The Objective: Discredit the Castro communist regime and create public support in the United States for a war against Cuba. The Plan: Operation Northwoods refers to several different proposals in 1962, including the aforementioned Operation Dirty Trick. Most disturbing of all were the proposals for the United States government to undertake terrorist acts in America, and blame them on Cuba. As written in the now declassified proposal, the intention was to make the United States appear to be in the "position of suffering defensible grievances from a rash and irresponsible government of Cuba and to develop an international image of a Cuban threat to peace in the Western Hemisphere." The operation detailed a series of real and simulated attacks against both US military and civilian targets, specifically recommending for these "communist Cuban terror" attacks to take place in Florida, Miami and Washington. Why it failed: Operation Northwoods was well on its way to being officially accepted and proceeded with. After being drafted and authorised by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, signed by chairman Lyman Lemnitzer and sent to the Secretary of Defense, President John F. Kennedy thankfully rejected the proposal entirely, marking the end of Operation Northwoods. Have you heard of any other scary government plots that didn't pan out? What about the terrifying plans that succeeded? As always, join the discussion below!
