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re recede. ee en. I ti Aelia: 7 ae Sn WEL OF UNITED STATES CC IZENS TO a « : . RIS, FRANCE, SPONSORED VY CLERGY aye D LAYMEN CONCERNED ABOL. VIETNAM ) . ° * D_ANERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE vo ge a. lay : - os © . WEATHERMAN . : faa Se eid . Initially called the “Action Faction," Weatherman came into being immediately before the June, 1969, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) National Convention (NC). At this NC Weatherman won all three. national officer positions and a majority’ of the National Interim Committee as well. . - Subsequently, they took over the SDS National Office (NO) in Chicago, and controlied its funds, paper and national records, Although internal struggle existed until late 1969, Weatherman for ali major purposes controlled SDS nationally from June, 1969, until its NO closed in February, 1970. At this time it Ao longer considered itself part of SDS. : i ’ The term Weatherman emerged from an ideological manner orenare vy ite le : tt N paper prepared by its leaders entitled "You Don't Need a Weatherman to Know Which Way the Wind Blows " ("New Left Notes" June 18, 1969). This-statement cvtlined the basic - stance of Weatherman; Marxist-Leninist in content but with : . strong advocacy that action not theory would bring about revolution in the United States. This posture was complemented with an international identification to the Cuban revolution - and Castro's statement that the duty of a revolutionary is, to make revolution. 7 + lalate During October, 1969, Weatherman riots in Chicato resulted in more than 260 arrests for mob action and related charges. & program of armed struggle was finalized during a Cecenber, i969, "Var Council" wherein terrorist tactics and political assassination were contemplated. The basic strength of Weatherman was then revealed to be some 300 - 350 nationally and geographically apportioned to the Lidwest, New York, and some Northwest. rer mane a Ag its rhetoric of violence escalated, Weatherman | leaders increasingly discussed the necessity of an underground operation wherein more than 90 percent of the organization | would be submerged; "affinity groups" of three '~ five membsrs | would function independently. In February, 1970, Weatherman leaders announced a program of “strategic sabotare" with : police and military installations asp prinary targets. . | | In February, 1070, Veathersan’ abandoned the - SDS NO, 1608 West Madison Stvcet, Chicago, Illinois, and . throughout the country entered an underground status. — .