Throughout the course of human history, there have been events that have caused people to question and wonder at the cause. In this questioning, it sometimes occurs that an alternate explanation is found. These explanations, supported to various degrees, are known now as conspiracy theories.
A conspiracy theory is defined as the belief that an event or phenomenon that has occurred was caused by some hidden cause working in its own interest.
Conspiracy theories have been around since the beginning of civilization, but what about now? What conspiracy theories deal with our recent history? What are the most talked about conspiracy theories of the last 100 years.
There are many different categories of conspiracy theories, and so that is how this book is organized. Although there is a good deal of overlapping between the various categories, it is usually possible to determine which category is most appropriate for a given theory.
When an organization or individual has control of vast amounts of wealth or power, it seems almost inevitable that conspiracy theories arise to explain how it was obtained. Global conspiracies include those broad reaching conspiracies such as The US Federal Reserve, NATO, the United States and the House of Saud , the Council on Foreign Relations, the Gemstone File, the 2000 US Presidential Election and 9/11.
Espionage, spies, undercover agents…we know that these things exist. But how deep do they go and how much control do they have? What do they know that we don’t and what are they hiding? Intelligence conspiracies include the CIA running heroin in Vietnam, the moon landing, Watergate, Pan Am Flight 103, the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, the CIA and crack cocaine and the CIA and Osama bin Laden.
The major militaries of the world have vast resources that are intended to be used in the protection of the countries that have raised them. However, many cases in the last 100 years have raised questions as to possible hidden actions made by military organizations around the world, and in Military conspiracies include the attack on Pearl Harbor, Gulf War Syndrome and the fate of United flight 93.
The death of important people has frequently become the subject of mystery and questioning. In the case of assassinations, either confirmed or suspected, there are vast numbers of theories that have evolved to explain why and how the important person was killed. Assassination conspiracies of the last century include Rasputin, Marilyn Monroe, JFK, Martin Luther King Jr., Elvis Presley and Princess Diana.
The quest to forestall death has long been the mission of the medical profession. At the same time, the more we, as people, learn about disease, medicine and the workings of the human body, the more these things can be exploited for different purposes. Medical conspiracies include the cure for cancer, fluoridation, AIDS, Ritalin and SARS.
The question of intelligent life existing outside of this planet is one subject to much debate. There are a number of conspiracy theories that have developed with regards to extraterrestrial life and UFOs. UFO/Extraterrestrial conspiracies include the Bermuda Triangle, Roswell, Area 51 and Crop Circles
Please note that all of the conspiracy theories we are going to look at are just that-theories. Some have been disproven as hoaxes or fabrications while others have strong evidence. I do not seek to place a judgment on any of the theories, just to explore them and leave the final determination up to you, the reader.
