The Washington D.C. Sightings, 1952

By 1952, the "flying saucer frenzy" that swept the North American continent had reached its apex. UFOs showed up in droves, and the Air Force was put under tremendous pressure to produce an explanation.

The issue came to a head in the summer of 1952 when a pair of dramatic sightings over Washington D.C. triggered a media firestorm. The public reaction prompted the Air Force to develop new methods for dealing with unexplained sightings that would sacrifice scientific rigour in the service of dampening public interest.

The Washington Incidents were some of the last sightings to make headlines before the jaws of government secrecy snapped shut on the question of UFOs.


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