The Chilling Plan by American Officials to Kill Americans in Pursuit of War
The Cold War was riddled with top secret government activities, but you would be hard pressed to find a more chilling plan in the public record than that of Operation Northwoods.
Communism Craze
When talk of the U.S. government putting its own citizens in danger occurs, it’s dismissed as a conspiracy theory. Yet, there is a chilling reminder that once upon a time, a plan to attack American citizens for political reasons existed. It was called Operation Northwoods.
In the height of the Cold War, the threat of communism consumed America. It was in these times that the McCarthyism movement erupted. Anti-communist and loyalty review boards were established throughout the government.
As the government sought to root out those who may have communist ties within its own ranks, other concerns grew. These concerns focused on an island to the south.
The Commies Next Door
Cuba was a communist nation that sat on America’s doorstep - less than 100 miles from Florida. Under the rule of Fidel Castro, the U.S. had deemed Cuba a significant threat.
Castro had risen to power in 1959. When he did, he became the first communist leader in the Western Hemisphere. Senior military officials became consumed with ousting Castro.
Large amounts of investment into intelligence and military activity were allocated to watching Cuba. A part of these efforts included plans to depose or assassinate Castro.
Their most infamous effort to do this happened off the southwestern coast of Cuba in 1961. The Bay of Pigs invasion used Cuban exiles under the covert direction of the U.S. It was a significant failure.
Let’s Try Again
Despite their failure, they remained steadfast in their desire to oust Castro. In March of 1962, the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara presented a new proposal. This proposal featured plans for several false flag provocations.
The authors of the plan believed that using false flag provocations would rally public support needed to go to war. In the plan, CIA operatives would stage and commit violent acts of terrorism. Their targets were American military, American civilians, and Cuban refugees.
Spared No Detail
Some notable targets they proposed included the destruction of an American navy ship in Guantanamo Bay. There was also a plan to kill John Glenn during an attempt to put an American into orbit.
It contained painstaking details. The ship was to be sunk near the harbor entrance. Funerals for mock victims were to be conducted. They pointed to the “Remember the Maine” incident that resulted in the Spanish-American War as inspiration.
These acts of violence and aggression would allow the U.S. government to place blame on the Cuban government. They felt at that point they could finally go to war. These plans were code named Operation Northwoods.
Thankfully Only a Plan
Operation Northwoods never received a green light. President John F. Kennedy is rumored to have personally informed the men that there was no possibility of using overt force to take Cuba.
When the plans were rejected, the documents were held top secret. For nearly four decades the plans remained hidden. Then in 1992, the Oliver Stone film JFK was released.
The film garnered public interest in JFK’s assassination. As a result, Congress passed a law that increased public access to some government records. Only then was Operation Northwoods, and the chilling details it included, brought to public light.
History for the Hurried:
September 1, 1715: King Louis XIV, also known as the "Sun King," died. He had assumed the throne at age five.
September 1, 1985: A joint U.S. / French expedition locates the wreck of the RMS Titanic in the Atlantic Ocean. One of the most interesting men in the world survived the sinking of Titanic.
September 1, 1972: Bobby Fischer becomes the World Chess Champion. He had become the youngest United States Junior Chess Champion at 13 years old followed by the US championship at age 14.