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Operation Gladio | How The Mob Financed The CIA's Secret Army

After World War II, the CIA hatched a covert plan to stop Soviet expansion in Europe. They created a secret army, recruiting an unexpected mix of allies. This clandestine operation, known as Gladio, spanned across all NATO countries.

What began as a defensive strategy quickly morphed into something far more sinister. Innocent civilians became casualties in a shadow war fought on European streets.

Operation Gladio | How The Mob Financed The CIA's Secret Army

Comments

25:04 Ok, I didn't have much to say about the CIA-mafia-drug connections, I mean it's basically just history at this point. However, I think you are wrong blaming the CIA for lying about Russian Military buildup. They WERE trying to out-power us. They were trying to build more tanks, more fighter jets, more nuclear weapons... The nuclear race was real. 120% real. Also, they were starving their citizens out for like 30 years. AS I've mentioned below, I was born and raised in Iowa. Iowa is the world's bread basket, and every year we sent enough grain, corn and hay over there to fill an ocean. We just did. It was completely nuts. I'm pretty sure we COULD have bankrupted Russia by the mid 70's if we wanted to. Also, they owe us enough money that we honestly should own Russia by now. The state of Iowa fed generations of Russians, literally. At any rate, we didn't let them all starve to death, and eventually they just HAD to admit that communism wasn't working. Shortly after that the Russian Prime Minister called Reagan and told him that they were going to stop securing the Berlin Wall, because it cost too much money. Reagan told him not to worry about, he'd make a speech and they'd get the citizens to tear down the wall for him. He did, and they did, and it made history. I have first hand intel on that as well. While I was in the USAF, stationed in Wichita, KS, a friend and I discovered a band of Russian spies, spying on the SAC Air Base, McConnell AFB. That was in 1989, as I recall. We reported them to the Air Force Secret Service, and busted the whole spy ring. Normally I tell people to just look it up, but apparently there are more Russian spies in Wichita, causing more mischief. No doubt due to Obama's and Biden's idiotic open border policy. Anyway, you can look it up, but it might take a minute to dig to find it now. ;) I suppose that, if anything, that fact that Russians are still targeting US Air Force bases tells you all you need to know. 25:50 Communism still plagues us. Yes, the USSR dissolved, but Russia is still a threat, and now you can add China to that, and other countries are growing as well. They successfully stole some military secrets just a few months ago, so we still need to keep our noses to the grindstone, and keep innovating and improving our military edge to stay on top. 28:22 I seem to recall Al Gore getting busted, personally, escorting an entire airplane full of cocaine in to Florida, on US soil. 800% positive, the CIA has been bankrolling their operations with drug rings for DECADES. Absolutely zero doubt. If I recall, Russia just about kicked the CIA's ass over Saudi Arabia last year. The CIA actually owns their own military fighter planes. While Biden was in office, they tried to start a war with Russia by (illegally) painting their planes like USAF planes, and harassing Russian planes. The USAF told the Russians, under the table, that those were absolutely not theirs, they were the CIA's planes, and if Russia wanted to blow them out of the sky, they would stand down and let them. The CIA continued, so Russia blew one of their planes out of the air.. then the CIA changed their mind. So yeah, the CIA are richer than most countries in the world today. Probably have a bigger military than most of them as well. (Also utterly illegal.) 30:02 YES, the military industrial complex got filthy rich off of the military buildup. Actually, the US government was 10x worse than the military, though. Look up "$200 toilet seats". The military industrial complex bankrolled some very large paramilitary companies. We know that. Nobody has any idea what the US government did with the "$200 toilet seat" and etc. money. Apparently the government was just that corrupt, so the were using it to siphon off money. Democrats, no-doubt. Another Democrat scam was to bankroll a "massive solar-panel factory". Every time they got elected. Tens of Billions of dollars, not one brick ever got laid. 33:00 I've never told anyone this before, but my mom MAY have been the babushka lady. She put her hair up in curlers till the day she died, Hair-net brand hair spray was an essential accessory for her. If there was even a hint of wind in the air, she would wear a scarf on her head. Every time I brought up JFK while growing up, she would tell me "You know I was in Dallas when he came through there. He was such a great man, you know! We had such high hopes for him. I was just two-blocks away when his motorcade came through..." ...and then her story would trail off. She never would tell me more. I suspect she snuck away from her job to see JFK, and got WAY WAY more than she bargained for. I think she kept it a secret so she didn't lose her job. I think she was traumatized by it, and never told a single soul the whole story. Well, maybe my dad knew, but he never said anything, either. I could be wrong on this count, it's just conjecture, but it's possible that I'm right.

James Long

Amazing! Thank you

Dan Hulbert

The movie Bananas by Woody Allen in 1971 was about the overthrow of a south American country. He indirectly touch on what the CIA was doing. I think a lot of Americans at the time suspected them of bringing drugs to the us. My father who was a LTCMD in the Navy in the 1960s flat out told me and my brother what was going on even though we had no idea what he ment. Strange times? Keep on looking

David Leatherman

Well done. I'm catching up on some of your older content and am loving it. I'm taking my time , so other than about 4 or 5 recent episodes i'll be coming in blind. good stuff.

Tony (asmoody)

Please do an episode about Josiah Thompson's book "Last Second in Dallas."

Steve Pisani

worth a watch and worth the wait... awesome

Rikky Minocha

As well as MLK Jr & RFK's assassinations. BION. After all, Kennedy King Kennedy = KKK.

MysTerri

Along with the CIA and Mafia, the KKK and ONI were also involved in the JFK's assassination.

MysTerri

Just got done watching the Tim Dillon/Alex Jones episode and Alex was going on how we’re about to witness Operation Gladio 2.0 after the miss Saturday

Todd

This was... a lot to take in! But somehow believable. I really appreciate these videos, hope you will continue for a very long time. You too, are appreciated.

AndreaV

Il capo Heckle pesce

MIke

The sad thing is that most Americans are not aware of these stories that repeated themselves in lots and lots of countries. Europe, Asia, South American. Millions and millions of humans killed due to an ideology of a few with a lot of power. Those of us who saw the history outside the US learned about so much suffering so that a few can live with more that they deserved. Please read history from the other's side perspective. I am an American, but it is not fair that the US government does all the horrible things in our behave. Let people truly choose their destiny for better or worse.

Toy no toy with Jeje Jeje

Hecklefish 2024! Has my vote!

Jason Cornell

Loved the Episode. :) Great job presenting and giving the fun info.

Albert Romero

Watch Snowfall on FX. It is loosely based on a true story on how the CIA sold drugs in LA.

Michael Cuevas

Awesome job!

El Toro

Yes, Sir!

Deena

DAMN! Do you the family & crew have security??? This episode is a taught chain with most of the players linked. More than conjecture & commission reports. Thanks for making these historic connections. Be safe & know that you are appreciated 👍🏽.

Deena

Such an excellent episode. This is you at your finest. Well done, and well worth all the time and effort. No matter how many stories I learn about the US intelligence operations in the 20th-century, I am utterly gobsmacked by the next. It's crazy how so many people, including many who lived through decades of these revelations, are now outraged by such relatively trivial or imagined things- people who think the world is falling apart because of trans athletes or immigration or whatever, whereas forty years ago the CIA was trading drugs, terrorizing civilians, colluding with Nazis, and toppling democracies, not to mention torturing Americans. And who even knows or cares what they're doing now? Instead we're all at each other's throats over manufactured cultural battles, and that's exactly what they want.

James Riley

Just when I thought they couldn’t get any better — this may be his best episode yet.

David Parisi

Awesome, amazing work, AJ and team!! I’m very proud of you for getting this story out there about how horrible Gladio was. That period in history wasn’t that long ago. There are people still alive who knew people who were kidnapped and abused (severe human rights abuses and torture) by Gladio in Italy. Gladio was terrorizing civilians and blaming the communists for acts of terrorism they committed themselves. This episode was spot on. I never thought that people in the US would ever hear the truth about what happened during those terrible years. I can’t thank you enough for getting this story out there!!!

David Parisi

another powerfull episode

James Boone

"What began as a defensive strategy quickly morphed into something far more sinister." Boy if we each got a nickel.....😆😨😫🙃

Tami Benson

AJ, another awesome episode!! Terrible, but amazing!

Willdesigns

There is an incredible amount of evidence, audio, video and testimony that shows that there is something VERY strange going on. George Soros’ name kept coming up and other very interesting and corrupt things happening prior to the shooting and after.

Troy McAvoy

Speaking of CIA and governmental agencies and political agendas, have you ever considered doing a video about the Las Vegas shooting that took place in 2017? Or is that something you can’t touch?

Troy McAvoy

Stay safe too - arm yourselves in every way

Kristina Michelle

Wow 🤯

Kristina Michelle

Wow! You brought back some memories. You weren't the only ones that grew up knowing that any minute Soviet bombs would end the world. I grew up listening for sirens and hiding under my wooden desk in grade school to practice for when the bright flashes would give us seconds to get ready for the radioactive blast that would wipe us out of existence. If we were caught outside we were taught to fall to the ground in a fetal position, hiding our head under our arms and then cover up with our coat. Those of us that lived in the semi tropical parts of the US didn't own coats. But they just ignored that in the information films they made us watch. Think of little lumps resembling human Hedgehogs all over the playground. Only Hedgehogs are better armored. We learned to compartmentalize or we wound up hooked on those drugs that the CIA so kindly provided for us to forget. By the time we were old enough to get drafted is it any wonder that we wanted nothing to do with what the government was serving?

Candace L Cooper

excellent journey into this.

Fred Eichel

I find that my dog, Alex, is great company. But I wish he had more facility with vowels and consonants.

Kunsanhistorian

WOW, Great episode

MICHAEL LYKINS

Two episodes in a row like this. Please, for your own satey, do a few ufo and cryptids episodes and let things cool down.

Mark Reamer

Great episode as usual

john harachis

Just wow. Amazing job putting everything together in one spot. I wish more people would just consider the truth. Well done team, please, please don't ever stop.

Dennis Unzicker

Great episode AJ! I knew a tiny bit of this, that the Vatican had the worlds largest army, and control of other countries armies. The Iran Contra affair, which Elizabeth Montgomery (star of Bewitch) made a doc about. Lots of people talk to a fish, it's better than talking to some humans.

John Seychel

I worry about that as well (safety, future of show..). Not to do a selfish plug, but I really think the future lies in one word: Web3. Once we get our world on the blockchain and can create 100% transparency and accountability into every PubSec process and $ that's collected (or spun up), we will never have the full truth. It's coming, and it's inevitable, just gonna take some time (I wanna give my tech, materials to AJ and co.; building the base tech out now, can see it all at www.socialchangeplatforms.com - curious to see what this audience thinks of it, if they see the connection).

LeMay Steve

Another great episode , I love these episodes that really deep dive into behind the scenes of operations and historical facts, it is sad but true that we live in a very corrupt world, thank you for continuing to be voice of reason and facts 👏👏👏👏👏👏🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻❤️❤️

Cool Rah Rah Art

I am not sure if I would finish watching this episode. I feel a bit sick hearing all the details only just half way through. I am also genuinely worried about the future of the show and the safety of AJ and the team. I hope something bigger keeps them bad people busy.

Steven Shi

Above Majestic. You better educate yourself, but never too much.

SomeoneShouldSayThis

Great episode! Art Bell would be proud.

Elena Diamond

I always enjoy a different perspective

Trey Nichols

AJ “doesn’t know” if the CIA was involved in the Kennedy assassinations. 😂🤣 Sure.

Christopher Troksa

Great episode! Now you're getting into the danger zone, the very real and persitant threat of state-sponsored terror that is here to stay. Certainly a dangerous subject given the assassinations of people trying to expose it. Stay safe.

Andy Shriver

Another great episode, thank you AJ and crew

Rob Albergo

It is naive to think that just because Soviet economy was tanking, that it was not a military threat. Russia’s economy today is perhaps smaller than California in terms of GDP.. the invasion of Ukraine is despite that. North Korea economy is a basket case.. is it not a threat? This guy is full of cia is evil narrative that it impacts his objectivity. Many people like to blame others for their condition in life… hope that’s not the case here.

Einstein

“I’m just a guy that talks to a fish”. Classic

Ron Kembro

Another awesome episode.

Don Stewart

AJ keeps topping the his last weeks episode, who would have believed it!

John Edgeworth

Prob much safer being the 'alien guy' AJ/Heckz. Embrace it.

SurfTown

Great Episode I was in Palermo during the Great Mafia trials in the late 1980s. Was shocked to learn that the USA had turned over Italy to the mob.

Robert R.

Great episode. Courageous. But for the love of Dog, don't stretch your neck out to far. Whistleblowing isn't always appreciated. I know from bitter experience.

Geejas

Yikes. Outsourcing research and presentation, AJ. 🙏🧡

Julia Fox

I thought you were being melodramatic when you warned about the DARPA episode. That was all public knowledge. This episode puts you on the List. Thank-you for your bravery. ❤️🖤

Kyle Trimbach

Very informative episode. It was worth the wait. Thank you AJ and co.

Kazren

Really good episode!

Jerry P566

Operation Paperclip is well-known because of NASA. It brought Nazis to US. Operation Gladio is where WE turned into the nazis. NATO was founded and run by our ex-germans

Kyle Trimbach

This is a great episode! You guys crushed it! Can we get your sources? I want to do some additional reading.

Frank Myers

Thanks for having the courage to present this. It's outstanding!! Your hard work is Greatly appreciated. Many Thanks!!

Rick Flynn

I looked n looked for that Bongino episode. I knew that’s how I found WF thankfully! Keep up the excellent work AJ and crew.

Trent dummy what else would ya call me.

I love having my eyes opened.

Sanderella

Another great episode.

Fred Flint

The Eisenhower thing is also so ironic to me because he made his name in the military and was the biggest pro-military politician. If HE says the military industrial complex is at risk of becoming too powerful, it hits more than if a pacifist said it.

Jared Rasmussen

There are a lot of reasons to set up in Delaware, a major one being that Delaware does not require the business owner's name to be on the record. There are also tax benefits if the business operates outside of the state. Not sure if this was the case at the time of the events in the episode, but would make a lot of sense!

Nichevo

You are safe. It would be to obvious if you went missing or suddenly stopped posting videos. They will allow you to post videos. I’m worried that may attack your character

Jose Cortese

I'm suggesting a nice, old-style, 22-minute UFO episode for next week. Purely for safety reasons. : -)

MikeD

The only thing this missed was a recreation of the Blazing Saddles fart scene. 😂

Cal Jennings

This was an excellent episode! I’m glad that I stayed up all night to watch it. The CIA tried to recruit me when I was going to the University of Houston. I didn’t feel that I could handle three foreign languages to my already full schedule. I was honored regardless. It was then that I started finding out that the CIA was mainly about overthrowing governments and I worried that they might try to overthrow our government too. Fast forward to 2024 and look what’s happening.

Cal Jennings

LBJ encouraged the trip even though there were hints of dangar

Tamarah Hood

@LisaBrandell AJ has just been diagnosed as mentally retarded and is therefore not responsible for what he says. It’s just a coincidence that the words that came out of his mouth sounded like that.

Cal Jennings

We may need proof of life on AJ and HF after back 2 back deep state take-down vids. (Lol) Great stuff as always Why Fam!

Autumn Spredemann

I grew up in the 60's, we had drills where we would cower under our desks at school, or sit quietly lining the school hallways with the triangle signs on the walls, and there were signs under buildings downtown for shelters, too in the basements of the city buildings. And most troubling of all, watching prominent people who wanted to help make the country a better place taken from us - viewed on a little black and white TV screen. I have tried to make some sort of sense of it all these years, and have a haunting memory of John Jr saluting his father's casket and his mother's brave expression through it all. Thank you for this episode, I think this has really helped me to overcome a lot of those questions running in the background of my mind. Stay safe and take care, AJ and team, I appreciate all of you - your excellent research, tireless work, your perfectionism, Hecklefish's heckling... and of course AJ's meticulous editing, perfect background sound effects and music choices. I also need to mention that I really look forward to how Hecklefish's fishbowl displays elements of the new episode, another detail that pulls everything together in such a splendid way. It all blends into a very professional "not a professional" operation. Thanks a bunch!

SandyK1014

Wow, that episode blew my mind. GREAT JOB!!

Alyx

Great work as always! Help keep this Great Revealing rolling! Thanks AJ and team!

Chad George

This is another installment of the unravelling of the many lies we've been told. What's always surprising to me is how people still believe our "enemies" engage in antics that make their own situations worse. If that were true all our "enemies" would have been toast ages ago, imploding from their well documented gaffes.

Richard

Ps we need a heckle fish yelling obscenities in Italian t shirt!!!!🖤 🇮🇹

Shannon Palmentera

Great episode! Worth the wait!!! 🖤

Shannon Palmentera

Dood! Are you just trying to paint a giant bullseye on yourself? Because it’s a very gen x thing to do And also awesomeness!!

Lisa Brandel

Outstanding; It’s still going over the centerfield wall! Once upon a time I held a TS-SCI clearance and nothing you discussed surprised me in the least - strange bedfellows are often the norm. Drive on, you guys, and keep on keep in’ on. BTW: The one note about the post-WW2 era program in Delaware caught my attention. Unusual location, I wonder if any familiar names might be associated with it? Sorry, too much counterintelligence experience, i guess. 🥸

Kunsanhistorian

Happiest of birthdays!🎂

Wilma Titzgreaux

I’m with ya, Pete!

Wilma Titzgreaux

a Family Business Hecklefish shirt would be soooo sick

Chris Conlan

I saw those wheels turning when you mentioned the Vatican Archives.......yes please......must infiltrate!

cheesebubbles yumm

Knights of Malta. Members get Diplomatic passports.

Mark william lane

Literally ran out into the kitchen to tell my husband the new episode dropped and what it was about, and he was like “Yeah, I got the notification.” So then we immediately shuffled into the living room to watch together. 😆

Diedra

OMG😳😳😳

Ilene

I've been waiting for this episode

Damian Golladay

YESSSS!!! I LOVED THIS EPISODE!!! Very well done crew!! 🤌

Jessie

Well damn

¡Kori_Lane!

Woohoo!!!

Wilma Titzgreaux

Excellent episode! Well done!

Wyo_ Dog7

I think I'd rather be a fish...any room in that bowl? Humans suck. Peace.

Pete Mitchell

The photo of forced labor building a V2 in a tunnel is from a Russian Propaganda "Documentary" film.

Beccaskye

Thank you for delaying this until my birthday.

Mark H Brady

the dead pixel kills me every episode 🙁

Brian

good to know more and more about the shenanigans of the "elite" and their minions... Thanks!

The Neoborn Caveman Show

Thank you for the truth.

Juddalan

That was a real eye opener !!

Petchlives

The JFK Conspiracy is pretty standard at this point, but I'd love a WF take on it.

Greg R

lets goooooo! Never late...always on time 👍

JIM 🫡

I wonder if there's a connection with Gladio and JFK's trip to Dallas...

Ken Malinski

yes thank you guys, once again you're doing the good work and proving us loons are not so looney

Milos Dabic

Your amazing and love to hecklefish

Tammie Harper~Wilson ❤️

Oh my god, AJ! You start to touch on my very favourite conspiracy theory (JFK bumped off by the Mafia because they were pissed at him for siccing RFK on them, after they helped him win the election), and the episode ends. You are such a tease!

Susi Su

Muchas gracias por el episodio! Thank you so do much for the episode!

jessie vega

Brilliant! Way to cover all the bases!🤘🤘🤘

Killik

Werewolves, lolololol that was great. 💜

Michael West

Thank you AJ and WF team!!

Len Forgione

Amazing AMAZING episode! THIS is why I love the why files! Deep detailed juicy and full of suspense and humor! Great work everyone! And Hecklefish...we can't wait for your Italian mob ad soon! 😅

Niko Gkotsis

There is so much down that rabbit hole! Great job everyone!

Sibyle

Damn, that was wonderful! Disturbing as AF, but wonderful. Cheers!

thormusique

You guys are the best! Thanks so much AJ for working so hard (and late!) to get the video up for your viewers! Me and my family love your work!

Maggie B

Can’t wait to watch it! Tell AJ thanks again for burning the midnight oil!!! He is appreciated!!!

JimmyJames

Fantastic episode! That was really eye opening, and it led right to where I thought it would. Wow, you guys out-did yourself again, thanks AJ and Why Files Team! I want to know the truths of the world, I'm swimming with Hecklefish.

Joe P

The Dark Journalist on youtube has a lot of great videos about JFK the mafia and the CIA. The connections are all over the place.

Safe and effective!

Amazing episode, thank you team!

FR

I really appreciate your work. My teenagers and I listen/watch most episodes together and it fuels conversations I treasure.

Flatnosedpup

Amazing episode !!! Worth the wait . Thank you !

Jeff Pierce

Looks good, Sound is perfect, Video clear, I see they redid the name list and switched sides.. Great Job!

Mr.Spider66

Very interesting story!

PDCates

Didn't think you could outdo yourself. YOU DID!

Deirdre a greene

TERRIFYING

idoru gibson

Holy moly! Great episode!

Kathleen Dorney

Just got done! Great job!

Margie Willis

Definitely loved the commercial too! Thanks 😄

Erica Start

You humans at TWF work way too hard. Thank you AJ, Jen, Victoria, Gino and others. You spoil us continually ❤️

Deepwater

Hang in there, nunya.

The Why Files

All nighter!

The Why Files

LETS GO!

SAMOANFRECKLES

Always a great day when we get a new episode

rob denton

Watching as soon as I get home from work! Thank you. You all rock!

Brandy

WOOHOO ❣️❣️ good morning, WF team!!!!! THE BEST WAY TO START A SATURDAY❤️

pheobekate

You are appreciated! ❤️

Joe P

Ooooh a perfect way to spend a Saturday morning!! Thanks AJ and Team! ♥️

Leah Rose

Thank you for your tireless work for our enjoyment. Get some good rest and relaxation, y'all have earned it.

Lisa Holtzclaw

Woohoooo

Erica Start

All nighter? 🥺 We do greatly appreciate you and your team! ❤️

Amy_OnlyForHecklefish

Thanks AJ… Get some rest this weekend! 🙏❤️

Deepwater

Thank you much for the video and for all you do AJ and team..I hope you are getting good rest too! ❤️❤️❤️

pree r

Alright new video. Can’t wait to watch it.

Mark

Wow you guys work too hard!

Kreed

Rest soldier <3

James Waugh

Another great episode! Worth the extra wait!

Richard Bramlett (H Y B R I D)

TY AJ Hope you got some sleep!

Mr.Spider66

DO EEEET!!!!!

JimmyJames

Good morning!

Adam Ross

🎉🎉

Gini and Rick

Yay!!!!!!!!!

Kathleen Dorney

Yeeeesss

Tripal Helix

Refreshed and there it was lol

Ham Burger

Thanks for this. I’m struggling so hard with my mental health right now and this gives me a break from dealing with my problems.

None Yourbiz

Second

Pavel S.

YES!!

jason dommer


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