Try as you might to deny the appeal of conspiracy theories, the fact remains that these seemingly far-fetched ‘what ifs’ are always interesting enough for people to at least pay attention to them the first time they hear them. Of course, a lot of us who have better things to do than to corroborate unevidenced hypotheses often just go on with our lives and pay the matter no more thought in the future, but sometimes there are those that slip through the cracks…and eventually prove themselves to be the real deal. The following are some examples of crazy conspiracy theories that turned out to be true:
Hitler’s Own Officers Tried To Kill Him – The 20 July Plot
As the second world war was starting to wind down, a lot of Nazi followers were beginning to lose nerve and talks of assassinating Adolf Hitler seemed more and more appealing to his officers. Eventually, word came out that Hitler’s own people tried to have him killed and plotted to overthrow his government.
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Well apparently, the attempt did take place – a handful of Nazi officers started meeting in secret and plotted to take Hitler out. A member of his staff, Colonel Henning von Tresckow, enlisted a Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg to aid them in their mutinous attempts to assassinate Hitler. Stauffenberg worked hard to get promoted to meet with Hitler himself, and he eventually bombed Hitler at a meeting he excused himself out of after planting the bomb beneath the desk. Hitler survived, and both the attempt and the coup failed.
The Gunpowder Treason Plot
You probably remember this from the V for Vendetta opening, wherein V with his Guy Fawkes ask alludes to the Gunpowder Treason Plot – or the Gunpowder Plot – as he sets off explosives at the House of Lords.
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Well there actually was a Gunpowder Plot in history…sort of. The plan was pretty much the same – plant some bombs at the House of Lords, and blow it all to smithereens come the opening of England’s Parliament on 5 November 1605. Only, it didn’t go exactly as it did with V and Natalie Portman.
Fawkes and his fellow plotters were found out before they had a chance to set off the charges, with Fawkes apprehended guarding 36 barrels of gunpowder. Fawkes capture has been immortalized as England celebrates Guy Fawkes; Day every 5 November.
The CIA Dabbled in Mind Control
Perhaps one of the freakiest conspiracy theories out there was the idea that the CIA was apparently experimenting with mind control methods. Yep. Mind control. That bit where someone basically hijacks your head and makes you do stuff without your having any control over it.
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This article being “Conspiracy Theories That Turned Out To Be Real”, I’d be an idiot to say it wasn’t. The CIA was indeed involved in a mind control project called Project MKULTRA – although nothing good came of it ( or so we’ve been told).