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“FLYING SAUCERS”?
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NOTE |
The following is the Soviet Union's March 12, 1968 English translation from its APN unofficial news agency of a February 16, 1968 article from Moskevsky Komsonolets debunking claims about flying saucers and the people who promote contact with otherworldly beings in the West. Both the CIA and the NSA took note of the release and included copies in their files. The CIA discussed the article's analysis of UFO claims and how it "laughs them off and even claims the U.S. publicizes them to divert people from its failures and aggressions." The NSA noted in a handwritten annotation that the material about the Spitsbergen UFO was a "plant," presumably the U.S. government's own effort to seed false flying saucer stories, just as the Soviet writer speculated. While the Soviet article is obvious anti-Western propaganda, as the CIA noted, it is also correct in its assessment of the fraudulent nature of so much of the Western UFO industry.
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“FLYING SAUCERS”? THEY’RE A MYTH
Villen Lyustiberg, APN Science Commentator
Villen Lyustiberg, APN Science Commentator
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In the last 20 years publication of literature on “unidentified flying objects” has advanced to one of the first places in the world. This problem is dealt with by numerous associations and clubs.
Are these “flying saucers” just imagination or reality? Thousands of recorded statements by eye-witnesses seem to show that “there must be something in it”. But let us try to look at all these materials from a different stand. So, as the convinced supporters of the “saucer” theory say almost every time, you can draw your own conclusion, while we give, you… |
“Facts Only”
Kenneth Arnold, an American pilot, is the “godfather” of flying saucers. It was he who noticed in 1947 nine shining discs flying in formation at the speed of about 3,000 km an hour.
The next encounter with saucers had a tragic outcome. In January 1948, an immense flying saucer appeared over the Nox US Air Base. Pursuing it Captain Thomas Manthell perished. The last thing he reported from an altitude of 9,000 metres was that he saw an object and was going to approach it.
This story found extensive response. Many considered it to be a stern warning of unknown envoys from other planets to leave them alone. There was a great deal of a talk about the mysterious death of the pilot, it was received as undoubted proof of the existence of mighty forces still unknown to us.
But the results of a thorough investigation by US authorities received much less publicity. The mysterious “saucer” proved to be nothing but a thin-walled plastic balloon made by US Naval Forces under the secret “Skyhawk Operation” project.
Such balloons could rise to an altitude of 30,000 metres. Meanwhile, Thomas Manthell pursuing it, forgot that he had no oxygen apparatus on board his craft.
We know of stories about encounters and even hand-to-hand fights with pilots of craft landing from other planets. They were shot at, but without success.
A saucer cut down a tree on the Amazon River shore and disappeared in the turbid stream. It was never recovered. Another saucer glided over the earth like an injured bird and almost crashed before the eyes of witnesses. But “having spit out” several pieces of metal, it leveled off its course and flew off. Delivered to the police, the metal proved to be ordinary tin.
An abandoned silvery disc was found in the deep rock-coal seems in Norwegian coal mines on Spitsbergen. It was pierced and marked by micrometer impact and bore all traces of having performed a long space voyage. It was sent for analysis to the Pentagon and disappeared there.
Nothing but a saucer put out of commission a high-voltage power transmission line in 1965 and thus plunged several large American cities into darkness for six hours.
But the most thrilling masterpiece of this sort was probably the “Interview with a Man from Venus” published at the close of 1967 by the West German Stern magazine. This materialized blue-eyed “superman”, a version of Nietzsche’s “blond beast”, proved to be a secret service agent of the Pentagon. He was 190 cm tall, spoke excellent English (it was English indeed!) and could breathe freely in our atmosphere without any devices. His modest fibre suitcase contained an unusual silvery suit, flexible like silk and, so hard that a diamond drill broke off it.
The man from Venus said that he could walk freely in such a suit over the surface of the hottest stars, ignoring all powerful gravitational fields.
Maybe these “facts” will do?
The next encounter with saucers had a tragic outcome. In January 1948, an immense flying saucer appeared over the Nox US Air Base. Pursuing it Captain Thomas Manthell perished. The last thing he reported from an altitude of 9,000 metres was that he saw an object and was going to approach it.
This story found extensive response. Many considered it to be a stern warning of unknown envoys from other planets to leave them alone. There was a great deal of a talk about the mysterious death of the pilot, it was received as undoubted proof of the existence of mighty forces still unknown to us.
But the results of a thorough investigation by US authorities received much less publicity. The mysterious “saucer” proved to be nothing but a thin-walled plastic balloon made by US Naval Forces under the secret “Skyhawk Operation” project.
Such balloons could rise to an altitude of 30,000 metres. Meanwhile, Thomas Manthell pursuing it, forgot that he had no oxygen apparatus on board his craft.
We know of stories about encounters and even hand-to-hand fights with pilots of craft landing from other planets. They were shot at, but without success.
A saucer cut down a tree on the Amazon River shore and disappeared in the turbid stream. It was never recovered. Another saucer glided over the earth like an injured bird and almost crashed before the eyes of witnesses. But “having spit out” several pieces of metal, it leveled off its course and flew off. Delivered to the police, the metal proved to be ordinary tin.
An abandoned silvery disc was found in the deep rock-coal seems in Norwegian coal mines on Spitsbergen. It was pierced and marked by micrometer impact and bore all traces of having performed a long space voyage. It was sent for analysis to the Pentagon and disappeared there.
Nothing but a saucer put out of commission a high-voltage power transmission line in 1965 and thus plunged several large American cities into darkness for six hours.
But the most thrilling masterpiece of this sort was probably the “Interview with a Man from Venus” published at the close of 1967 by the West German Stern magazine. This materialized blue-eyed “superman”, a version of Nietzsche’s “blond beast”, proved to be a secret service agent of the Pentagon. He was 190 cm tall, spoke excellent English (it was English indeed!) and could breathe freely in our atmosphere without any devices. His modest fibre suitcase contained an unusual silvery suit, flexible like silk and, so hard that a diamond drill broke off it.
The man from Venus said that he could walk freely in such a suit over the surface of the hottest stars, ignoring all powerful gravitational fields.
Maybe these “facts” will do?
How Can They Be Studied?
It is easier to ask this question, than to answer it.
These flying saucers — they are like Our Lady: they appear to those who believe in them. And they persistently fall to show themselves to air observation posts, meteorologists and astronomers, i.e. precisely to those who can give us accurate information and trustworthy descriptions- of a flying object.
Experiments that do not repeat themselves, or the chance appearance of a phenomenon always either handicap the possibility of investigation considerably or exclude it altogether.
Nowhere in the world is there EVEN ONE trustworthy stereoscopic photograph making it possible to trace from two points simultaneously the outlines of a solid flying object clearly. All photographs that exist have been made with single-lens cameras and always leave a margin for doubt.
A series of such photographs amazingly resembles a straw hat with a black silk ribbon, thrown into the air. Others undoubtedly prove to be internegatives obtained from two combined slides, for instance, that of a landscape and that of a strangely designed craft drawn on white paper. Modem photographing techniques allow photographs to be produced which no expert will ever prove to be counterfeit. They are real. But they do not show strangers from space; they show quite ordinary earthly objects unexpectedly foreshortened — pots, pans, & plastic toys, and the like.
Are there photographs which evoke no doubts whatsoever? Yes, there are. They always show shining objects of a circular or oval shape with vague outlines. Most likely these photographs show ball lightning. Incidentally, the nature of the latter has not been fully elucidated yet either, due to the vagueness of the place and time of its formation. However, no one ever thought of ascribing a cosmic origin to it.
Even with a superficial analysis, mysterious flares or clouds proved to be reflections of electric welding. warning lights of airplanes in the area of ‘airports, or distant summer lightning. And the November 1967 “saucer” over Sofia proved to be & high-altitude NATO reconnaissance balloon.
Among the most serious works devoted to an investigation of the problem, there are two which ought to be mentioned. One of them is the book. “Flying Saucers” by Donald Menzel who explains almost all cases of their appearance by disturbances in the Earth’s or Sun’s atmosphere. Our planet travels in the upper layers of the Sun’s atmosphere where clots of high-temperature plasma are moving freely.
The other is a book by Frank Edwards. It is a collection of statements, notes and records of eye-witness testimony classified into several sections. True, Edwards often qualifies his source as a witness who did not wish to have his name mentioned, but who may be fully trusted, or that the trustworthiness of the witness is confirmed by numerous of his countrymen, but he cannot mention his name so far for a number of reasons. That’s not very convincing, is it?
These flying saucers — they are like Our Lady: they appear to those who believe in them. And they persistently fall to show themselves to air observation posts, meteorologists and astronomers, i.e. precisely to those who can give us accurate information and trustworthy descriptions- of a flying object.
Experiments that do not repeat themselves, or the chance appearance of a phenomenon always either handicap the possibility of investigation considerably or exclude it altogether.
Nowhere in the world is there EVEN ONE trustworthy stereoscopic photograph making it possible to trace from two points simultaneously the outlines of a solid flying object clearly. All photographs that exist have been made with single-lens cameras and always leave a margin for doubt.
A series of such photographs amazingly resembles a straw hat with a black silk ribbon, thrown into the air. Others undoubtedly prove to be internegatives obtained from two combined slides, for instance, that of a landscape and that of a strangely designed craft drawn on white paper. Modem photographing techniques allow photographs to be produced which no expert will ever prove to be counterfeit. They are real. But they do not show strangers from space; they show quite ordinary earthly objects unexpectedly foreshortened — pots, pans, & plastic toys, and the like.
Are there photographs which evoke no doubts whatsoever? Yes, there are. They always show shining objects of a circular or oval shape with vague outlines. Most likely these photographs show ball lightning. Incidentally, the nature of the latter has not been fully elucidated yet either, due to the vagueness of the place and time of its formation. However, no one ever thought of ascribing a cosmic origin to it.
Even with a superficial analysis, mysterious flares or clouds proved to be reflections of electric welding. warning lights of airplanes in the area of ‘airports, or distant summer lightning. And the November 1967 “saucer” over Sofia proved to be & high-altitude NATO reconnaissance balloon.
Among the most serious works devoted to an investigation of the problem, there are two which ought to be mentioned. One of them is the book. “Flying Saucers” by Donald Menzel who explains almost all cases of their appearance by disturbances in the Earth’s or Sun’s atmosphere. Our planet travels in the upper layers of the Sun’s atmosphere where clots of high-temperature plasma are moving freely.
The other is a book by Frank Edwards. It is a collection of statements, notes and records of eye-witness testimony classified into several sections. True, Edwards often qualifies his source as a witness who did not wish to have his name mentioned, but who may be fully trusted, or that the trustworthiness of the witness is confirmed by numerous of his countrymen, but he cannot mention his name so far for a number of reasons. That’s not very convincing, is it?
For Whom Is It Not a Myth?
They are those for whom science is a business. Taking advantage of the lively interest of people for everything that is strange and unusual, numerous lecturers in the West appear before audiences with reports and stories, invite eye-witnesses to such lectures, and demonstrate photographs and slides. Most of these lecturers are nothing but ordinary quacks. True, there are people who are sincerely convinced in the truth of what they are talking about. They strive to draw the interest of the public to certain phenomena but, we are sorry to say, there Is more harm than use in that.
The Americans Lesly and Adamski are the most outright frauds among them. Using their “good friendly relations” with strangers from other planets, the enterprising, businessmen “visited” Mars, the Moon and Venus, learned from cur cosmic neighbours to treat by simple and accessible methods such diseases as cancer, glaucoma, hypertension and others which afflict the human race. Their lectures, motion-pictures, books and medical practice have brought them many hundred thousand dollars out of the pockets of trusting listeners end patients already.
We may trace a clearly defined regularity in the appearance of large numbers of flying saucers. And, strange as it might seem, this regularity is closely connected with earthly events.
The first “cycle” of four years began in 1947. The number of saucers always grows sharply on the eve of presidential elections in the USA. This is difficult to explain. Maybe people on other planets lay bets as to who will win in the next elections — the republicans or the democrats. Perhaps, these saucers appear in order to divert the voters’ thoughts from the again non-fulfilled presidential programme and promises to make the country a “great” and “prospering” society.
There is another cycle. True, it is not determined by time. Saucers flooded the earth’s atmosphere in 1951, in the months when the American troops were waging a ruthless, annihilating war against the Korean People’s Democratic Republic.
The next invasion of saucers was in 1965-1966, when 35 American advisers in South Vietnam were quickly replaced by half-a-million-strong army equipped with the latest arms and intending to rout the National-Liberation Front within two weeks and when the President of the United States of America, without declaring war and in violation [of] the constitution of his own country, gave the order that the peaceful population of North Vietnam be subjected to brutal bombings.
In short, when newspaper circulation drops, when readers get tired of economics and politics and when they are to be diverted from “irrelevant” questions, the Western businessmen resort to three reliable, “always fresh” sensations: Flying Saucers, the Sea Serpent (sometimes it is substituted by the Loch Ness Lake monster), and the Snow Man.
It is much nicer to read about mysterious craft from Venus than to think of the future, of the wage freeze, of growing prices or unemployment. Statesmen in imperialist countries resort to this “information” quite deliberately, For them the flying saucers. are not a myth, but a well-camouflaged means for misinforming the people. And nothing but that.
The Americans Lesly and Adamski are the most outright frauds among them. Using their “good friendly relations” with strangers from other planets, the enterprising, businessmen “visited” Mars, the Moon and Venus, learned from cur cosmic neighbours to treat by simple and accessible methods such diseases as cancer, glaucoma, hypertension and others which afflict the human race. Their lectures, motion-pictures, books and medical practice have brought them many hundred thousand dollars out of the pockets of trusting listeners end patients already.
We may trace a clearly defined regularity in the appearance of large numbers of flying saucers. And, strange as it might seem, this regularity is closely connected with earthly events.
The first “cycle” of four years began in 1947. The number of saucers always grows sharply on the eve of presidential elections in the USA. This is difficult to explain. Maybe people on other planets lay bets as to who will win in the next elections — the republicans or the democrats. Perhaps, these saucers appear in order to divert the voters’ thoughts from the again non-fulfilled presidential programme and promises to make the country a “great” and “prospering” society.
There is another cycle. True, it is not determined by time. Saucers flooded the earth’s atmosphere in 1951, in the months when the American troops were waging a ruthless, annihilating war against the Korean People’s Democratic Republic.
The next invasion of saucers was in 1965-1966, when 35 American advisers in South Vietnam were quickly replaced by half-a-million-strong army equipped with the latest arms and intending to rout the National-Liberation Front within two weeks and when the President of the United States of America, without declaring war and in violation [of] the constitution of his own country, gave the order that the peaceful population of North Vietnam be subjected to brutal bombings.
In short, when newspaper circulation drops, when readers get tired of economics and politics and when they are to be diverted from “irrelevant” questions, the Western businessmen resort to three reliable, “always fresh” sensations: Flying Saucers, the Sea Serpent (sometimes it is substituted by the Loch Ness Lake monster), and the Snow Man.
It is much nicer to read about mysterious craft from Venus than to think of the future, of the wage freeze, of growing prices or unemployment. Statesmen in imperialist countries resort to this “information” quite deliberately, For them the flying saucers. are not a myth, but a well-camouflaged means for misinforming the people. And nothing but that.
(Moskevsky Komsonolets, February 16. In full.)
