In a dramatic escalation of anti-Vietnam War protests, members of the radical Left targeted Sterling Hall, home to the Army Mathematics Research Center, at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The group believed that the university was complicit in the war effort through its research programs, which contributed to military operations. The bombing occurred late at night, using a large quantity of explosives that resulted in significant destruction of the building and surrounding area. It was a calculated act of political dissent, meant to draw attention to the protest against the Vietnam War and the military ties of academia.

The perpetrators of the bombing included former University students who had become disillusioned with the government's involvement in Vietnam, leading them to believe that violence was the only course of action left to incite political change. The attack sparked widespread outrage and led to an international manhunt for those responsible. Law enforcement agencies, bolstered by national attention, pursued the fugitives, while the community grappled with the implications of such violence in the name of activism.

The aftermath witnessed a heightened debate about the nature of protest and political expression. As authorities sought the individuals involved, discussions about the moral responsibilities of dissent in a democracy became more pronounced. The incident served to underline the growing chasm between segments of society over the Vietnam War and the lengths to which some activists would go to demonstrate their discontent. This event not only had immediate consequences in terms of police action but also resonated within the larger narrative of the 1960s and 1970s social movements in America.