umkhonto we sizwe (or mk), translated "spear of the nation", was the military wing of the anc. partly in response to the sharpeville massacre of 1960, individual members of the anc thought violence was needed because peaceful passive protest had failed. there was a significant portion of the anc who therefore turned to violence in order to achieve their goals. a significant portion of anc leadership agreed that this violence was needed to combat increasing backlash from the government.