WI Nixon won in 1960, went forward with Operation Northwoods

Would Nixon get away with it?

  • Sure the CIA was/is very good at what they do.

    Votes: 3 8.3%
  • Sure people were more trusting of the goverment then so no one would question it much.

    Votes: 8 22.2%
  • No becuase the goverment couldn't cover up something like that, it would come out someday.

    Votes: 24 66.7%
  • No becuase the Media would reject the story and expose the truth quickly.

    Votes: 1 2.8%

  • Total voters
    36
So because a scandal comes out on JFK that he had taken LSD and had a fresh affair before the first debate, Nixon wins the 1960 election by taking Texas and Illinois by the skin of his teeth.

In 1961 Nixon tells the CIA that he wants a plan on the table for a full invasion of Cuba. In the following months he is presented with a plan like Operation Northwoods with no one actually killed and he gives it the green light.

On March 7th 1962 a US airliner is reported down in the Atlantic with a passenger list of 127 on board. After recovering the wreckage in the following week and the Media fully believing that Cuba had brought the air plane down. The Media and the Public begin to push for action from Nixon. Most polls showed the public now largely supports a war with Cuba over the reported lost lives.

Congress quickly approves a formal deceleration of war against Cuba after Nixon makes a public statement on the matter saying he wants to go to war with Cuba not tomorrow, not next week but today for the dead Americans.

So would Nixon get away with it and what will Russia do about the US invading Cuba?
 
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I believe that this is too big even for the US to pull off.

If this became publicly known there would be anarchy on the streets.
 

aleasp

Banned
In general principal, this does not differ greatly from the Tonkin Gulf Incident that was used to secure congressional approval for overt US involvement in Vietnam.
 
Why use a civilian airliner?
Shooting down a USAF jet or transport would be fine or a USN destroyer Tonkin style...

Simply have US assets just happen to be in the way of CIA landing of exiles and then when Cuba targets the US forces declare it an act of war.
 
Why use a civilian airliner?
Shooting down a USAF jet or transport would be fine or a USN destroyer Tonkin style...

Simply have US assets just happen to be in the way of CIA landing of exiles and then when Cuba targets the US forces declare it an act of war.

That would likely be an easier way to do it and it's much less likely Nixon would be exposed.
 
These are the same people who did not question the Warren Report.

Also the same people who protested in the streets demanding Nixon's resignation over Watergate, and protested the ongoing Vietnam-war.

Yes, especially back in the day it would be difficult to accept that a low-life like Oswald could bring down a charismatic president like JFK. I can understand people wanting to believe there had to be something bigger behind it. And indeed even today many people believe there is still more to the JFK assassination than has been reveiled so far. But for those who have actually studied the facts, it is what it is: it only takes a madman like Oswald being at the wrong place at the wrong time to end the life of president Kennedy.

So no, I don't think the American people are that gullible. If Nixon went ahead with Operation Northwoods and the truth came out, it would be Watergate only 100 times worse. Forget impeachment, Nixon as a bunch of CIA-chiefs would be facing trial for murder and treason. The media and American people wouldn't let the downing of an aircraft full of Americans slide with only a flimsy cover story.
 
Also the same people who protested in the streets demanding Nixon's resignation over Watergate, and protested the ongoing Vietnam-war.

Yes, especially back in the day it would be difficult to accept that a low-life like Oswald could bring down a charismatic president like JFK. I can understand people wanting to believe there had to be something bigger behind it. And indeed even today many people believe there is still more to the JFK assassination than has been reveiled so far. But for those who have actually studied the facts, it is what it is: it only takes a madman like Oswald being at the wrong place at the wrong time to end the life of president Kennedy.

So no, I don't think the American people are that gullible. If Nixon went ahead with Operation Northwoods and the truth came out, it would be Watergate only 100 times worse. Forget impeachment, Nixon as a bunch of CIA-chiefs would be facing trial for murder and treason. The media and American people wouldn't let the downing of an aircraft full of Americans slide with only a flimsy cover story.

I guess the questions are would the truth come out and what would Russia do about it if they knew Cuba didn't do it but couldn't prove it?
 
FYI, promoting conspiracy theories is discouraged on this board.

I am not promoting conspiracy theories. When the Report was issued and the report done in the 70's the single bullet theory is questioned? I am not sure what tobelieve from the Warren Report would be shreadded by the public. Just the because I think the Warren Report is crap it doesn't make a Conspiracy.
 
So because a scandal comes out on JFK that he had taken LSD and had a fresh affair before the first debate, Nixon wins the 1960 election by taking Texas and Illinois by the skin of his teeth.

In 1961 Nixon tells the CIA that he wants a plan on the table for a full invasion of Cuba. In the following months he is presented with a plan like Operation Northwoods with no one actually killed and he gives it the green light.

On March 7th 1962 a US airliner is reported down in the Atlantic with a passenger list of 127 on board. After recovering the wreckage in the following week and the Media fully believing that Cuba had brought the air plane down. The Media and the Public begin to push for action from Nixon. Most polls showed the public now largely supports a war with Cuba over the reported lost lives.

Congress quickly approves a formal deceleration of war against Cuba after Nixon makes a public statement on the matter saying he wants to go to war with Cuba not tomorrow, not next week but today for the dead Americans.

So would Nixon get away with it and what will Russia do about the US invading Cuba?
The intentional downing of a US airliner is a bit much even for Nixon. A "Gulf of Tonkin' type incident could easily be spun through receptive media.
 
Operation Northwoods came to be considered because of the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion to overthrow Castro. Nixon would probably have used US troops to "save" the invasion and overthrow Castro. This would not IMO be a good idea for the reasons I go into at https://www.alternatehistory.com/fo...how-does-history-change.401299/#post-13416467 but in any event it would mean that there would be no occasion to even consider an Operation Northwoods.

Incidentally, the easiest path to a Nixon victory is not IL plus TX, but IL plus MO and NJ (MO and NJ were both much closer than TX). http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/u/usa/pres/1960.txt
 
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