10 Most Disturbing Claims Ever Made By Government Whistleblowers

Summary

In this captivating and disturbing video by WatchMojo, the most unnerving revelations made by government whistleblowers are explored. From mass surveillance programs to cruel human experiments, these disclosures have altered public perception of government actions profoundly. The featured expose by WatchMojo covers notorious incidents like the NSA's PRISM program, the CIA's alleged involvement in Indonesian killings, the Vietnam War's hidden atrocities, and the unethical Tuskegee syphilis study. Each account underscores the bravery of whistleblowers who dared to speak truth to power, despite facing severe backlash and personal loss.

Highlights

• WatchMojo takes a deep dive into the world of whistleblowers, uncovering shocking government secrets! 🤯
• Learn about NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden's revelation of the PRISM program, exposing massive surveillance. 🔍
• Discover the harrowing CIA involvement in Indonesian mass killings during the 1960s, as exposed by Ralph Mige. 🌍
• Explore the truths behind the My Lai massacre cover-up during the Vietnam War and the moral heroism involved. 🕊️
• Revisit the controversial Tuskegee syphilis experiments and their exposure, highlighting severe ethical violations. 🧬

Key Takeaways

• Whistleblower revelations have uncovered government surveillance programs like NSA's PRISM, drastically changing public awareness about privacy. 📡
• Historical whistleblower accounts reveal unethical military actions and conspiracies, such as during the Vietnam War and the business plot against President Roosevelt. 📜
• Whistleblowers often face dire consequences, spotlighting the moral courage needed to expose wrongdoing, as seen in the cases of Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden. ⚖️

Overview

The video by WatchMojo unpacks ten of the most shocking whistleblower stories from government history, bringing to light some overlooked yet significant transgressions. These stories span decades and geographies, reflecting on how whistleblowers from various eras confronted grave injustices. Whether it’s the Cold War surveillance programs or more recent digital data snooping, each revelation echoes a challenging narrative balancing national security and citizen privacy.

These whistleblower tales unfold vividly, detailing the brave steps taken by individuals who dared to challenge the powerful entities and machinery of their governments. The narrative spans multiple notable events such as the revelation of the NSA's widespread surveillance and unethical war strategies employed during the Vietnam and Iraq wars. Each testimony not only unveils a different facet of government operations but also showcases the depth of moral courage required to speak against unlawful practices.

With in-depth coverage of each reported incident, including the CIA’s dark history in foreign interventions and systematic human rights abuses such as the Tuskegee syphilis study, the video serves as a reminder of both the dark capabilities of unchecked power and the relentless enthusiasm of those willing to bring these stories into the spotlight. These whistleblower accounts provoke a critical examination of the balance between transparency and security and underscore the critical importance of accountability in governance.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction In the chapter titled 'Introduction', the speaker reflects on a conversation with a sergeant during their experiences, hinting at a comparison to 'the red coats', likely referencing the British soldiers of the American Revolutionary War. The chapter sets a stage for discussing significant revelations by government insiders, possibly related to covert or controversial operations. It highlights the pervasive nature of mass NSA surveillance following the September 11 attacks, contrasting it with the ease of air travel prior to these events.
• 00:30 - 01:30: Mass NSA Surveillance Post 9/11 Following the events of September 11, 2001, the U.S. government significantly increased its surveillance activities under the guise of national security. Legislation such as the Protect America Act was enacted, which allowed agencies like the NSA to conduct surveillance without the need for a warrant. One of the programs that emerged from this increased surveillance capability was called Prism, which was designed to collect internet data from American citizens and foreigners. The transcript suggests that government officials, including the president, were fully aware and supportive of these measures.
• 01:30 - 02:30: NSA Tracking Pre 9/11 The chapter titled 'NSA Tracking Pre 9/11' discusses the extent of NSA surveillance and its overreach, which was largely automated and often inappropriate. This issue was prominently exposed in 2013 by Edward Snowden, a former NSA employee. Snowden revealed the inner workings of the NSA and the extent of data it collected, including the invasion of privacy through private message searches and monitoring activities of individuals, even in online games like World of Warcraft. His revelations highlighted the extreme measures taken by the government for surveillance.
• 02:30 - 03:30: Sand Creek Massacre The chapter titled 'Sand Creek Massacre' delves into a discourse on state power and its surveillance over citizens. It explores the ethical dilemma faced by individuals who work towards amplifying state power and the ability of the populace to oppose such authority. The narrative touches upon the pre-9/11 era when NSA surveillance activities involved monitoring American citizens through conversations that included certain key words, raising questions about privacy and state overreach.
• 03:30 - 04:30: Business Plot Against FDR The chapter titled 'Business Plot Against FDR' investigates historical and modern surveillance initiatives of the US government. Initially, it brings attention to how individuals could easily become targets through computer entries. It ties in revelations by Edward Snowden, spotlighting US surveillance practices. Connecting past to present, the chapter highlights the Echelon program, initiated during the 1960s Cold War era. Designed to monitor the USSR and its allies, Echelon evolved to intercept global satellite data, including capabilities to access phone calls, illustrating a consistent pattern in surveillance activities.
• 04:30 - 05:30: CIA and Indonesian Killings The chapter discusses the history of espionage and intelligence gathering, focusing on the role of the NSA and significant events related to surveillance. It highlights the actions of Perry Felwok, an NSA analyst, who exposed the global tracking stations leading to the establishment of the Church Committee in 1973. This committee aimed to protect American citizens from domestic spying. However, post-9/11, these protections were eroded, allowing increased surveillance activities. The chapter reflects on the implications of these changes in U.S. intelligence operations.
• 05:30 - 06:30: Vietnam War: Pentagon Papers The chapter discusses the Vietnam War with a focus on the Pentagon Papers. It sheds light on the intentions during the war, which were not to dominate the world but to make other countries dependent and deter them from developing independently.
• 06:30 - 07:30: Torture at Abu Ghraib In the chapter titled 'Torture at Abu Ghraib,' the narrative recounts an order given to men to attack a peaceful Native American encampment. A character named Soul stands out by refusing to participate in the attack and verbally condemning those who would. Soul's company of First Colorado veterans also refused to partake in the violence. Despite this, the Sanret massacre went ahead, resulting in the tragic deaths of hundreds of innocents. Soul did not let it go without challenge, however. He took a stand by testifying in court during an investigation into the massacre, contributing to the resignation of the colonel responsible.
• 07:30 - 08:30: War Crimes in the Middle East The chapter discusses war crimes in the Middle East, focusing on the assassination that occurred two months after a significant deed was accomplished. The narrative covers the heroes' return to Denver, where they were celebrated with a 2-mile-long parade. It also briefly touches on a plot by business leaders planning a coup against President Franklin D. Roosevelt, accentuating the political tensions and the sacrifices made for the law and constitution.
• 08:30 - 09:30: My Lai Massacre Cover-Up The chapter discusses the historical context of economic crises in the United States, specifically focusing on President Franklin D. Roosevelt's era. Business leaders were unsettled by Roosevelt's economically progressive policies. This tension led to the creation of the 'Business Plot,' a coup attempt intended to overturn the election results and install Smedley Butler in power. The narration suggests there's a deeper exploration into American history against this backdrop, possibly pointing to broader themes of conviction and morality within political machinations.
• 09:30 - 10:30: Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment The chapter discusses the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment, highlighting the role of a de facto leader named Butler. He exposed a malicious scheme, claiming it was supported by a large group of former US soldiers. Despite his revelations, those implicated denied involvement, sparking a contentious debate fueled by the media. The investigating committee stood by the allegations, despite the lack of concrete evidence.

10 Most Disturbing Claims Ever Made By Government Whistleblowers Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 i remember looking up at a sergeant as we lay after about the 15th of these incidents and saying "Do you ever feel like the red coats?" Welcome to Watch Mojo and today we're looking at the most shocking revelations made by government insiders ignorance is blessed they say but to actually know what they were doing you can't stand by and let that happen mass NSA surveillance post 911 you used to be able to just drive up to an airport get out of your car basically get a ticket and get on board um that
• 00:30 - 01:00 dramatically changed after 9/11 when a national emergency occurs no one thinks that the pitfalls will land directly on the affected citizens after the attacks on September 11th 2001 the Protect America Act was passed giving organizations like the NSA permission to track Americans and foreigners alike without warrant this quickly led to the creation of Prism a program dedicated to collecting natives web data there is no question that the president and I and others in government have actually
• 01:00 - 01:30 learned of some things that have been happening in many ways on an automatic pilot and yes in some cases it has reached uh too far inappropriately in 2013 it was exposed by Edward Snowden a former NSA employee and quickly became a national story he not only revealed exactly how it worked but what exactly it stole from searching through people's private messages to spying on World of Warcraft players it made it clear just how far the government was willing to go
• 01:30 - 02:00 to stop potential terrorists sense of why did you decide to do what you've done so for me it it all comes down to state power against the people's ability to meaningfully oppose that power uh and I'm sitting there uh every day getting paid to design methods to amplify that state power nsa tracking American citizens pre 911 if these private people were were holding a conversation and used key words that is in the in the
• 02:00 - 02:30 computer's dictionary then that individual would become a target yes all you have to do is is key the computer and you are now a target although the Snowden revelations put modern US government surveillance in the spotlight it wasn't the first time it had happened in the 1960s the Cold War prompted officials to create Echelon a program to observe the USSR and its allies this spiraled into something much larger and was soon being used to collect global satellite data the network was even capable of accessing phone calls and
• 02:30 - 03:00 other forms of correspondence everyone ease drops on everyone else so no one can denounce their neighbor it was Perry Felwok an NSA analyst who came forward about the tracking stations placed around the world his leaks led to the Church Committee being passed in 1973 which ensured that American citizens wouldn't be spied on unfortunately that was amended less than 30 years later following 9/11 and hasn't been fixed since the advantage for the USA is not necessarily being able to easedrop on
• 03:00 - 03:30 the whole world but rather to make other countries dependent while encouraging them never to attempt to develop their own system the San Creek massacre the southern China lost perhaps half of their population so Ben fort became a a place of sadness where too many deaths occurred whistleblowers aren't a modern concept they've existed throughout history even in some country's adolescence during the American Frontier Wars in 1864 Captain Silas Soul and his
• 03:30 - 04:00 men were ordered to carry out a gruesome attack against a peaceful Native American encampment soul not only refused to take part in it but heavily insulted anyone who would soul's company of First Colorado veterans refused to fire a shot though the Sanret massacre still unfortunately took place and led to the violent deaths of hundreds of innocent people Soul refused to stand by he appeared in court to testify during an investigation of the act which eventually led to the offending colonel resigning from his position his good
• 04:00 - 04:30 deed wasn't without sacrifice as he was assassinated only two months later and so they returned to Denver uh as heroes and their parade through Denver uh was about 2 miles long business leaders planning a coup against President Franklin D roosevelt who in the hell yet has done all the bleeding for this country and for this law and this constitution anyhow but two fellas what could have been a disastrous moment
• 04:30 - 05:00 in American history was stopped by one man's convictions president Franklin Roosevelt was an economically progressive president something that immediately unsettled businessmen nationwide the purpose as I've told you sir is to lead this nation properly in this time of economic crisis there's a [ __ ] in the White House roosevelt is weak we'd like you to speak on behalf of the veterans and new leadership this led to the business plot being created a coup that would overturn the election results and instate Smemedley Butler as
• 05:00 - 05:30 the deacto leader it was Butler himself who ended up coming forward about the insidious plan even revealing that his attempt would be bankrolled and padded with 500,000 former US soldiers his efforts were met with denials from those who were accused leading to a heated debate that was encouraged by the media though no proof had been shown the committee in charge of investigating the claims has insisted they're true they assumed that he would be anathema to
• 05:30 - 06:00 some of the governmental changes that were going on and they assumed that he would keep a secret and they were wrong cia's involvement in Indonesian killings of 1965 and '66 and the most important part of the story no not the first um event in the tale is the USbacked mass murder of approximately 1 million innocent civilians in Indonesia in 1965 some accusations are quelled before they can
• 06:00 - 06:30 even reach a national audience this was the case for Ralph Mige a past officer for the CIA who came forward about several of their alleged transgressions one such claim made in 1981 reported that they had been involved in a series of mass killings in Indonesia throughout the 1960s leading to the deaths of at least 500,000 accused communists i feel that I am doing what I should be doing and in that sense I'm happy i am not happy in the sense that no amount of um
• 06:30 - 07:00 criticism of the agency no amount of revelation of its dirty deeds no amount of uh exposure of the weaknesses of the agency has weakened the CIA he even considered it to be a prototype for an American supported 1973 coup in Chile the leak was heavily censored by the CIA resulting in a legal battle between them and the ACLU while the former was ultimately victorious his allegations were a small look into the extent of the government's foreign
• 07:00 - 07:30 [Music] interference the truth about the Vietnam War i'd learned in the Marine Corps that to know what's happening you have to be up at the front line even when it was ongoing many considered the war in Vietnam to be senseless and this reveal only strengthened that position the Pentagon papers copied and originally
• 07:30 - 08:00 circulated by Daniel Ellburg in the early 1970s made it clear just how far the government was willing to go in order to ensure victory i can no longer cooperate in concealing this information from the American public i told you concern about the possibility of prison wouldn't you go to prison to sell this war it leaked everything from the insidious goals of the United States to the bombings and raids they carried out that had never once been reported on it even exposed several planned attacks
• 08:00 - 08:30 that hadn't come to fruition and a coup that had leading to the assassination of President DM and the reinstatement of an American approved choice the publication spanned several presidential administrations exposing them in a way they had never been before ellburg was tense but composed as attorneys protested the government request for $100,000 bail ellburg himself assured the court he would appear whenever and wherever asked torture of prisoners at Abu Grae
• 08:30 - 09:00 unfortunately not all that serve do so with good intentions during the Iraq War the army remodeled a former prison run by Saddam Hussein into one for their own purposes they then proceeded to imprison anyone they felt would pose a threat to themselves or the country as a whole they were then given clearance to
• 09:00 - 09:30 interrogate through any means possible including acts of torture there is no such thing as a little bit of torture the prisoners at Abu Grae were put through physical psychological and sexual abuse which was even photographed by the perpetrators some even depicted soldiers posing next to a corpse these images were first brought to light by Joe Darby in 2004 whose good deed was rewarded with doxing and constant threats from his own countrymen
• 09:30 - 10:00 once they were brought in once this investigation began were they removed from the base no they still had their weapons they still had unlimited access to the facility and me the whole time for almost a month war crimes and human rights violations in the Middle East us Army video filmed in 2007 showed a group of men almost all unarmed being gunned down in a Baghdad street by an American Apache helicopter while technically a crime what Chelsea Manning did shown a
• 10:00 - 10:30 light on war crimes committed by her own country in 2009 she received access to a plethora of classified information and quickly found evidence of war crimes being committed in the Middle East the files which were then sent to Wikileaks contained damning evidence ranging from footage of a deadly 2007 air strike carried out in Baghdad to the revelation of countless civilians being murdered by United States troops there was no correct option there was only the least incorrect one either way I would have
• 10:30 - 11:00 been scoring somebody over these leaks ultimately led to her arrest and imprisonment and she was even looking at a potential death sentence for aiding the enemy with her sentence eventually being commuted in 2017 while controversial her act has led to some people seeing the military in a new light i'm just somebody who figured out what was going on and then once I once I thought about it I'm like ah now I can't
• 11:00 - 11:30 unthink it mili massacre coverup people were getting killed and wounded and we weren't receiving any fire it just you know it didn't make sense there was there was too many casualties there the country's goals surrounding the Vietnam War haven't been the only things to be exposed one event carried out by the United States government has gone on to live in infamy to this day the horrific Meline massacre perpetrated in 1968 hundreds of
• 11:30 - 12:00 Vietnamese citizens were rounded up and slaughtered with a wide array of weapons as a professional soldier I was in have been taught to carry out the orders and at no time it ever crossed my mind to uh disobey or to refuse to carry out an order that was issued by the my superiors one soldier Hugh Thompson Jr attempted to stop this act and even reported it only for it to be covered up and explained away as an accident it wasn't until 1969 when Ronald
• 12:00 - 12:30 Writtenhower came forward with everything he'd been told about the mass killings namely that they had been planned and ordered by commanding officers that the truth began to be reported i wanted to see action taken i wanted to see the people who are responsible arrested i think that the people who are primarily responsible have not been arrested i think the people who are being arrested now are merely the pawns of the game before we continue be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos you
• 12:30 - 13:00 have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them if you're on your phone make sure you go into settings and switch on your notifications infecting African-American citizens with syphilis none of them were treated with effective panaceas none of their families were ever warned and none consented to take part in what is now known as the Tuskegee syphilis experiment there are some studies so vile it's hard to believe they took place yet from 1932 to 72 Tuskegee
• 13:00 - 13:30 University used the guise of free medical care to leave hundreds of African-Amean men infected with syphilis the afflicted participants were never told of their diagnosis leaving them in the dark while they were treated with toxic materials they don't tell you nothing just tell you come roll your sleeve up the scientists involved even prevented the men from receiving actual care when Peter Buckston first learned of this in
• 13:30 - 14:00 1965 he tried to report it only to be brushed aside he finally leaked what he knew in 1972 immediately making headlines across the nation it was only then that the experiment was finally called off but the damage done caused generational trauma that's still felt today we'll give them aspirin and tonic and vitamins things they've never had before i guarantee you they'll feel much much better until they don't which whistleblower do
• 14:00 - 14:30 you think exposed the most shocking leak let us know in the comments below check out these other clips from Watch Mojo and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos