Race war

The term Race war refers to hostility between groups divided on the basis of perceived race (or ethnicity).

It may refer to an overt "hot" "shooting war" or to a "cold war" of covert operations and conspiracy.

The idea of race war is a staple of some extremist groups, who may warn that covert race war already exists, or may fear or counsel a "hot" race war, depending on their individual formulation.

The groups targeted for race war fears are almost always those otherwise feared or disliked, for example African Americans and Jews.

The Nazis used the pretext of an existing long-term covert race war of the Jews against other elements of European culture, especially the "Aryans", as an excuse to begin their overt anti-Jewish operations.

More recently, Charles Manson and his followers are believed to have planned and executed the 1969 Sharon Tate murders in an attempt to inititate a race war they called Helter Skelter.