Over the course of history kingdoms and countries around the world have sought ways to overcome their opponents. Some ways not involving boots on the ground. From the earliest days of astrological signs and omens used by warring tribes, to modern day super soldiers. Our ability to seek the unknown has not always led to positive use.
For this list we will look at some of the more "Modern" experiments that world millitaries have embarked on in attempts to gain the upper hand. While these experiments and use of paranormal abilities and methods were used throughout history. The second World War saw the greatest increase in these tactics. The Nazi's were famous for their attempts to master the Occult practices.
NAZI Black magic
In 1945, with the Nazi regime defeated, members of an elite U.S. scientific intelligence initiative called Operation ALSOS, made their way to Berlin to scoop up as much intel as possible on German military projects. In the bombed-out remnants of a villa in an affluent neighborhood in southwestern Berlin, they uncovered a cache of documents and artifacts that were part of the Ahnenerbe, Heinrich Himmler’s science organization.
"Science Organization" was an interesting way to put it. What the allies found was an archive of documents on magic, the occult, and rituals. Himmler's organization was responsible for going into invaded countries and find any artifacts or documents regarding the occult or magic more or less. There is more to how these techniques were used during WW@ but I intend to do a post and an episode just on that period, so we will move on. Just rest assured, the Nazi's were in search of everything. the ark, the spear that peirced Jesus, biblical hidden texts, etc.
The cold War and Psychics
The US launched into Psychic research around the 1950's. This had a lot to do with the fact that the Soviet Union had amassed a great deal of research, similar to what the Nazi's had found. This obviously concerned the US, who upon hearing the Soviets were looking into these ancient teachings, enacted their own research.
Decorated World War II hero Ninel "Nina" Kulagina was the Soviet Union’s most famous psychic, rumored to have the ability to stop an animal’s beating heart using psychokinesis. which Now a days seems absurd, but at the time was quite alarming. The US government’s exploration into psychic phenomena began as part of MK Ultra Program. The CIA-backed mind control program, MK Ultra, officially started in 1953, ran well into the 1960’s, and involved dosing American citizens with biological and chemical agents, like LSD, or acid, often without the individual’s knowledge.
This was done in an effort to see what limits the brain truly held. They had people attempt to view far away places using only their minds, attempted to mimic the killing of animals with psychic ability, as well as other experiments. Both the Soviet Union and the U.S. government pointed to the others’ research into mind control, counter mind control, and psychic phenomena in general, as justification for their research. There were stories of Americans putting Telepaths on nuclear submarines, of Soviet mind control rays, and a Russian psychic so powerful she could stop the heart of a frog with only her mind. With each new rumor, some based on actual experiments, others little more than disinformation campaigns.
The Philadelphia Experiment
Backtracking just a little ways. This is one of the most insane, yet amazing experiments the US has ever attempted. It was an alleged military experiment supposed to have been carried out by the U.S. Navy at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, sometime around October 28, 1943. The U.S. Navy destroyer escort USSÂ Eldridge was claimed to have been rendered invisible.
According to some accounts, unspecified "researchers" using Albert Einstein Unified Field theory(Gravity and Electromagnetism) would enable this experiment to work, using large electrical generators to bend light around an object via refraction, so that the object became completely invisible. The Navy regarded this of military value and it sponsored the experiment. This would more or less make the object see through, as the person observing it would see what is around the item.
There are no reliable, attributable accounts, but in most accounts of the supposed experiment, USS Eldridge was fitted with the required equipment at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Testing began in the summer of 1943, and it was supposedly successful to a limited extent. One test resulted in Eldridge being rendered nearly invisible, with some witnesses reporting a "greenish fog" appearing in its place. Crew members complained of severe nausea afterwards. Also, reportedly, when the ship reappeared, some sailors were embedded in the metal structures of the ship, including one sailor who ended up on a deck level below that where he began and had his hand embedded in the steel hull of the ship.
While the legitimacy of this Experiment is questioned. The reports of a green mist, as well as people melding with the ship, and other serious side effects persist in the aftermath of the incident. It is said that after the failure of the experiment on more than one occasion, including a second attempt when it was said the ship actually teleported, the US government shelved the operation in favor of physical stealth tech research.
The craziest thing about this research and the experiments is that they have likely not ended. There are unconfirmed reports of super soldiers existing in some laboratories. Then there is Noninvasive electroencephalography based brain-computer interface enables direct brain-computer communication for training. Due to the nature of saying things like Psychic warfare or something similar, it is the belief of some researchers that these experiments continue, but the names have been changed to sound more official.
I for one, never put any craziness past our government.