Operation Northwoods was a shocking proposal within the US government in 1962, aiming to stage terrorist attacks on American soil, falsely attributing the assaults to Cuban immigrants and using them as a pretext to invade Cuba, perceived as a communist threat in close proximity to the USA. Conceived by the United States Department of Defense (DOD) and the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the plan enlisted the CIA to oversee its implementation. The rise of Fidel Castro and his communist rule in Cuba raised concerns among the capitalist interests of the United States, prompting the proposal of Operation Northwoods. However, despite being authorized by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and signed by the Chairperson, the plan was ultimately rejected by the Kennedy Administration.
The Operation Northwoods Memorandum is an unambiguous document that detailed acts of terrorism intended to be blamed on Cuba, justifying war and serving the interests of the military-industrial complex. The contents of the memorandum, notably detailed on Pages Seven and Eight, outlined a series of planned incidents around Guantanamo Bay to falsely attribute hostile actions to Cuban forces. These actions ranged from rumors and staged attacks to destroying installations and sinking ships, all intended to provoke a response from the United States that would lead to military operations against Cuba.
President Kennedy’s refusal of Operation Northwoods highlighted his reluctance to endorse the aggressive strategies proposed by his military advisors to combat communism during the Cold War era. Kennedy rejected overt military action in Cuba and challenged the prevailing mindset that viewed stopping communism as an imperative, even if it meant sacrificing civilian lives. The push for an invasion of Cuba led to the replacement of General Lyman L Lemnitzer, the Chairperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Operation Mongoose, another proposal akin to Operation Northwoods, also aimed to target communist Cuba. It involved schemes to fabricate attacks on US facilities in Cuba and frame them as the work of the Cuban government. The plan included various false flag attacks, such as creating the appearance of Cuban attacks on US-friendly nations, potentially drawing the UK into a joint attack on Cuba.
The clarity of Operation Northwoods’ intentions, evident in official documents and publications from the National Security Archives, leaves little room for doubt. While the proposal was rejected, its existence and detailed content are accessible through official records, such as the National Security Archives, raising questions about the government’s strategies during that time. The Cuban National Assembly condemned these actions of the US government, affirming the authenticity of Operation Northwoods and Operation Mongoose.