UFO Mail - No 140 - 2012

Magazine Overview

This issue of Skandinavisk UFO Information, dated January 20, 2012, is primarily focused on the launch of a new website for SUFOI (Skandinavisk UFO Information) and delves into historical UFO-related events and theories.

New Website Launched

Kim Møller Hansen announces the premiere of SUFOI's new website, ufo.dk. The webmaster, Flemming O. Rasmussen, has worked to improve the site, making it easier for the press, UFO enthusiasts, and observers to find information. The website's purpose is to disseminate well-substantiated knowledge about the UFO myth and phenomena that can create UFO experiences. The front page features news from the latest UFO-Mail, and archives of past newsletters are available. Users can report their own sightings in the 'Observations' section and learn about natural phenomena that can be mistaken for UFOs. The site aims to provide curated links to make information searches more qualitative, avoiding sensationalism. SUFOI is a volunteer organization, and the website's operation is funded by sales from their shop and contributions from their support group. The website is free to access, and users can even read many UFO books online.

Panic in the Air: 'War of the Worlds'

This section, also by Kim Møller Hansen, revisits the infamous 'War of the Worlds' radio broadcast by Orson Welles on October 30, 1938. The broadcast, aired by the Mercury Theatre, was a masterful blend of a compelling story, live music, realistic news bulletins, familiar place names, and official-sounding statements. It described mysterious light explosions on Mars, followed by a Martian spaceship landing and a devastating attack on the USA with death rays and poison gas. Despite announcements that it was a radio play, many listeners panicked, believing the invasion was real. One woman reported smelling poison gas, and another felt ill from the imagined gas. Police received calls from citizens claiming to see Martians and their war machines. The description of the Martian machines as tall, metallic, three-legged entities led some frightened residents in Grovers Mill, New Jersey, to fire upon perceived threats in the fog, accidentally damaging their town's water tower.

The Water Tower in Grovers Mill

This historical anecdote is presented as a story that has become part of the popular narrative of 'War of the Worlds.' Joe Nickell's article "Shootout with Martians: In the Wake of the 1938 Broadcast Panic" is mentioned as a treatment of this specific event.

More Reasons for Panic

The article explores why the radio play had such a dramatic effect. Radio was a new and powerful medium, and Americans were highly dependent on it for news and entertainment. They were accustomed to news interruptions during music programs, a technique Welles exploited. The international political climate, with Nazi Germany's annexations and the looming threat of war in Europe, contributed to a sense of invasion anxiety among Americans. Advances in aviation technology had made the world feel smaller, and some listeners misinterpreted the 'War of the Worlds' invasion as a German attack using poison gas. The habit of 'airplaning' (switching radio channels) meant many listeners tuned into the broadcast without realizing it was a play.

Radio versus Newspapers

Following the broadcast, American newspapers exaggerated the consequences of the 'War of the Worlds' play, sensationalizing stories of panic and condemning Welles' 'misuse of the radio medium.' Welles perceived these attacks as a threat to radio's role as a future news medium. Hadley Cantril of Princeton University estimated that at least 6 million Americans heard the broadcast, with 1.7 million believing it was a news report and 1.2 million being significantly affected.

We Can Still Be Scared

The article questions whether a 'War of the Worlds' panic could happen today, noting a similar event in Portugal in 1998. It states that many have tried to replicate Welles' success, often using similar effective elements: realistic news formats, credible speakers, and references to well-known locations. Some radio plays have had tragic consequences, such as riots and panic in Ecuador in February 1949, which resulted in 20 deaths and injuries.

The Book on War of the Worlds

As documented in SUFOI's book 'Projekt UFO - tro, løgne og kold krig' (Project UFO - belief, lies, and the Cold War), 'War of the Worlds' has significantly influenced the development of the UFO myth. For those wanting to delve deeper, John Gosling's book 'Waging The War of the Worlds - A History of the 1938 Radio Broadcast and Resulting Panic, Including the Original Script' is highly recommended. Gosling's book is described as thorough, covering Orson Welles, the script's creation, the broadcast, its aftermath, and subsequent imitations. Gosling also maintains the website www.war-ofthe-worlds.co.uk.

Will We Ever Get Wiser?

'War of the Worlds' is presented as one of 36 hoaxes and media-created stories featured in the book 'The Martians Have Landed! A History of Media-Driven Panics and Hoaxes' by Robert E. Bartholomew and Benjamin Radford. The book examines sensational stories spread through various media, from the 1835 bat-man of the Moon to modern-day influenza scares. The authors express concern that even in an enlightened age, people are easily misled by media, politicians, religious fanatics, and self-proclaimed experts who inflate fabricated stories to unreasonable dimensions.

Several books by Robert E. Bartholomew are recommended, including 'Outbreak! The Encyclopedia of Extraordinary Social Behavior,' 'Panic Attacks - The History of Mass Delusion,' 'Little Green Men, Meowing Nuns and Head-hunting Panics,' and 'UFOs and Alien Contact - Two Centuries of Mystery.'

Meget langt ude... (Very Far Out...)

This section, by Kim Møller Hansen, discusses the 'Nazi UFO Myth.' It addresses rumors of Nazi secret weapons at the end of World War II and the post-war history of German rocket scientists and aircraft designers. The myth suggests that Nazi flying saucers were developed too late to change the war's outcome, but that SS leaders and scientists escaped via submarines to secret bases worldwide, continuing their work on advanced inventions and becoming a hidden superpower. This myth is popular among conspiracy theorists online, with a Google search for "nazi ufo" yielding over a million hits. The article mentions Adventures Unlimited Press, a publisher known for books on UFOs, cryptozoology, and conspiracy theories, and highlights Henry Stevens' book 'Dark Star - The Hidden History of German Secret Bases, Flying Disks & U-Boats.' Stevens' book claims that Nazi elites fled to secret bases in Norway, Greenland, the Canary Islands, Antarctica, and South America, where they developed advanced flying craft, death rays, and anti-gravity technology, forming a secret superpower called 'Third Power' that sold knowledge to both superpowers during the Cold War. The article criticizes Stevens' book for its lack of factual basis, reliance on dubious sources, and mixing of facts and myths, likening its argumentation technique to proving the Earth is hollow.

UFOs in Wartime

Kim Møller Hansen reviews Mack Maloney's book 'UFOs in Wartime - What They Didn't Want You To Know.' The reviewer finds the book to be of poor quality, with unimpressive illustrations and disappointing 'shocking accounts.' Maloney's book covers UFO experiences from 312 BC to the present, including waves of airships, foo fighters, ghost rockets, and conflicts like the Korean and Vietnam Wars. The reviewer criticizes Maloney for concluding that the sheer number of sightings 'proves' alien visitation and that visits intensify during crises. The reviewer states that Maloney presents no evidence and lacks knowledge of UFO history, sociology, and psychology. The only positive note is that the book is quickly read and forgotten, and that Maloney acknowledges a terrestrial explanation for the Roswell incident, contrary to mainstream UFO literature.

UFOs in Wartime: A Review

This book is divided into five parts, covering the UFO phenomenon primarily as a myth, focusing more on culture and societal reactions than direct UFO observations. It discusses the origins of the myth, crash reports (including Roswell, Tunguska, and Rendlesham), abduction reports, and close encounters. It also touches on 'far out' topics like astro-archaeology, foo fighters, Nazi UFOs, religious UFO groups, the Philadelphia Experiment, and crop circles.

Project UFO - Belief, Lies, and the Cold War

Kim Møller Hansen's book 'Projekt UFO - tro, løgne og kold krig' is described as a 454-page work with 206 illustrations, an index, and a literature list, available on CD-ROM. It thoroughly covers the development of the UFO myth, including early reports, key figures, influential books and films, and US Air Force projects investigating UFO reports. It also details crash incidents, abduction reports, and various types of encounters. The book is praised for being thorough, objective, critical, and skeptical, while acknowledging that some reports and observations remain unexplained. It is recommended as a must-have for all UFO enthusiasts in Scandinavia.

Read UFO Reports on www.ufo.dk

Readers are encouraged to visit www.ufo.dk to read the latest UFO reports and observations.

Become a Member of SUFOI's Support Circle

The issue concludes with an appeal for membership in SUFOI's Support Circle. The organization, run by volunteers, aims to provide serious information about UFOs and register unusual aerial phenomena. Financial contributions are requested to support the organization's work, with members receiving a free book as a thank you. Payment details are provided.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently promotes a critical and skeptical approach to UFO phenomena, distinguishing between well-documented cases and speculative theories or hoaxes. It emphasizes the importance of evidence-based research and highlights the role of media and psychology in shaping public perception of UFOs. The editorial stance appears to be one of careful investigation, debunking sensationalism while acknowledging that some unexplained phenomena may exist. The magazine also serves as a platform for promoting SUFOI's activities and resources, including its website and publications.