OPERATION NORTHWOODS Full-Text 1962USA-MADE TOP SECRET TERRORIST FALSE FLAG OPERATION: "CUBA PROJECT"
OPERATION NORTHWOODS Full-Text 1962USA-MADE TOP SECRET TERRORIST FALSE FLAG OPERATION: "CUBA PROJECT"
OPERATION NORTHWOODS Full-Text 1962USA-MADE TOP SECRET TERRORIST FALSE FLAG OPERATION: "CUBA PROJECT"
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Operation Northwoods was a 1962 plan by the U.S. Department of Defense to stage
acts of simulated or real terrorism on US
soil and against U.S. interests and then put the blame of these acts on Cuba in
order to generate U.S. public support for
military action against the Cuban government of Fidel Castro. As part of the U.S.
government's Operation Mongoose
anti-Castro initiative, the plan, which was not implemented, called for various
false flag actions, including simulated or real
state-sponsored acts of terrorism on U.S. and Cuban soil. The plan was proposed by
senior U.S. Department of Defense
leaders, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lyman Louis
Lemnitzer.
BEGIN ACTUAL DOCUMENT TEXT HERE:
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Operation northwoods - Text Version - Page 01
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1. The Joint Chiefs of Staff have considered the attached Memorandum for the Chief
of Operations, Cuba Project, which
responds to a request of that office for brief but precise description of pretexts
which would provide justification for US military
intervention in Cuba.
2. The Joint Chiefs of Staff recommend that the proposed memorandum be forwarded
as a preliminary submission suitable
for planning purposes. It is assumed that there will be similar submissions from
other agencies and that these inputs will be
used as a basis for developing a time-phased plan. Individual projects can then be
considered on a case-by-case basis.
aspects of the basic plan. It is recommended that this responsibility for both
overt and covert military operations be assigned
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Operation northwoods - Text Version - Page 02
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A report* on the above subject is submitted for consideration by the Joint Chiefs
of Staff.
F. J. BLOUIN
M. J. INGELIDO
Joint Secretariat
* Not reproduced herewith; on file in Joint Secretariat
TOP SECRET
JCS 1969/321 2165 UNCLASSIFIED
TOP SECRET
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Operation northwoods - Text Version - Page 03
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TOP SECRET
TOP SECRET UNCLASSIFIED COPY NO. 1
JCS 1969/321 SPECIAL DISTRIBUTION
14 March 1962
Page 2165
1. At their meeting on 13 March 1962, the Joint Chiefs of Staff approved the
recommendations in paragraph 8 of JCS
1969/321.
2. In that the Commandant had expressed direct concern of the Marine Corps in this
matter, the provisions of Title 10, US
3. This decision now becomes a part of and shall be attached as the top sheet of
JCS 1969/321.
F. J. BLOUIN
M. J. INGELIDO
Joint Secretariat
SYSTEMATICALLY REVIEWED
BY JCS ON 21 May 84
CLASSIFICATION CONTINUED
EXCLUDED FROM GDS
EXCLUDED FROM AUTOMATIC
REGRADING; DOD DIRECTIVE
5200.10 DOES NOT APPLY
UNCLASSIFIED
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Operation northwoods - Text Version - Page 04
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9 March 1962
COPY OF COPIES
SPECIAL DISTRIBUTION
UNCLASSIFIED
The Chief of Operations, Cuba Project, has requested that he be furnished the
views of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on this matter
by 13 March 1962.
UNCLASSIFIED
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Operation northwoods - Text Version - Page 05
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UNCLASSIFIED
JUSTIFICATION FOR US MILITARY INTERVENTION IN CUBA (TS)
THE PROBLEM
DISCUSSION
result from a period of heightened US-Cuban tensions which place the United States
in the position of suffering justifiable
grievances. World opinion, and the United Nations forum should be favorably
affected by developing the international image
Hemisphere.
6. While the foregoing premise can be utilized at the present time it will
continue to hold good only as long as there can be
* Memorandum for General Craig from Chief of Operations, Cuba Project, subject:
"Operation MONGOOSE", dated 5 March
Actions in Cuba (TS)", dated 8 March 1962, on file in General Craig's office.
UNCLASSIFIED
TOP SECRET SPECIAL HANDLING NOFORN
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Operation northwoods - Text Version - Page 06
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UNCLASSIFIED
as yet no bilateral mutual support agreement binding the USSR to the defense of
Cuba, Cuba has not yet become a member
of the Warsaw Pact, nor have the Soviets established Soviet bases in Cuba in the
pattern of US bases in Western Europe.
CONCLUSION
RECOMMENDATIONS
8. It is recommended that:
a. Enclosure A together with its attachments should be forwarded to the Secretary
of Defense for approval and transmittal to
UNCLASSIFIED
TOP SECRET SPECIAL HANDLING NOFORN
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Operation northwoods - Text Version - Page 07
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UNCLASSIFIED
DRAFT
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
1. The Joint Chiefs of Staff have considered the attached Memorandum for the Chief
of Operations, Cuba Project, which
2. The Joint Chiefs of Staff recommend that the proposed memorandum be forwarded
as a preliminary submission suitable
for planning purposes. It is assumed that there will be similar submissions from
other agencies and that these inputs will be
used as a basis for developing a time-phased plan. Individual projects can then be
considered on a case-by-ease basis.
aspects of the basic plan. It is recommended that this responsibility for both
overt and covert military operations be assigned
* Memorandum for Gen Craig from Chief of Operations, Cuba Project, subject:
"Operation MONGOOSE", dated 5 March
4 Enclosure A
UNCLASSIFIED
TOP SECRET SPECIAL HANDLING NOFORN
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Operation northwoods - Text Version - Page 08
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UNCLASSIFIED
APPENDIX TO ENCLOSURE A
DRAFT
MEMORANDUM FOR CHIEF OF OPERATIONS, CUBA PROJECT
MONGOOSE", dated 5 March 1962, which requested brief but precise description of
pretexts which the Joint Chiefs of Staff
assumed that there will be similar submissions from other agencies and that these
inputs will be used as a basis for
focus all efforts on a specific ultimate objective which would provide adequate
justification for US military intervention. Such a
ultimate objective and create the necessary impression of Cuban rashness and
irresponsibility on a large scale, directed at
other countries as well as the United States. The plan would also properly
integrate and time phase the courses of action to
be pursued. The desired resultant from the execution of this plan would be to
place the United States in the apparent position
5
Appendix to Enclosure A
UNCLASSIFIED
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Operation northwoods - Text Version - Page 09
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UNCLASSIFIED
developing military and para-military aspects of the plan for both overt and
covert military operations be assigned the Joint
Chiefs of Staff.
6
Appendix to Enclosure A
UNCLASSIFIED
TOP SECRET SPECIAL HANDLING NOFORN
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Operation northwoods - Text Version - Page 10
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UNCLASSIFIED
ANNEX TO APPENDIX TO ENCLOSURE A
PRETEXTS TO JUSTIFY US MILITARY INTERVENTION IN CUBA
(Note: The courses of action which follow are a preliminary submission suitable
only for planning purposes. They are
1. Since it would seem desirable to use legitimate provocation as the basis for US
military intervention in Cuba a cover and
7
Appendix to Enclosure A
UNCLASSIFIED
TOP SECRET SPECIAL HANDLING NOFORN
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Operation northwoods - Text Version - Page 11
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UNCLASSIFIED
planes or ships merely investigating the intent of the vessel could be fairly
compelling evidence that the ship was taken
under attack. The nearness to Havana or Santiago would add credibility especially
to those people that might have heard the
blast or have seen the fire. The US could follow up with an air/sea rescue
operation covered by US fighters to "evacuate"
indignation.
4. We could develop a Communist Cuban terror campaign in the Miami area, in other
Florida cities and even in Washington.
8
Appendix to Enclosure A
UNCLASSIFIED
TOP SECRET SPECIAL HANDLING NOFORN
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Operation northwoods - Text Version - Page 12
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UNCLASSIFIED
The terror campaign could be pointed at refugees seeking haven in the United
States. We could sink a boatload of Cubans
14th of June invasion of the Dominican Republic). We know that Castro is backing
subversive efforts clandestinely against
additional ones contrived for exposure. For example, advantage can be taken of the
sensitivity of the Dominican Air Force to
intrusions within their national air space. "Cuban" B-26 or C-46 type aircraft
could make cane-burning raids at night. Soviet
Bloc incendiaries could be found. This could be coupled with "Cuban" messages to
the Communist underground in the
shipping and destruction of US military drone aircraft by MIG type planes would be
useful as complementary actions. An F-86
properly painted would convince air passengers that they saw a Cuban MIG,
especially if the pilot of the transport were to
announce such fact. The primary drawback to this suggestion appears to be the
security risk inherent in obtaining or
9
Appendix to Enclosure A
UNCLASSIFIED
TOP SECRET SPECIAL HANDLING NOFORN
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Operation northwoods - Text Version - Page 13
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UNCLASSIFIED
7. Hijacking attempts against civil air and surface craft should appear to
continue as harassing measures condoned by the
chartered civil airliner enroute from the United States to Jamaica, Guatemala,
Panama or Venezuela. The destination would
be chosen only to cause the flight plan route to cross Cuba. The passengers could
be a group of college students off on a
CIA proprietary organization in the Miami area. At a designated time the duplicate
would be substituted for the actual civil
aircraft and would be loaded with the selected passengers, all boarded under
carefully prepared aliases. The actual
Eglin AFB where arrangements will have been made to evacuate the passengers and
return the aircraft to its original status.
The drone aircraft meanwhile will continue to fly the filed flight plan. When over
Cuba the drone will being transmitting on the
10
Appendix to Enclosure A
UNCLASSIFIED
TOP SECRET SPECIAL HANDLING NOFORN
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Operation northwoods - Text Version - Page 14
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UNCLASSIFIED
stations in the Western Hemisphere to tell the US what has happened to the
aircraft instead of the US trying to "sell" the
incident.
mission will be to reverse course and simulate fakir aircraft for an air defense
exercise in southern Florida. These aircraft
would conduct variations of these flights at frequent Intervals. Crews would be
briefed to remain at least 12 miles off the
Cuban coast; however, they would be required to carry live ammunition in the event
that hostile actions were taken by the
Cuban MIGs.
Cuban Island this pilot would broadcast that he had been jumped by MIGs and was
going down. No other calls would be
made. The pilot would then fly directly west at extremely low altitude and land at
a secure base, an Eglin auxiliary. The aircraft
would be met by the proper people, quickly stored and given a new tail number. The
pilot who had performed the mission
under an alias, would resume his proper identity and return to his normal place of
business. The pilot and aircraft would then
have disappeared.
c. At precisely the same time that the aircraft was presumably shot down a
submarine or small surface craft would disburse
F-101 parts, parachute, etc., at approximately 15 to 20 miles off the Cuban coast
and depart. The pilots returning to
Homestead would have a true story as far as they knew. Search ships and aircraft
could be dispatched and parts of aircraft
found.
11
Appendix to Enclosure A
UNCLASSIFIED
TOP SECRET SPECIAL HANDLING NOFORN
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Operation northwoods - Text Version - Page 15
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UNCLASSIFIED
ENCLOSURE B
FACTS BEARING ON THE PROBLEM
1. The Joint Chiefs of Staff have previously stated* that US unilateral military
intervention in Cuba can be undertaken in the
event that the Cuban regime commits hostile acts against US forces or property
which would serve as an incident upon which
2. The need for positive action in the event that current covert efforts to foster
an Internal Cuban rebellion are unsuccessful
* JCS 1969/303
** JCS 1969/313
12
Enclosure B
UNCLASSIFIED
TOP SECRET SPECIAL HANDLING NOFORN
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Operation Northwoods - END OF TEXT
Operation Northwoods was a 1962 plan by the U.S. Department of Defense to stage
acts of simulated or real terrorism on US
soil and against U.S. interests and then put the blame of these acts on Cuba in
order to generate U.S. public support for
military action against the Cuban government of Fidel Castro. As part of the U.S.
government's Operation Mongoose
anti-Castro initiative, the plan, which was not implemented, called for various
false flag actions, including simulated or real
state-sponsored acts of terrorism on U.S. and Cuban soil. The plan was proposed by
senior U.S. Department of Defense
leaders, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lyman Louis
Lemnitzer.
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