Operation Northwoods Memorandum
Joint Chiefs of Staff
1997
1962
A signed proposal to manufacture pretexts for war with Cuba, including staged attacks on American targets and a fabricated aircraft shootdown. President Kennedy rejected it.
Why it was classified
It documented senior military leadership formally recommending deception operations against the American public.
Why it matters
It is a rare case where a conspiracy theory turned out to be a filed, initialed, and archived staff paper — and equally rare proof that civilian control worked.