The 1940s Los Angeles holds a tense atmosphere. Anxious and fear looms across the country after the Imperial Japan attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. The United States was at war, and making the situation even more critical was the news of UFO sightings! Imagine the chaos in people’s minds back then.
Los Angeles is not only home to Hollywood’s telltale but also has storytellers and fabulists. There are also a good number of conspiracy theorists who would love to delve into what happened in L.A. in the 1940s.
The “Battle of Los Angeles’’ as popularly named by contemporary sources, has a lot to unwrap. It’s based on the rumored attack by Imperial Japan on the United States continent but was shortly confirmed as a ‘false alarm.’
All these events led to the birth of conspiracy theories around it. Even more so with stories of people witnessing the sight of unidentified objects. Who wouldn’t be invested, given the tense atmosphere back then?
How It All Began
The “Mysterious Battle of Los Angeles” simply didn’t get its name. Going by the theories and related sources, it’s understandable why some people still revisit this event.
Let’s go back to how it all started. The year is 1942, and spring is around the corner, yet the country’s atmosphere is gloomy. After the shocking attack by Imperial Japan on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, there was a sense of anguish across the country.
There was also heightened fear and anxiousness, and the skies were highly monitored. The first case of UFO sightings happened in Santa Monica and Culver City in early February 1942.
After hearing the incoming aircraft sirens, the residents of Los Angeles came out of their houses, thinking it was another attack from Japanese fighters. Only when they went out, they were surprised by what they had witnessed. UFO sightings instead of Japanese fighter planes!
On February 23, there was a bombing from a Japanese submarine near Santa Barbara, firing thirteen shells. It created panic and fear among the residents. Given this attack, the U.S. coastal defense was ready for a potential attack.
It’s also reported that on February 25, 1942, an unidentified object was caught in the U.S. Army radar off the coast of L.A. Seeing this, orders were given to air defenses to be fully manned, and a total blackout across the city was issued. However, hearing the warning sirens, many residents got out of their homes, totally ignoring the rules.
The smoke from the shells began to form in the sky, causing fear and panic across the city. It’s been reported that three persons died of cardiac arrest, and there was also a report of traffic fatalities.
Para troopers and civilians admit to seeing enemy planes. There were also claims that a Japanese aircraft crashed in Hollywood. In short, it was pure chaos! A Japanese invasion was what many had expected by the next morning.
However, to everyone’s surprise, there was no sign of Japanese aircraft or ships. All these led to the origin of the mysterious battle of Los Angeles.
What Really Happened on February 23, 1942 In L.A.?
One may never get a definite answer about what happened on February 23, 1942. People that night witnessed something mysterious or strange that has only become some sort of lore or an urban legend.
The military officials put the responsibility on meteorological balloons, which were instilled in lights and silvery. It was released that day before the incident. But then comes the question, why attack these balloons?
A study by the Air Force History of this event in 1983 concludes that the military defenses back then were anxious. Before the incident, there was already an attack by a Japanese submarine. Given the tense situation and high alertness, they might have mistaken the balloons for an aircraft and attacked impulsively.
UFO expert Bill Birnes, in an interview with P.R. Newswire, reveals that it wasn’t Japanese bombers. He explains that the object was flying too high, and people that day swore it was neither a balloon nor an aircraft. He said the thing glided and floated, concluding it was an unidentified foreign object.
What made the matter even worse was opposing narratives by the Navy and Army. It only let The LA Times print an editorial with the headline: “This Is No Time For Squabbling.’’ Here is an excerpt from the editorial piece:
“What baffled historians may later describe as the great Los Angeles Air Raid mystery showed some signs yesterday of developing into a squabble between the Army and Navy over the question of whether there actually were any enemy planes, unidentified planes, or planes of any kind over this area between 2 o’clock and daylight Wednesday morning”.
Some even question whether it was all just to cover up the embarrassment of shooting a balloon. In fact, a soldier reveals that he was told to keep his mouth shut and go with the Japanese plane’s story. He was warned that if he talks about shooting a balloon, he will be put behind bars.
Locals who have witnessed this incident are revealed to have said different things. Some said it was a blimp, while others saw fifty planes. Also, many have rubbed it off by saying there was nothing much.
The Aftermath And Rise Of Conspiracy Theories
After much squabbling, when it was clear that it was nothing significant, the backlashes were furious. In fact, Representative Leland Ford demanded an investigation, as per the L.A. Times.
It’s been reported that around six people died the following morning. Some died of heart attacks, while others succumbed to car accidents. Additionally, many wardens were received with injuries from falling shells. Also, some Japanese Americans were arrested on the pretext of being a spy.
The incident overall has impacted innocent civilians, causing some to lose their lives. A Pasadena local who has witnessed the blackout reveals that she will never forget that night. She was in a hospital undergoing labor when the incident happened. The halls were pitch-black, and the mothers were anxious while the nurses were handing out the babies.
She went on to say that she will never know if the baby was her but retorts that it’s of less concern. However, it questions the maternity nurses whether it was an ethical or humane thing to do.
This event also led to the rise of conspiracy theories. Despite officials and professionals stating that it was a human error, the lore ensues. Even with a rational explanation, it didn’t stop UFO enthusiasts from delving into this event. In fact, many theories began to circulate over the years.
The conspiracy theorists used doctored photos released by the L.A. Times at that time as proof of UFOs. They even went on to explain that this floating object was able to withstand gunfire as it was immune to all these.
Skeptoid’s podcast host Brian Dunning reveals that conspiracy theories escalated in 1987 with the release of Majestic 12 documents. The documents are now discredited, but one of them is shown to be an official document of the government.
It turns out to be a “Marshall/Roosevelt Memo’’ dated March 5, 1942, where it claims two alien aircraft were retained from the battle of Los Angeles. Here is an excerpt from the document:
“This Headquarters has come to a determination that the mystery airplanes are in fact not earthly and according to secret intelligence sources they are in all probability of interplanetary origin”.
With this discovery, one can only imagine the excitement among the UFO community and the conspiracy theorists alike. Although the FBI has deemed these documents as bogus, it is highly regarded among UFO enthusiasts.
There is a possibility that people might have seen foreign objects that night. It’s also less likely that there was release of a seaplane over Los Angeles from a Japanese submarine. Whether one accepts it or not, the ‘Battle of Los Angeles’ was more of a human error.
It’s understandable, given the situation back then. Everyone was on high alert, and there was fear. With the imminent attack from Imperial Japan back then, it’s understandable to act without thinking if there is any sign of threat. To err is human, and in this tense environment, it’s likely to happen.
Unfortunately, it happened, resulting in the loss of lives of some civilians and injuries. The officials would have come clean but instead, there was strife among themselves. Despite the clarification from the officials, it didn’t stop the conspiratorial minds.
So much about this battle has been documented that it only allows conspiracy theorists to raise questions. Although official records may say otherwise, the mysterious Battle of L.A. will continue.
This event might be a human error, but it has led to the rise of the UFO community. It has sort of become a reference for conspiracy theorists. However, it shouldn’t deter away from the fact that this whole incident was a human mistake. Many may agree it or not, but the truth remains nonetheless.
