You Have Unleashed a Storm: A Descent into Chaos During America’s Most Explosive Era of Radical Violence—A Revealing Account of Domestic Terrorism and ... Radicalism in '60s and '70s New York City

by David Viola

The panoramic, untold story of domestic terrorism and political radicalism in '60s and '70s New York City and its echoes in our current moment

New York City in the 1960s was the beating heart of the United States, a global metropolis thriving on its abundance and diversity. But in a short time, "Gotham" went through an extraordinary transition. The postwar golden years gave way to a frantic era of social, political, racial, and economic turmoil. Groups with their own distinct ideological aims gained a presence in the city. And with this frenzied new era came a new wave of violence.

Terrorism has had an impact on the course of US history far greater and for far longer than is commonly understood. The ripple effects of this largely forgotten moment—and importantly, how the authorities countered—has played a significant role in how contemporary American life has unfolded.

Professor at the Center on Terrorism at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, David Viola unveils archival collections, newly declassified files, and preserved court records in this groundbreaking account of New York City’s divergent radical groups, bringing to light a candid picture of remarkable people in a remarkable setting.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

399 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 22, 2025

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing- Hanover Square Press for an advance copy of this book that looks at a time in New York City when bombs were exploding, planes were being hijacked, and even the cops were handing out pamphlets to tourist visiting fear city.

I was born in the Bronx not much after the President of the United States Gerald Ford, told my city to drop dead, at least according to the tabloids. Our apartment on the eighth floor had burglar bars on all the windows, I was told not to hide under the stairs of the building as one didn't know who might be there. Our dog was a loud barking Kerry Blue Terrier, and according to my mom stopped quite a few visits from the fire escape. My parents like so many others left the city for the country, and as I was too young, I really had no idea how bad it was. It was bad. Crime was high, the cops were corrupt, the city was falling apart. Added to that bombs were not bursting in air, but in buildings, docks piers. Right leaning groups, left leaning groups, anarchists, and joy bombers. All drawn to the Big Apple. You Have Unleashed a Storm: New York City’s Descent into Chaos During America’s Most Explosive Era of Radical Violence by Professor at the Center on Terrorism at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, David Viola has written an account of this time, from the point of view of the bombers, the police and federal agents, and those caught in the backdraft of politics, rage, expression, and fear.

The book begins with one of the first big acts of terrorism in New York, the bombing of Wall Street in 1920. A horse drawn cart was left in the middle of the financial district and exploded killing forty people and injury almost 150 more. This crime which is unsolved to this day, led to the government starting to ramp up its efforts to investigate groups that could be considered against the American way. Anarchists, communists, unionists and more. New York had a few more bombing incidents, one featuring a mad bomber mad at Con Edison, the power company of New York that began the idea of trying to make a profile of a suspect from their actions. By the 60's America was dealing with both racial and societal strife. Some saw America as not living up to its ideals, and some seeing America changing in ways that seemed a threat. Violence was the answer, and New York being the center of the media world was the perfect target. Viola looks at these groups from right wing Minutemen, to the Black Panthers the Weatherman, and many groups that were fighting for freedom for their people. Viola follows the suspects, the undercover agents, of which there were many, and the court cases, and finally changes in the law. Changes that in many ways affect how we live today.

We talk today about how violent things are, and how quickly we seem to be in giving up rights, but a quick look at history shows that things were far worse, not that long ago. There is an alphabet of acronym here of terrorist groups, freedom fighters, militia groups and more. All planning to blow something, someone, or anything up to get their message out there. Add in that there were skyjackings at least a few times a month, and one wonders how New York survived. And how the little rights we have know made it. Viola is a very good writer, making this much more than facts on a page. One gets a feeling for these bombers, and the cops who worked both sides of the street. Viola is fair in talking about violence on both sides, and how certain groups were targeted more than others. The book reads really well, and went by fast, and yet I learned so much I didn't know, or only vaguely remember from distant conversations between my parents.

There is a lot to recommend here. As a history it is very good, showing a horrible time in recent memory that many might not know or realize. The question of policing and how much is too much is something that comes up a bit in this book, something that we deal with today. A book that asks a lot of questions, while sharing a lot of information.

[Carlos Dragonné · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tres cosas fundamentales con este libro.
1. "La democracia, en muchas ocasiones, puede ser un estorbo", fue una frase que escuché en el mundo post 9/11. Y es que las leyes que limitaron a las agencias de inteligencia de confirmar y compartir información, así como de generar nuevas líneas de investigación de grupos sospechosos nacen a partir de poco más de una década de terrorismo puro en NY —y en Estados Unidos en general— por parte de diferentes grupos radicales, muchos de los cuales Hoover tenía claro que aparecerían en algún punto de la historia. Este debate de "libertad VS protección" se tiene desde siempre en cualquier democracia. Y espero que siempre gane la libertad, aunque con el avance del radicalismo extremo a partir de la tecnología, puede haber huecos que estos grupos extremistas aprovechen. Espero equivocarme.
2. Todo este caos sucedió hace apenas 50 años. Menos de medio siglo. Y aún así hemos pensado por años que Estados Unidos es el máximo estandarte de la cultura de la libertad absoluta, de la seguridad, del sueño robusto y fortalecido de los ideales máximos. Debería haber —con esto y con todo lo que ha pasado en los últimos 8 años, o sea, casi el 10% de tiempo transcurrido— un análisis profundo de cómo han logrado vender su imagen al mundo de ser lo mejor que le ha pasado a la humanidad cuando, en realidad, son sólo una fantasía llena de huecos y vacíos. Hay una frase en el libro durísima: “The bombings in New York City never really came to a complete end. There has been some level of terrorist threat in the city consistently for more than a century, and the decades that followed were no different.”
3. Y este es el punto que más duro me llegó mientras leía. En la política te enseñan que "Percepción es Realidad". Y si bien podríamos entrar en un largo debate sobre grupos radicalizados desde dentro o incluso con células infiltradas, la realidad es que todos los grupos de izquierda que han tenido algún peso en la narrativa política de la lucha social en Estados Unidos desde los 50's han tenido o terminado radicalizados. Desde Black Panthers hasta la liberación cubana, puertoriqueña o, incluso, el JDN y los grupos que luchan contra la oligarquía. La percepción (insisto) de muchos de estos grupos ha sido siempre el radicalismo —la DNC de Chicago del 68, las protestas contra guerras de Vietnam, Corea, Irak; la liberación de Puerto Rico (que duró muy poco el movimiento), los derechos civiles pre y post Black Panthers, Black Lives Matter, Rodney King y otras— y, con ello, la violencia. Mientras que la derecha —más radical y por mucho más peligrosa porque su radicalismo se basa en la terminación de las libertades— ha mantenido en percepción por décadas su mismo discurso de "valores" fundamentales. Y, con ello, la batalla de la percepción la tiene ganada desde hace unos diez años. Por ello lo que vemos hoy. La psique norteamericana se convenció que los grupos de izquierda eran violentos y la derecha era de valores. Quitarse esa imagen va a ser muy complicado.

Gran libro y un recorrido enorme de las entrañas de los escuadrones de investigación en una (como dice el subtítulo) era de caos y terrorismo radical.

[Jim Holscher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just the facts! Pretty repetitive.

[KRM · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook, so I can't speak to how well cited Viola's facts are, but I thought his use of primary sources flowed beautifully in and out of his analysis. I was surprised that in the end Viola doesn't take a stronger stance on whether the civil liberties vs intel gathering debate as it relates to terrorism, given that he's an expert in the field. I thought it was so clever how he connected big historical events one doesn't usually associate with activists or violent demonstrations of the 1970s -- like how it impacted Watergate and 9/11. It put things in a larger perspective of why the debate matters, because it's still ongoing, and it will always be something we have to tinker with as our needs for security and our willingness to give up privacy ebb and flow.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc copy, all opinions are my own.