Tit for tat
Acts of vengeance and their consequences
‘Thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth,
hand for hand, foot for foot’ – so says the Old Testament
(Deuteronomy 19:21) – in other words, the offender should suffer
what the victim has suffered. This philosophy of retribution has been
part of all manner of societies for centuries.
This website looks at the most powerful example in modern times – the revenge exacted by the Israelis following the assassination of their athletes at the Munich Olympics in 1972 – as well as other examples of when vengeance has been the chief motivation for horrific acts. The consequences of such ‘tit for tat’ are also examined.
- 1218: The murder of Genghis Khan’s envoys
- 1701: The ritual suicide of Lord Asano
- 1942: Heydrich’s assassination
- 1950: The first Taejon massacre
- 1972: The murder of the Israeli Olympic athletes
- 1984: Storming of the Golden Temple at Amritsar
