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Unbelievable military experiments of the 20th century
There are all sorts of rumors and conspiracy theories about what the US military gets up to behind closed doors. We may not have solid proof that they're experimenting on aliens at Area 51, but some of the documented projects they've undertaken in the past are already stranger than fiction. The 20th century was a particularly interesting period in history, as the World Wars and the Cold War created an extra sense of urgency–and a willingness to try anything.
The more bizarre projects show up in movies all the time, from 'Men Who Stare at Goats' (2009) to 'Pineapple Express' (2008). Some of them are as ridiculous and entertaining as they're portrayed in the media, but others took a darker turn.
Project Iceworm was a Cold War experiment launched by the US military in 1958. Someone thought it would be a good idea to hide hundreds of missiles under the ice caps of Greenland! It was believed that this secret vantage point would be ideal for mounting nuclear strikes on the Soviet Union.
The Army built a prototype ice base called Camp Century. It consisted of two dozen large underground tunnels carved out of the ice, reinforced with steel and snow. It held living quarters for more than 200 people, scientific labs, and an operating hospital.
It was a technological marvel, but shifts in the ice caps disrupted the integrity of the structure, leaving it unsafe (particularly for the protection of nuclear weapons). They were forced to scrap the project in 1966.
Renowned psychologist B.F. Skinner came up with an outrageous new weapon during World War II. What’s even more outrageous is that the US military actually funded the experiment. The idea was to train pigeons to guide missiles towards enemy targets more accurately.
Skinner had observed the excellent vision and maneuverability of the pigeon and believed those attributes could be harnessed for his experiment. He conditioned the pigeons to peck at certain predetermined images, such as enemy ships, and then placed them in a tiny cockpit with a screen that displayed the missile's flight path.
Amazingly, the pigeons proved to be excellent pilots and Skinner’s work won praise from both psychologists and physicists. However, the US military decided that the idea was too outlandish to put into practice.
The 1950s saw the US government take on one of their most controversial projects. The 20-year-long experiment involved testing illegal drugs and other questionable chemicals on soldiers. The goal was to identify non-lethal substances that could be used to incapacitate the enemy and help with interrogations.
More than 5,000 unsuspecting soldiers were used as guinea pigs for the experiments, often not knowing what exactly they were signing themselves up for. They were given LSD, PCP, mescaline, and marijuana, to name but a few.
Some unfortunate subjects were even exposed to dangerous nerve agents like sarin and VX. There were widespread reports of lasting psychological trauma and health problems as a result of the experiments. The project was shut down following public outrage and a Congressional hearing.
During World War II, a dentist by the name of Lytle S. Adams contacted the White House with a novel idea. They were looking for new ways to attack the Japanese, and were presented with the concept of the bat bomb.
Adams suggested that small incendiary devices could be attached to the bats, who would then be loaded into bombshells. The bombshells would be dropped over Japanese towns, the bats would escape, and would then take up residence in their preferred habitats; attics, barns, and factories.
When the moment was right, the incendiary devices would be activated, and the towns would be engulfed in flames. The military tested out the idea, but it went awry and they accidentally set fire to their own Air Force base in New Mexico.
In 1972, the US military obtained information that the Soviet Union was investing millions into experiments on extrasensory perception (ESP) and psychokinesis. Not wanting to be left behind, they initiated Project Star Gate.
The famous psychic Uri Geller led the experimentation. Although he was known for bending metal objects with his mind, the military were more interested in his supposed ability to read, and even control, other people’s minds.
Psychics were invited in to undertake the role of a “remote viewer.” They attempted to use their abilities to gather intelligence about the enemy. They were involved in numerous counter-terrorism operations, and helped to trace fugitives within the US. The project was shut down in 1995, having gained mixed results!
In 1981, American General James Dozier was kidnapped by terrorists from his home in Verona, Italy. Initially, the Italian government refused to assist in the investigation, so the US military resorted to alternative methods.
They called in the psychics from Project Star Gate and asked them to assist in locating General Dozier. They made several guesses, one psychic claiming he was in Padua, another saying they could see a brick building with a red roof. In the end, it was Italian police who located and saved the general.
In the 1990s, the US military developed an experimental non-lethal weapon for use in urban combat. They outsourced the project to a company called Adherent Technologies, and the result was like something out of ‘Ghostbusters.’
They developed a weapon that is lovingly referred to as the goo gun or, alternatively, sticky foam. An extremely tacky material is compressed into a gun. Once expelled, the victim will be whacked with a wall of sticky foam and become tangled and immobile.
