The truth, as The X-Files always told us, is out there. These declassified photographs from the US Government's Central Intelligence Agency are sure to give you some chills. Some will make you question the things you've trusted in all your life and challenge what you've generally considered to be the truth. The government often keeps things under wraps until such time as they believe it’s safe to release the information to the public. These releases often go unnoticed, which is why we’ve gone to work gathering some of the most shocking declassified photos.
Some historical affairs are so extraordinary, you’ll never read about them in conventional history books. Many of the photographs in the accompanying gallery fit into this bizarre category. They offer proof that certain unthinkable events truly did occur. Needless to say, these once restricted photos will summon your interest and educate you about our incredible world.
A warehouse full of chemical weapons
Imagine seeing this image during the ‘60s when many Americans were so paranoid they built bunkers simply in case Cuba or Russia pressed the missile launch button that would instigate a nuclear war.
Had it been released at the time it was taken, this image surely would have inspired dangerous levels of fear and paranoia. Luckily for the American public, the CIA kept this image a secret. It shows Russian officers in a storehouse filled with synthetic weapons during the Cold War.
China's secret telescope
The secret is out! China has been named the world's next extraordinary superpower. This Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) allegedly has the world's most powerful signal. It can catch a wide range of radio signs – even those that are 1,000 light-years away.
Some experts have claimed that this base is almost certainly an ionosphere regulator that could likewise control the climate. The radio telescope appeared in The Search for Intelligent Life on Earth, an episode of National Geographic Channel’s Cosmos: Possible Worlds.
The biggest (known) underground facility in America
The Cheyenne Mountain Complex has been dubbed the biggest clandestine facility in the US government’s territories. Those who have been inside the complex claim that its underground shelter is profoundly restricted and that a confidential level of clearance is needed to enter the site.
What is the underground facility for? Purportedly, the complex operates as the base camp for the Air Forces' territory-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
The FBI’s official documents on a UFO encounter
It was 1963 when the US government allegedly experienced a speculated Unidentified Flying Object over the desert of Nevada. The government recorded what it found exhaustively to ensure the encounter was fully documented.
This record is the legitimate written report of the UFO experience as declared by the FBI. Despite the fact that many key details have been redacted, this is an eye-opening report wherein a branch of the United States government confirms contact with a UFO.
The first draft of Mount Rushmore
Even the grandest projects started out as a rough first draft, and Mount Rushmore is no exemption. It is difficult to make a respected work of art without first imagining it in various forms. Mount Rushmore didn't initially appear as it does now. As you can see, the monumental work of art went through quite the evolution.
Though mistakes made when drawing are relatively easy to remedy, the stakes are much higher when you’re working with a mountain and dynamite. This is an extraordinary photograph of an early model that depicts how Mount Rushmore would have looked if the presidents' bodies were incorporated.
The first nuclear test
A photograph of an assembly line laborer adjacent to a colossal machine may not cause a stir. However, look once more. This uncommon photograph was taken in 1945 in the desert of New Mexico. What you believe is a plant is really where the United States Army carried out its "Trinity" project.
Trinity was the code name of the first-ever detonation of a nuclear weapon. Who would’ve thought that this tranquil desert would host such a violent and destructive act?
First full-scale thermonuclear test
Following the detonation of atomic bombs in Nagasaki and Hiroshima in 1945, the United States government dropped a new nuclear device as a test. It was part of Operation Ivy, the 8th series of American nuclear trials.
The first full-scale test of a thermonuclear device – nicknamed "Ivy Mike" – was detonated in a highly confidential spot near the Pacific Ocean's Marshall Islands on November first, 1952. Part of the explosive yield of a thermonuclear weapon comes from nuclear fusion.
The shocking UFO crash site
Roswell has for quite some time been known as the crash site of an Unidentified Flying Object. Plenty of conspiracy theories have flourished in the wake of what occurred in Roswell, New Mexico. Films, TV programs, books, and comic books have also expressed opinions on the Roswell incident.
Despite the fact that there was a great deal of debate surrounding this photograph, it's actually an image of the debris of a smashed A-12 spy aircraft. It was captured in Wendover, Utah in 1963.
The fat man
Let’s make it clear – the fat man has nothing to do with obesity. Rather, it was the code name given to the bomb that was dropped by the US on August 9, 1945, over the Japanese city of Nagasaki. This rare image is a piece of history that everybody should see.
This is how the bomb looked before it devastated Nagasaki and ruined the lives of so many Japanese citizens. The mysteries of the American military truly are terrifying.
The Area 51 “alien” craft
For quite some time, Area 51 has been rumored to be a mysterious army base of the United States government. Situated in the Nevada Desert, the base and its surroundings have been a hub for various claimed sightings of Unidentified Flying Objects.
Though it may seem too wild to be real, this is a genuine photograph of a topsy turvy SR-71 Blackbird surveillance plane. It’s only natural that people thought this was an alien craft. Just look at that unusual shape! The highly classified facility has become a center of modern conspiracy theories due to its secretive nature and affiliation to classified aircraft research.
John McCain as a prisoner of war
This is a photograph taken in Vietnam when the late Senator John McCain was being removed from the water by Vietnamese residents just after his plane was shot down by a missile. McCain was a US aviator who was stationed in Vietnam during the war.
When his plane went down and smashed in a waterway in Hanoi, Vietnam, local people saved his life, but since he was technically the enemy, they had to take him to jail. This photograph was taken in 1967.
Area 51 airplane
For some time, Area 51 has been a magnet for conspiracy theories. It has been portrayed as the mecca of Unidentified Flying Objects. This photograph of an unusual-looking airplane certainly fueled the fire.
Though it may look like a UFO, this flying object is very much known. It is an experimental airplane made by the US Air Force – one of only a handful made to evaluate different air carrier designs. Various comparative airplanes made by the American government were seen in the skies of Nevada, further adding to the UFO mythos.
9/11 picture from the Pentagon
This photograph was recently declassified by the US government. Take a gander at the image, and you will understand the level of damage done by a commercial aircraft colliding with the Pentagon on the fateful day of September 11, 2001.
This publicized picture from the United States government shows the destruction caused by the plane as it tore through the five rings of the Pentagon. The level of damage seems to have exceeded what was initially reported by the media.
How to prevent pilot exhaustion
This is a photograph that shows how the American government prepared pilots to fend off fatigue. Captured sometime in 1949, this image from the US Air Force shows a prototype for a contraption that would help pilots fly for longer time-frames during hazardous circumstances.
The model never made it into mass production, perhaps because it would take up a lot of space and make things awkward for the pilots. This picture was recently declassified and made accessible to the public.
A secret airbase in the Pacific Ocean
Situated on Johnston Atoll, this mystery airbase was once a highly confidential area. Located in the midst of the Pacific Ocean, far from all other landmasses, the airbase was the site of many nuclear experiments.
The United States government revealed little to no data at the time such atomic tests were conducted. These photos were only recently declassified and accordingly filled as proof of the US government’s endeavors to make and test these weapons of mass destruction.
The infamous crash site of a UFO
Roswell is notoriously known as the crash site of an Unidentified Flying Object. Situated in New Mexico, the city is viewed by many as an unusual spot due to the amount of extraterrestrial-related events that seem to happen there.
This image, recently declassified by the US government, is adequate evidence that Roswell could be a site where aliens may have landed. As indicated by archives from the government, some kind of aircraft slammed into Roswell. The dispersed debris and the clean-up effort can be seen in the image above.
JFK moments before he was assassinated
This image of the 35th US president, John F. Kennedy, shows him alive and happy just before he was shot by an assassin in Dallas, Texas. The president is displayed in this image with his wife, Jacqueline.
This recently declassified picture is said to also show one of the professional killer's associates, but this detail is yet to be officially confirmed. JFK was killed by Lee Harvey Oswald. The official version of his killing expresses that the murder was the work of a single individual. However, the rumors surrounding this picture suggest that others may have been involved.
The US Government’s nuclear bunkers
During the height of the Cold War period during the ‘60s, The American government had nuclear bunkers designated for weapons facilities, command and control centers, and storage rooms. This picture is proof of the government’s endeavors to protect its high-ranking officials from the radioactive fallout that would result from a nuclear explosion. This is just one of an unknown number of clandestine nuclear bunkers.
This recently publicized picture shows that one of the government’s nuclear bunkers was situated in Virginia's remote wilderness. In the 1970s, the United States collected federal funding for the construction of the bunkers.
Cages for children
This strange photo shows a snippet of what life was like in the ‘20s and ‘30s. Some “experts” at the time decided that it would be good for a baby’s health to be exposed to the outside air. The idea was that this would toughen them up mentally while giving their immune systems a workout.
As wild as this looks, it was standard practice for many parents in those days. These were most popular among parents who lived in apartments and didn’t have gardens for the children to explore. Their popularity died off as concerns for child safety grew.
Another Area 51 aircraft
This image of military staff moving a UFO with a crane sparked a lot of speculation, fueling the conspiracy theory fires, and convincing many that extraterrestrials really did make contact at Area 51.
However, it’s important to note that a weather balloon is connected to the UFO. Could it be that the item is an airplane from the US air force? Could it be a new climate monitoring device being tested by the government?
The first slide
It's a mystery to us how children had a good time before 1922 when the very first kids' slide was built. This picture shows an invention created by Charles Wickstead – a man from England who made the first documented kids' slides from wood.
We imagine a fair few splinters were picked up while enjoying the slide. In any case, this creation changed kids' parks and introduced another type of fun that is still enjoyed in parks and playgrounds to this day.
A classified mission
The United States government was associated with various missions all intended to advance its sovereignty. One such mission was dubbed Operation HIGHJUMP, with the objective being to establish a secret military research base in the Arctic region.
Another objective of the operation was to effortlessly keep an eye on Russia. This recently declassified picture shows a US Navy ship stuck between two Arctic ice fields. Operation HIGHJUMP started on August 26, 1946, and concluded in late February of 1947. It included 4,700 men, 33 aircraft, and 13 ships.
Queen Elizabeth in the military service
Relatively few individuals realize that the Queen did military service for the British government. Her grandkids, William and Harry, followed suit, both serving in the British Forces. This declassified picture shows Queen Elizabeth wearing the military uniform of the Women's Auxiliary service.
In February of 1945, the Queen was elected as an honorary second subaltern. She trained as a mechanic and driver and was promoted as honorary junior commander (the female counterpart of captain at the time).
Construction of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was constructed with very little preparation or planning. This recently exhibited picture shows development was rapid, isolating West Berlin from East Berlin in just two weeks back in 1961.
The structure ushered in the beginning of the Cold War, coinciding with the split between the United States and Russia. The barrier included watchtowers along huge cement walls, joined by a wide region that contained anti-vehicle channels and beds of nails. The Berlin Wall remained in place until 1989.
The last moon landing
Some people couldn't get their heads around the fact that the last moon landing happened in 1972, and none has been done since. In this declassified image of Apollo 17, we can see the last mission to ever land on the surface of the moon.
In spite of technological advances in space travel, no mission has made it to the moon since. This detail further fuels conspiracy theorists who imagine that no mission ever made it to the moon.
The fat man before it was dropped over Nagasaki
This frightening picture shows the notorious Fat Man before it was detonated over the Japanese city of Nagasaki. This technician is doing the last check of the bomb and applying sealant. Fat Man wasn’t the only nuclear bomb the US Government developed at this time.
There were multiple nuclear bombs made in the event that one failed to detonate. The name “Fat Man” alludes to the rotund shape of the weapon and its casing. The other well-known bomb made around this time was called “Little Boy.” Fat Man was plutonium-based while Little Boy was uranium-based.
Osama Bin Laden in happier times
Before Osama Bin Laden was tagged as the most wanted terrorist in the world, he had an ordinary life with his loved ones. This declassified photograph of Osama shows him on a vacation in Germany with his entire family.
Though they look like a happy, colorful crew, it’s been reported that Osama already held extremist views at this time. This claim has been contested by members of his family, so the truth is not all that clear. However, it is known that a rift between close family members had already formed at the time this picture was taken.
The glorious Schienenzeppelin
Germany's superiority in design and accuracy is displayed by its invention of the Schienenzeppelin. This stunning invention was the country's first high-velocity train. The Schienenzeppelin was reported to be able to travel at 143 miles an hour.
As displayed by this newly declassified photo, the Schienenzeppelin had a polished design that permitted it to travel flawlessly through the air. The experimental train was developed by aircraft engineer Franz Kruckenberg in 1929. However, it came with its fair share of problems, including the rather obvious danger of having an unshielded propeller in such close proximity to passengers.
UFO pictures from the CIA archives
The Central Intelligence Agency does Spring cleaning too, often releasing loads of pictures from its older collections. A fair few UFO images have been released in these clean-out sessions.
This recently declassified image shows an official checking the wreckage of this fallen aircraft. This is one of many publicized records that could conceivably demonstrate the existence of extraterrestrials.
The arrest of Saddam Hussein
This declassified picture of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was taken when American forces captured him in his underground refuge. This was the image presented to then-US President George W. Bush to confirm that the mission had been a triumph.
Saddam was caught by US forces on December 13, 2003, through Operation Red Dawn. Named after the film Red Dawn (1984), this dramatic operation led the US military to a tiny 6x8 foot underground dugout in ad-Dawr, Iraq. This is where Hussein was hiding.
Secret military bases
The CIA has, over the years, released a large number of previously classified records and pictures. These are now accessible to the public, but many people don’t know of their existence as the releases often aren’t highly publicized. Though the UFO pictures are always sought out, the United States government sometimes also leaks fascinating pictures of underground military bases.
Such bases were essential when America was up against the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The government claims such bases are no longer functional and have been deserted – that’s what they want us to believe anyway!
More secrets from Area 51
Area 51 will always hold a special place in the minds and scribblings of conspiracy theorists. Though many go straight for the alien theories, others believe it’s terrestrial technology under development and under wraps at the facility.
This picture of the Nevada Air Force Base will constantly be shrouded in secret since the notorious Roswell crash. In any case, some assert that such flying objects were really airplanes being developed by the US government.
Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor
This declassified picture delivers more goosebumps than the past pictures of Fat Man while it was being made or the experimental nuclear tests that were carried out in the Pacific Ocean.
This picture shows the real-life after-effects of the atomic bomb on individuals. This poor child experienced serious scars and burns, some of which are visible in the photo. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum holds many more pictures and stories from the time and is a testament to why such weapons should never be deployed again.
A nuclear waste facility
High up in the mountains of Yucca, Nevada, exists a clandestine facility, the details of which have not yet been uncovered to the public. The spot is so confidential that only a handful of people know its precise location.
This is the place where America's atomic waste is safely (we hope) stowed away. It's anything but clear how the staff monitoring this facility protect themselves against all the radiation – we trust they are appropriately protected and compensated.
Area 51 highway
Highways can sometimes lead to isolated roads that peter out into dead ends. The highway that leads out to Area 51 is a lonely stretch of road that has seen some crazy things in its time. If only we could decipher its secrets.
The highway close to Area 51 is empty of traffic more often than not, but this picture shows an example of it getting some action. This newly declassified picture shows a government vehicle moving an item that looks suspiciously like a UFO.
Final check on a deadly atomic bomb
Giving human-like personas to objects is common. This was the case when military personnel dubbed this destructive nuclear bomb "Little Boy." The cute name is chilling considering this device was what caused such devastation in the city of Hiroshima in 1945.
In spite of the fact that this bomb helped end World War II, being a spectator to its creation is chilling. This atomic bomb was ultimately loaded into Enola Gay, the aircraft that dropped it over Hiroshima.
Google’s first employees
Who knew when this picture was taken that Google would become the mega-company it is today? It seems its first batch of employees may have had a clue. They can be seen here, all grins, as though they know what the future holds.
If these employees remained on, they are almost certain moguls now and enjoying the fruits of their hard work. Presently known as the world’s biggest search engine, the tech company is famous for its unique company culture.
A sketch of a UFO
Though they may be secretive about it, the United States government is just as interested in UFOs as conspiracy theorists are. This recently declassified report shows the government’s endeavors to discover more about the existence of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP).
The CIA has been searching for more data on extraterrestrials and UFOs, but their goals are not clear. Whether they seek out information from alleged alien abductees is also a subject of great debate.
A pilot’s ejection seat
The United States government aims to be at the forefront of innovation. This prototype of an ejection seat was the creation of some of the greatest minds of the time. The CIA declassified this photo in an effort to provide data on the innovations made in the past.
Have you ever wondered how pilots get out of harm’s way if their aircraft is going down? The government designed ejection seats to be able to preserve the life of the pilot, and this photograph portrays one of the early models.