Became involved in student protests and radical movements
- Key quote: "Revolution is my lover" - Fusako Shigenobu
The JRA's First Major Action (10:03)
The episode details the JRA's first significant operation - the hijacking of a Japan Airlines flight in March 1970.
- Hijackers used samurai swords hidden in fishing pole tubes
- They demanded to be taken to North Korea
- The hijackers were described as surprisingly polite by hostages
- The incident ended with the hijackers being welcomed in North Korea
The JRA Moves to the Middle East (12:03)
Following contact with an Iraqi revolutionary, the JRA decided to relocate their operations to the Middle East, seeing it as the heart of global revolution.
- The Palestinians had shifted towards armed struggle after the Six Day War in 1967
- Shigenobu married to obtain new identification papers and left Japan
- The JRA established connections with the People's Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)
The Lod Airport Attack (14:03)
The episode describes in detail the JRA's attack on Lod Airport (now Ben Gurion Airport) in Tel Aviv in 1972.
- Shigenobu ordered a suicide attack to demonstrate kamikaze-style tactics to Arab militants
- Three JRA members, including Shigenobu's husband, carried out the attack
- The attack killed dozens, many of them Puerto Rican Christian pilgrims
- One attacker, Kozo Okamoto, survived and was captured
The Impact of the Lod Airport Attack (16:04)
The episode explores the aftermath and impact of the Lod Airport attack.
- Kozo Okamoto's trial and imprisonment in Israel
- Okamoto's various religious conversions while in prison
- The attack brought international attention to the JRA
- It inspired other militant groups, including Black September
The Munich Olympics Attack (18:04)
The narrative then shifts to the 1972 Munich Olympics attack by Black September, drawing connections to the JRA's tactics.
- The attack occurred during Germany's attempt to rehabilitate its image
- It was partly facilitated by German left-wing militants
- The episode discusses the complex relationship between European leftists, anti-fascism, and support for Palestinian militants
The Spread of Suicide Attack Tactics (22:05)
The episode explores how the kamikaze-style tactics introduced by the JRA spread among Arab militant groups.
- The 1976 Entebbe hijacking is discussed as an example
- The adoption of human bomb tactics by various groups is highlighted
- Key point: The JRA and Shigenobu are credited with successfully advocating for suicide attacks among Arab militants
Historical Connections and Ironies (24:06)
The episode concludes by recapping the unexpected historical connections it has traced.
- From Marx to the Soviet Union, to Japan, to the Middle East, and back to Germany
- The irony of German anti-fascists supporting attacks on Israelis is highlighted
- The narrative culminates with the 9/11 attacks, seen as an endpoint of this historical chain
Conclusion
The episode demonstrates the complex and often unexpected ways that ideologies and tactics can spread across cultures and time. It highlights the ironic twists of history, such as how German-originated communist ideology eventually led to attacks on Germans, and how Japanese kamikaze tactics were adopted by Middle Eastern militants. The narrative underscores the interconnectedness of global events and the unforeseen consequences of political and ideological movements.
The host concludes by noting that even Karl Marx, who believed he had discovered a scientific theory to predict the future of history, could not have foreseen the complex path his ideas would take. This serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of historical developments and the often unintended consequences of ideological movements.