The USA have history of atrocities that have cast a long shadow over its global legacy. From unethical human experimentation to economic motivations behind wars, these events reveal another part of the dark side of American power that continues to shape perceptions and influence policies both at home and abroad.
Human experiments
My article is very limited in information. There was so much suffering none of us can imagine, so this is just a foretaste of these horrible events (only some of them are named).
The history of experimentation is profoundly disturbing, involving numerous experiments that exploited vulnerable populations without their consent. These actions were driven by a combination of scientific curiosity, military interests, and a blatant disregard for human dignity. Here, we delve into some of the most significant instances that reflect this dark chapter in American history:
One of the earliest examples is the Tuskegee Syphilis Study (1932-1972), where 600 African American men were told they were receiving free healthcare from the U.S. government. In reality, 399 of these men, who had syphilis, were deliberately left untreated so that researchers could observe the natural progression of the disease. The study continued for 40 years, even after penicillin became widely available as an effective treatment, leading to the suffering and death of many participants. The exposure of this study in 1972 led to public outrage and significant changes in research ethics and informed consent laws.
Another horrifying example is the Guatemala Syphilis Experiments (1946-1948), where U.S. doctors infected about 1,500 Guatemalan soldiers, prisoners, and mental patients with syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases. The subjects were not informed about the experiment, and many were left untreated after being infected. This atrocity remained hidden until 2010, when it was brought to light, leading to official apologies from the U.S. government but no reparations for the victims.
Project MKUltra (1953-1973) was a secret CIA program that conducted experiments on unwitting individuals, including the administration of LSD and other drugs, to explore methods of mind control and psychological manipulation. Many of the subjects were not informed of the nature of the experiments, leading to severe psychological trauma. The program was conducted in the context of Cold War paranoia, and its full extent only came to light after congressional investigations in the 1970s.
The Monster Study (1939) involved orphaned children in Iowa, who were subjected to psychological abuse in an attempt to induce stuttering. The experiment, conducted by Wendell Johnson at the University of Iowa, aimed to understand the cause of stuttering but resulted in long-term speech and emotional issues for the children involved. The study was kept secret for decades due to the unethical nature of the methods used.
In the Willowbrook State School Study (1956-1972), mentally disabled children at the Willowbrook State School in New York were deliberately infected with hepatitis as part of a study to understand the disease and develop a vaccine. Parents were often coerced into giving consent, as the only way to enroll their children in the overcrowded institution was to agree to participate in the study. The conditions at Willowbrook were already horrendous, with severe overcrowding and neglect, and the study only added to the suffering of the children.
Prisoners have also been frequent subjects of unethical experimentation in the U.S. Holmesburg Prison in Philadelphia was the site of extensive dermatological experiments during the 1950s and 1960s. Inmates were exposed to various chemicals, including dioxin, the active component in Agent Orange, and radioactive materials. These experiments were conducted by Dr. Albert Kligman, who later became famous for developing Retin-A. The prisoners, many of whom were poor and illiterate, were often not fully informed of the risks involved and suffered severe health consequences as a result.
Operation Whitecoat (1954-1973) was a U.S. Army program that involved testing biological warfare agents on conscientious objectors, most of whom were Seventh-day Adventists. The volunteers were exposed to diseases like Q fever and tularemia to test vaccines and treatments. While the participants were volunteers, the ethical implications of using human subjects for potentially lethal experiments remain controversial.
Additionally, The San Antonio Contraceptive Study (1969-1970) involved poor Mexican-American women in Texas who were given experimental oral contraceptives without being informed that they were part of a study. The women were not told that the pills were experimental and carried significant health risks, leading to severe side effects for many of the participants.
Another tragic episode occurred with the Vanderbilt University Radiation Experiments (1945-1949), where over 800 pregnant women were given radioactive iron as part of a study on iron absorption during pregnancy. The women were not informed that they were being exposed to radiation, and many later suffered from various health problems, including cancer and birth defects in their children.
The Human Radiation Experiments conducted by the U.S. government during the Cold War involved exposing soldiers, prisoners, and civilians to radiation without their consent. This included the Plutonium Injection Experiments (1945-1947), where individuals were injected with plutonium to study its effects on the human body. These experiments were often conducted on terminally ill patients who were not informed of the true nature of the study.
These experiments reflect a broader pattern of exploitation and a profound disregard for the rights and dignity of individuals, often justified by the pursuit of scientific knowledge or military advantage. The legacy of these actions continues to resonate today, contributing to a deep-seated mistrust of medical and governmental institutions among many communities. The exposure of these unethical experiments led to significant changes in research ethics, including the establishment of institutional review boards (IRBs) and the requirement for informed consent, but the scars left by these actions persist.
For a comprehensive overview of unethical human experimentation in the United States, including many more examples and detailed information, you can visit Wikipedia.
Slavery
The legacy of slavery in the United States is another glaring atrocity that continues to cast a long shadow over the nation. For over two centuries, millions of African people were enslaved, subjected to inhumane conditions, and stripped of their basic rights. The end of slavery did not bring an end to racial oppression; instead, it was followed by the implementation of Jim Crow laws in the South. These laws enforced racial segregation and disenfranchised African Americans, perpetuating systemic racism and inequality well into the 20th century. The violence and intimidation that supported Jim Crow laws contributed to widespread suffering and injustice, effects of which are still felt today.
One of the most gruesome and inhumane aspects of slavery in the United States was the brutal treatment enslaved people endured on a daily basis, particularly the physical violence and torture they suffered at the hands of their enslavers. Enslaved individuals were often subjected to horrific punishments designed to instill fear and maintain control over them. These punishments included whipping, branding, mutilation, and even being subjected to “slave patrols,” groups of armed men who hunted down and brutally punished those who attempted to escape.
One of the most notorious practices was the whipping of enslaved people, often conducted in front of other slaves as a means of psychological terror. Whippings could result in severe lacerations, infections, and even death. It was not uncommon for enslaved people to be whipped for the slightest perceived infractions, such as not working fast enough or showing any sign of resistance.
In addition to physical violence, enslaved women were particularly vulnerable to sexual exploitation and abuse by their enslavers. Rape was widespread, and enslaved women had no legal recourse to resist or seek justice. The children born from these assaults were often sold away from their mothers, further compounding the trauma and brutality of their existence.
Families were frequently torn apart, with husbands, wives, and children sold off to different owners, often never to see each other again. The deliberate breaking up of families was a cruel tactic used to weaken the bonds between enslaved people and prevent them from forming strong community ties that might lead to resistance.
Moreover, the conditions under which enslaved people were forced to live and work were appalling. They were provided with minimal food, clothing, and shelter, often living in cramped, unsanitary quarters. The grueling labor, particularly in the cotton fields of the South, involved long hours of backbreaking work under the scorching sun, with no consideration for their health or well-being.
Perhaps one of the most disturbing aspects was the complete dehumanization of enslaved people, who were treated as property rather than human beings. They were bought, sold, traded, and inherited like livestock, with no rights or autonomy. This dehumanization was codified in law, with enslaved people being legally considered “chattel,” and it was reinforced by a pervasive ideology that justified their subjugation on the basis of racial superiority.
The cruelty and inhumanity of slavery left deep scars on those who endured it, and the legacy of this brutal institution continues to affect American society to this day. The sheer brutality, dehumanization, and suffering that defined slavery in the United States make it one of the darkest chapters in human history.
Native Americans genocide
The genocide and displacement of Native Americans is one of the darkest and most tragic chapters in American history, characterized by relentless violence, forced removals, and deliberate policies aimed at eradicating Indigenous populations and cultures. For centuries, European colonizers and later the U.S. government systematically targeted Native American communities, leading to widespread death, suffering, and the near-total destruction of many tribes.
One of the most horrific aspects of this genocide was the series of brutal massacres that decimated entire Native American communities. These atrocities were often carried out by U.S. military forces, state militias, and settlers, driven by a desire to seize Native lands and eliminate what they viewed as obstacles to expansion. The Sand Creek Massacre in 1864 stands as one of the most egregious examples of this violence. In Colorado, a peaceful village of Cheyenne and Arapaho people, mostly women, children, and the elderly, was attacked by a Colorado militia under the command of Colonel John Chivington. The soldiers descended on the village at dawn, slaughtering over 150 Native Americans in a brutal onslaught. The violence did not end with death; the soldiers mutilated the bodies of their victims, taking scalps and other body parts as grotesque trophies of their so-called victory.
The Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890 is another chilling example of the extreme brutality inflicted upon Native Americans. This event marked the tragic end of the Indian Wars, as U.S. troops surrounded a group of Lakota Sioux at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota. A single shot, reportedly fired by accident, triggered a massacre in which U.S. soldiers opened fire on the largely unarmed Lakota, killing at least 150 men, women, and children. The soldiers showed no mercy, mowing down those who tried to flee and leaving the bodies of the dead to freeze in the snow. The massacre at Wounded Knee is emblematic of the relentless military campaigns that sought to crush Native resistance and secure the dominance of U.S. expansionist policies.
Beyond these massacres, the U.S. government’s policies of forced removal, such as those enacted through the Indian Removal Act of 1830, compounded the suffering of Native Americans. The most infamous of these forced relocations is the Trail of Tears, during which thousands of Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek), Seminole, Chickasaw, and Choctaw people were forcibly removed from their ancestral homelands in the southeastern United States and marched to designated Indian Territory, present-day Oklahoma. The journey was harrowing, with thousands dying from exposure, disease, and starvation along the way. The Trail of Tears epitomizes the ruthless disregard for Native American lives and the sheer brutality of the U.S. government’s efforts to displace Indigenous peoples for the sake of expanding American territory.
These acts of violence and forced displacement were not isolated incidents but were part of a broader strategy to systematically dismantle Native American societies. In addition to physical extermination, cultural genocide was pursued through policies aimed at erasing Native American identities. Children were forcibly removed from their families and placed in boarding schools where they were forbidden to speak their languages or practice their traditions. These schools, often harsh and abusive, sought to strip away the cultural heritage of Native American children, leaving deep psychological scars that have echoed through generations.
The genocide and displacement of Native Americans left a lasting legacy of trauma and loss. Entire cultures were nearly wiped out, and those who survived were often relegated to reservations, lands far removed from their original territories and often barren and unsuitable for sustaining their traditional ways of life. The impact of these atrocities is still felt today, as Native American communities continue to grapple with the consequences of centuries of oppression, marginalization, and cultural destruction. The history of Native American genocide and displacement is a sobering reminder of the extreme costs of colonization and the profound suffering inflicted in the pursuit of expansion and dominance.
War on Drugs
The U.S. War on Drugs, launched in the 1970s, has had devastating and far-reaching consequences both within the United States and across the globe.
The main reason they started this war was the ability of the big banks which are puppet masters for the president to launder dirty money for the biggest and most powerful cartels.
Domestically, this campaign led to the mass incarceration of millions of Americans, with African American and Latino communities bearing the brunt of these harsh policies. The introduction of mandatory minimum sentences and the three-strikes rule saw nonviolent drug offenders sentenced to decades in prison, leading to an unprecedented explosion in the U.S. prison population. Families were torn apart, and communities already struggling with systemic racism and inequality were further destabilized. The psychological and economic toll on these communities has been profound, contributing to cycles of poverty, unemployment, and ongoing social strife.
Internationally, the War on Drugs extended its reach into Latin America, where U.S.-funded drug eradication efforts led to widespread violence, corruption, and the near collapse of several states. Countries like Mexico, Colombia, and Peru became battlegrounds, with militarized police forces and armies, often supported by the U.S., engaging in brutal campaigns against drug traffickers and civilians alike. The human cost of this war has been staggering, with hundreds of thousands of people directly killed in violent conflicts and tens of millions of deaths related to drug use. In Mexico alone, since 2006, the violence has claimed over 300,000 lives, with countless others missing and presumed dead.
The ripple effects of this violence have created massive humanitarian crises. Entire communities have been displaced, leading to a surge in refugees and migrants fleeing the violence. The corruption fueled by the drug trade has undermined the rule of law in many Latin American countries, contributing to the near-collapse of state institutions and leaving citizens vulnerable to both criminal and state violence. Despite the enormous human and financial costs, the War on Drugs has done little to curb drug use, which remains alarmingly high. Instead, it has created a vicious cycle of violence, displacement, and despair.
Torture forced disappearances, and the discovery of mass graves have become grim realities in regions most affected by this conflict. The financial cost has been astronomical, with the U.S. spending billions of dollars each year on a war that has not only failed to achieve its goals but has also exacerbated the very problems it was meant to solve. The War on Drugs has led to nearly failed states in parts of Latin America, with entire generations paying the price for policies that have proven to be both ineffective and inhumane.
In summary, the War on Drugs has been an unmitigated disaster. It has resulted in hundreds of thousands of violent deaths, tens of millions of deaths related to drug use, staggering incarceration rates, the destabilization of entire regions, a continuing high rate of drug use, enormous financial expenditures, and the displacement of countless people. The widespread criticism of the War on Drugs reflects its status as an absolutely ineffective failure, having caused immeasurable harm while failing to address the underlying issues of drug addiction and trafficking.
Economic motivations behind wars
The United States has frequently been accused of engaging in wars driven primarily by economic interests rather than purely for defense or humanitarian reasons. The Vietnam War serves as a key example, where U.S. involvement was influenced by the desire to maintain economic and political dominance in Southeast Asia, particularly in securing markets and resources. The war resulted in the deaths of millions of Vietnamese civilians and soldiers, as well as significant losses for the U.S., both in terms of lives and economic cost. This conflict, and others like it, illustrate how economic imperatives can shape foreign policy decisions, often with devastating consequences. For more detailed analysis, see The Diplomat’s article on Vietnam’s role in U.S. Asia Strategy.
The super-rich predatorism during WW1 an WW2
During World War I, American bankers played a critical role in shaping the course of the war through their financial support to both the Allied Powers and, initially, to Germany. Notable banking families, such as the Morgans, used their immense financial power to fund the war efforts of the Allied forces, especially Britain and France. J.P. Morgan & Co. became the official purchasing agent for the Allies in the United States, facilitating billions of dollars in loans that allowed these nations to continue fighting. This financial support was crucial, as it enabled the Allies to procure the necessary resources and maintain their war efforts long before the United States officially entered the conflict in 1917.
Moreover, bankers’ influence extended beyond mere financial transactions; they were also involved in diplomatic efforts. They used their connections with political leaders to advocate for policies that aligned with their economic interests, such as pushing the U.S. government towards intervention when it became clear that a victorious Allied Europe would be in a better position to repay its debts.
In All the Presidents’ Bankers, Nomi Prins details how the speculative excesses and irresponsible lending practices of American bankers in the 1920s, which fueled a booming but unstable economy, directly contributed to the global economic collapse of the Great Depression. This economic devastation hit Europe, particularly Germany, hard, exacerbating the already severe post-World War I conditions and creating fertile ground for the rise of extremist movements like the Nazi Party. The destabilization caused by the Depression, coupled with the withdrawal of American credit from Europe, helped pave the way for the political volatility that led to World War II, highlighting the profound influence of banking decisions on global events.
The influence of bankers was also significant during World War II. Before the United States entered the war, American banks, particularly those connected to Wall Street, had complex financial ties with both Allied and Axis powers. Some American banks and corporations continued to do business with Nazi Germany even after the war began, driven by profit motives and existing financial relationships.
However, as the war progressed and the U.S. aligned more closely with the Allies, bankers once again became key players in financing the war effort. The Lend-Lease Act, which allowed the U.S. to supply military aid to foreign nations during the war, was heavily supported by bankers who recognized the financial and strategic benefits of supporting the Allies. The Act allowed the U.S. to extend credit to Britain and other countries, further solidifying the financial interdependence between American banks and European governments.
Bankers also played a role in the post-war order, influencing the creation of institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. These institutions were designed to stabilize the global economy and promote American economic interests worldwide, ensuring that the financial power of the U.S. and its banking elite would extend into the post-war period.
The military-industrial complex and the Vietnam War
The concept of the military-industrial complex, a term popularized by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in his farewell address, refers to the powerful relationship between the U.S. government, the military, and defense contractors. This complex has often been accused of influencing U.S. foreign policy to sustain and expand military engagements, driven by the profits generated from defense contracts. The Vietnam War is a prime example where the military-industrial complex is believed to have prolonged the conflict to benefit defense companies, despite the war’s human and financial toll. The war’s continuation was seen as a means to ensure ongoing production of military hardware and the continued flow of government contracts to defense firms, highlighting the complex’s significant influence over policy decisions.
Massive surveillance
The U.S. government has engaged in extensive surveillance of its citizens, particularly after the 9/11 attacks, raising serious concerns about privacy and civil liberties. Programs like PRISM and the broader activities of the National Security Agency (NSA) have involved the collection of vast amounts of data on American citizens, often without their knowledge or consent. This mass surveillance has been justified as necessary for national security, but it has also led to significant debate about the balance between security and personal freedoms. The revelations by whistleblowers like Edward Snowden brought these issues into the public eye, sparking widespread criticism and calls for greater transparency and accountability in government surveillance programs. For more information, you can visit the Wikipedia page on Mass Surveillance in the United States.
Founding Latin American torture chambers
During the Cold War, the United States supported the establishment of torture chambers in Latin America as part of its broader strategy to combat communism. Through initiatives like the School of the Americas, the U.S. trained Latin American military personnel in interrogation techniques that included torture. These actions contributed to widespread human rights abuses, including the torture, disappearance, and extrajudicial killings of thousands of individuals in countries such as Chile, Argentina, and Guatemala. The U.S.’s involvement in these practices has been widely condemned and remains one of the most controversial aspects of its foreign policy during the Cold War. These actions have left deep scars in Latin America, contributing to long-standing anti-American sentiment and highlighting the moral compromises made in the name of fighting communism.
USA’s atrocities: black sites and torture chambers all around the world
USA’s atrocities in terms of torture chambers didn’t stop in Latin America. They are world-wide.
CIA black sites, secret prisons operated by the agency in undisclosed locations around the world, became notorious for the harsh and often brutal treatment of detainees in the years following the 9/11 attacks. These facilities, scattered across countries like Afghanistan, Thailand, and Eastern Europe, were designed to detain and interrogate individuals suspected of terrorism without the constraints of U.S. law. Inside these black sites, detainees were subjected to what the CIA termed “enhanced interrogation techniques” – a euphemism for methods that included waterboarding, sleep deprivation, and confinement in small, claustrophobic spaces. These practices, widely condemned as torture, inflicted severe physical and psychological suffering on those held in these secretive prisons.
The existence of these sites and the methods employed there sparked a fierce debate over their legality and morality. Critics argued that such actions violated both U.S. and international law, specifically the Geneva Conventions and anti-torture statutes. The revelations about these black sites, first brought to light by investigative journalists and later confirmed by government reports, led to widespread outrage and calls for accountability. The 2014 Senate report on CIA torture detailed the extent of the abuses, highlighting the program’s ineffectiveness and the long-lasting damage it caused to America’s reputation.
Despite official claims that the black site program has ended, its legacy remains a stain on U.S. counterterrorism efforts. The controversy surrounding these secret prisons has not only damaged America’s moral standing in the world but has also raised ongoing legal and ethical questions about the balance between national security and human rights. For many, the story of the CIA’s black sites is a grim reminder of the dangers of unchecked government power in times of crisis.
Targeted killings in the Middle East
The U.S. has also faced significant criticism for its use of drone strikes and targeted killings in the Middle East, particularly in the context of the War on Terror. The Disposition Matrix, or “kill list,” is a database that identifies individuals targeted for drone strikes. While these operations are aimed at eliminating terrorist threats, they have also resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians, raising ethical and legal questions about the use of such force. Critics argue that these targeted killings not only violate international law but also fuel anti-American sentiment and perpetuate cycles of violence in the region. The program’s secrecy and lack of accountability have further intensified the debate over the morality and effectiveness of using drones as a tool of warfare.
Targeted killings in the Middle East, often conducted via drone strikes or special operations, have increasingly relied on metadata from internet communications for identifying and locating targets. Metadata – such as phone call records, email exchanges, and geolocation data – provides intelligence agencies with crucial patterns of behavior and networks of associations. However, the use of metadata raises significant ethical and legal concerns, particularly regarding the accuracy of identifying individuals and the potential for collateral damage. The reliance on such data, while technologically advanced, underscores the complexities and risks of modern warfare in an increasingly digital and interconnected world.
Post-9/11 casualties and the War on Terror
The U.S.-led War on Terror, initiated in response to the 9/11 attacks, has had profound and far-reaching consequences, particularly in the Middle East. Since 2001, U.S. military operations in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, and Pakistan have contributed to the deaths of an estimated 4.5 million people, either directly or indirectly. These conflicts have also led to the displacement of millions, creating humanitarian crises that continue to this day. The Los Angeles Times noted that “U.S. military forces have been at war for all eight years of Obama’s tenure, the first two-term president with that distinction.” The ongoing violence and instability in these regions have raised serious questions about the effectiveness of the War on Terror and whether it has achieved its intended goals. The human cost of these wars, in terms of lives lost and communities destroyed, remains a significant and tragic legacy of U.S. foreign policy.
What about the USA’s atrocities we don’t know about? We would be shocked
Do you really think the U.S. revealed this because it was proud of it? No, the USA’s atrocities are deeply hidden, and those heroes who expose them end up murdered, tortured for a long time in a black site (often leading to subsequent death), or they barely make it out alive. Julian Assange and Edward Snowden are true treasures of the world’s democracy from a civic standpoint. I don’t mean from the perspective of the super-rich families and their bankers; those elites would love to implement a Chinese-style system. Despite the USA being a democracy (though deeply flawed), we need to expose the USA’s atrocities not only for the sake of the affected but also on principle.
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