Sometimes we all get an intensified feeling that we are living on a crazy, ugly planet, and especially on those occasions when some out-of-mind conspiracy theory turns out to be true.
It’s very disturbing, and in some cases disgusting, but there is not much you can do about it. Like that time when 400 African Americans were tested to see if they would react differently to STIs than white men, or when special enforcements during the US alcohol prohibition throughout the 1920’s took the lives of over 10,000 people.
Well, stop reading now if you want to trust anyone ever again!
#1 The Project MK – ULTA
In 1953, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) authorized the MK-ULTRA project, a notorious program where the CIA used humans as guinea pigs for its research into mind-altering drugs. Some testings were performed with drugs that were legal during that era, like the LSD substance.
According to Wired, the program involved agents who would give unwitting human subjects psychedelic drugs to see if they could perform mind-control on them, or if there would be other notable effects. The program is also known for its usage of electroshock therapy, subliminal persuasion, hypnosis, and isolation techniques.
The iconic figure of the Counterculture movement, Ken Kesey would become one of the most famous ‘victims’ of the Project MK-ULTA, though if it wasn’t for it, he would have probably never influenced or initiated important moments within the Hippie Movement. The program also gets mentions in the book The Men who Stare at Goats, that was later on adapted into a movie, starring George Clooney.
#2 Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment
In the period from 1932 to 1972, the US government ran an experiment to see if syphilis affects African-Americans differently than white men. Yes, you read well. The study involved 400 African-American males, who were told they had “bad blood” rather than being informed about their real condition.
They were not even being treated properly for the STI; in fact, the treatments were placebos: aspirin, and some mineral supplements. The men did not know they had the STI, neither gave consent to be part of such experiment. By the time this uncanny and disgusting experiment was over, only 74 of the original participants were alive.
#3 Hillsborough
On April 15, 1989, a total number of 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death and hundreds more were seriously injured when they went to a football match to see the FA Cup semi-final at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough stadium. Almost three decades later, the causalities of the hazardous event are still not crystal clear.
Many families of the deceased doubted whether the police falsified the statements of what was the real cause of so many deaths during the crash. Reactions fired up once again in 2011 when a retired judged claimed the families of the dead should drop with their “conspiracy theories” about what happened at the unfortunate event. By 2012, further inquiries have indicated that police had made “strenuous attempts” to blame the tragedy on the 96 victims of the crash. As some investigations are still ongoing, there are new revelations emerging to the surface as the truth. The police were probably not so innocent.
#4 Operation Paperclip
At the end of World War II, the Americans had another secret plan, which this time concerned Nazi scientists.
They were to be recruited for the CIA. Journalist Annie Jacobsen has been the first to highlight on this plan in her book Operation Paperclip: The Secret Intelligence Program that Brought Nazi Scientists to America.
Ynet have also reported that the scientists have also participated in the development of chemical weapons, as well as collaborating with domestic scientists to develop other psychedelic drugs like LSD. The drugs were to be used in a battle against the Soviet Union.
#5 The Nayirah testimony
The Nayirah testimony was a false testimony that was delivered before the Congressional Human Rights Caucus on October 10, 1990, by a 15-years-old girl, who presented herself only as Nayirah. The testimony provided ‘evidence’ to the Congress which actually helped initiate the first Gulf War.
In the testimony, Nayirah claimed that Iraqi soldiers had been removing babies from incubators, leaving them to die. Consequently, Nayirah has been cited numerous times by the US senators, as well as President George Bush, in their rationale to back Kuwait in the Gulf War.
This was later on proved to be false by Amnesty International. A report in the New York Times after the war also stated that “Nayirah” was actually the daughter of Kuwaiti ambassador and her testimony has been arranged by a PR agency, Hill & Knowlton.
#6 The 1920’s alcohol prohibition cost over 10,000 lives
A less known story is that of the US government taking quite some radical measures to support its alcohol prohibition which was in action through the 1920’s.
Despite the ban, the government was undoubtedly frustrated that people still managed to find, produce and consume alcohol, leading federal officials to consider a different type of enforcement. It meant putting poison in industrial alcohols which were produced within the US.
As alcohol was stolen from producers by bootleggers, and then resold as drinkable spirits, the officials believed that a little poison would do the trick of scaring people away and giving up drinking.
However, the results of the enforcement were, of course, disastrous. Estimated numbers show that by the end of the Prohibition in 1933, at least 10,000 had died due to alcohol poisoning. Learn more details about this story at Slate.
#7 Operation Northwoods
Last but not least, the ‘Operation Northwoods’ was a Cold War plan by the US government. Its purpose was to arrange fake attacks on the territory of America, which would serve as the foundation to place blame on Cuba. If these attacks really took place, the officials would have reason enough to start a war with the small communist island country.
Luckily, records show that plans never entered any advanced stage. We wish we could say the same about the other six conspiracy theories on this list!