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Issued anonymously by the “Stenka Razin Brigade” in Madison, Wisconsin, around 1970, this double-sided 8.5 x 11-inch handbill urged escalating actions ahead of the May Day general strike. It specifically calls on students and activists to form small groups and sabotage research facilities at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Framing UW labs as “major sources of imperialism’s social and economic power,” the text advocates direct confrontation with both law enforcement (“pigs and guardsmen”) and the campus administration.
Historical Context
Madison, already a hotbed of anti-Vietnam War protest, reached a fever pitch in spring 1970. In the buildup to May Day—when student strikes swept campuses nationwide—the radical fringe of the antiwar movement rejected purely symbolic marches in favor of bolder, targeted disruption. Adopting the moniker “Stenka Razin,” after a 17th-century Cossack rebel, the leaflet’s authors invoked a revolutionary lineage to legitimize small-scale sabotage. This approach mirrored similar tactics on other campuses, where activists aimed to undermine research linked to the “military-industrial complex.”
Strategy and Messaging
- Small-Group Sabotage
Eschewing the idea of large public demonstrations (risking mass arrests), the leaflet insists that smaller teams can operate swiftly and evade detection. It encourages developing “tactics for which they are materially and psychologically prepared.” - Partial Lab Directory
The handbill provides a lengthy list of University of Wisconsin–Madison research labs—from the Biophysics Lab to the Nuclear Reactor Lab—offering addresses and building names. Activists are urged to “check out the feasibility” of hitting these targets directly. - Emphasis on “Victory” Over Martyrdom
Calling for “victory” rather than large-scale confrontation leading to “martyrdom,” the leaflet reflects a turn toward direct action as a more potent alternative to purely peaceful protest. - Autonomous, Decentralized Action
Phrases like “FORM THESE GROUPS with your friends” and “BE YOUR OWN TACTICAL COMMITTEE” exemplify the era’s anti-authoritarian ethos. The text denounces official strike structures, implying that truly subversive efforts come from grassroots cells.
Language, Imagery, and Symbolism
- Confrontational Tone
“Attack the pigs,” “imperialism,” and other incendiary terms reinforce the notion of war not just in Southeast Asia, but also on the home front. By likening campus police and administrators to an occupying force, the leaflet justifies sabotage as a form of resistance. - Spray-Painting and Guerilla Messaging
Recommending graffiti (“spray-painted…in all parts of the city”) and urging constant vigilance highlight the blend of activism and covert operations that some segments of the New Left embraced. - Revolutionary Provenance
Signing off as “Stenka Razin Brigade” situates the group within a revolutionary tradition. This self-styled name symbolically links them to historic insurgents who challenged oppressive regimes.
Impact and Legacy
While large-scale lab destruction in Madison was rare, the call to sabotage reveals the militancy that flourished in some corners of the student antiwar movement. University officials and moderate activists often criticized such tactics, fearing they alienated broader public support. Still, documents like this leaflet illustrate how, in the climate of 1970, a faction of the New Left believed overt, small-group action could more effectively dismantle the “machinery of war” embedded in academic research.
Over time, these debates over whether to engage in peaceful protest or sabotage underscored deeper rifts within the movement. The leaflet offers a window into the radical imagination of the era and the lengths to which some activists contemplated going to halt the Vietnam War and challenge institutional power.
Special thanks to the USC Digital Imaging Lab for their support in digitizing this item.
