Drafted in 1962 by the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff (Department of Defense intelligence), Operation Northwoods was a proposed false-flag campaign designed to manufacture public justification for a military invasion of Cuba by framing Fidel Castro’s regime for violent attacks against Americans.

To build an airtight pretext, the plan outlined several staged atrocities targeting U.S. personnel and citizens:

Hijacking and Downing a Civilian Airliner: A civilian charter flight would be swapped mid-air with an uncrewed drone painted to match it. The drone would be remotely detonated over Cuban waters, while military operators sent distress signals claiming it was under attack by Cuban MiGs to simulate mass civilian casualties.

Terror Campaigns in American Cities: Operatives proposed bombing targets and detonating real explosives in cities like Miami and Washington, D.C., combined with arresting fake Cuban agents to pin the blame on Havana.

Attacking Military Bases and Personnel: The plan called for blowing up ammunition, burning aircraft, and staging mortaring attacks at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, including sinking a U.S. Navy ship and publishing casualty lists to inflame national outrage.

Targeting Cuban Refugees: Boats loaded with Cuban refugees fleeing to Florida were to be sunk—either genuinely or simulated—to paint Cuba as a murderous neighbor.

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Lyman Lemnitzer, presented the memorandum to P