War
Psychological warfare in Vietnam
February 1966: Congressman Craig Hosmer unveiled his strange plan for victory in Vietnam. He suggested air-dropping playing cards, plastic cutouts of women and dogs, and owl hoots onto the Vietcong. His idea was that these would trigger the superstitious nature of the Vietnamese and cause them to surrender — with no shots fired.Some of his suggestions may actually have been done. I’m not sure.
Hosmer also suggested dropping yellow dye on the Vietcong “to identify them upon infiltration into South Vietnam.” He noted, “Dyeing the Vietcong could, in the end, prove more effective than killing them.”
Sydney Morning Herald - Feb 7, 1966
Craig Hosmer (Esquire - Jan 1967)
Arizona Republic - Feb 9, 1966
Posted By: Alex - Sun Mar 10, 2019 -
Comments (1)
Category: Military, War, 1960s
Change in Sex Blocks Draft
Source.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Feb 27, 2019 -
Comments (1)
Category: Law, War, 1940s, Gender-bending, Differently Abled, Handicapped, Challenged, and Otherwise Atypical
New Vietnam
Back in 1975, Rev. Carl McIntire had the idea of bringing the Vietnam experience back to America by building a Vietnam theme park (to be called 'New Vietnam') in Florida, near Cape Canaveral. Needless to say, the idea didn't go over well. Some details:Adjacent to the village will be a rectangular special forces camp encircled by a moat and guarded by machine gun nests, punji stakes and fatigue-clad "soldiers" hired from the county. Inside will be a war museum of Viet Cong and American memorabilia.
Orlando Sentinel - Sep 11, 1975 (click to enlarge)
Philadelphia Daily News - Jun 12, 1975
Posted By: Alex - Thu Feb 21, 2019 -
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Category: Fairs, Amusement Parks, and Resorts, War, 1970s
Stanisław Szukalski
Stanisław Szukalski was a painter and sculptor who also developed the pseudoscientific historical theory of Zermatism, positing that all human culture was derived from a post-deluge Easter Island and that mankind was locked in an eternal struggle with the Sons of the Yeti. He illustrated this theory in his works.
Article source.
Artist's homepage.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Dec 13, 2018 -
Comments (1)
Category: Art, Avant Garde, Outsider Art, War, Documentaries, Bohemians, Beatniks, Hippies and Slackers, Europe, Twentieth Century
The Stay-Alert Game
Briefly experimented with in 1969 as a way to motivate U.S. troops in Vietnam to stay alert, fight better, and avoid casualties. The idea was that combat would be turned into a game. Each platoon was awarded points for enemy troops killed, weapons captured, and rice caches discovered. But they lost points if they suffered any battle casualties. The winning platoon would receive two or three days off at a rest center.Troops hated the stay-alert game, so it was quickly mothballed.
Appleton Post-Crescent - May 5, 1969
Posted By: Alex - Mon Sep 17, 2018 -
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Category: Games, Military, War, Armed Forces, 1960s
The Seamaster Airplane
A jet that takes off and lands from water? Filled with nuclear bombs? What could go wrong?Wikipedia page.
Source of foto.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Aug 25, 2018 -
Comments (1)
Category: Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, Technology, War, Weapons, Air Travel and Airlines, 1950s
“Ubu” by Geoff Dunbar
Home page of creator.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Aug 19, 2018 -
Comments (2)
Category: War, Surrealism, Cartoons, 1970s
Birds of South Vietnam
It wasn't the subject of this book that made it weird, but instead when it was published: in 1968, at the height of the war in Vietnam. Not a time when a lot of people were going to Vietnam for bird-watching.The British author, Philip Wildash, didn't even mention the war, except to obliquely refer to it in the first sentence by saying, "Vietnamese ornithology has long been rather neglected."
Amazon link: Birds of South Vietnam.
Minneapolis Star Tribune - Oct 6, 1968
Posted By: Alex - Tue May 22, 2018 -
Comments (2)
Category: Animals, Hobbies and DIY, War, Books, 1960s
Atomic Bomber Arcade Game
Original ad here.
Learn the history here, including a beautiful color pic of the actual machine.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Apr 28, 2018 -
Comments (1)
Category: Death, Destruction, Games, War, 1940s
Rambo Bubble Gum
Raspberry-flavored gum shaped to resemble shrapnel or flak.Went on sale in 1985, as a tie-in with the release of Rambo II.
image source: Candy Wrapper Museum
Wisconsin State Journal - Nov 3, 1985
Posted By: Alex - Wed Apr 11, 2018 -
Comments (2)
Category: War, Candy, 1980s
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction books such as Elephants on Acid. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Our banner was drawn by the legendary underground cartoonist Rick Altergott. Contact Us |