TOP SECRET U.S. Government Tunnels | Cities Of The Underworld (S4, E2) | Full Episode

HISTORY

26 Jul 202342:16

EducationalLearning

32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis video explores the possibility of a vast secret network of underground military bases and tunnels across the U.S. It investigates declassified Cold War era facilities and patents for advanced drilling technology. Through experiments and expert interviews, the video makes the case that the government likely possesses more expansive subterranean capabilities than the public realizes. It highlights how underground warfare is an increasing focus for the military.

Takeaways

😲 The US government built secret underground missile silos and nuclear testing sites during the Cold War
😎 Area 51's existence was denied until 2013 when the government admitted developing weapons there since the 1950s
💡 A 1972 patent describes using nuclear power to tunnel through rock without debris
🔬 An experiment shows a plasma torch can melt through rock like the patent describes
👷‍♂️ Public tunnel projects require removing tons of debris so couldn't be secret
🚧 The patent might allow large secret tunnel networks to be built
👀 $50 billion per year goes to classified US military programs
⚔️ Underground complexes are key in modern urban warfare
🦇 Soldiers train with night vision and bat echolocation for underground fights
🤫 The full extent of US underground military facilities remains top secret

Q & A

What was the purpose of the Titan 2 missile silos that were built underground during the Cold War?
-The Titan 2 missile silos were designed to house nuclear warheads to deter the threat of attack from Russia. There were 54 silos across the country, ready to launch nuclear missiles if the U.S. was attacked.
How was Area 51's existence kept secret for so long?
-The government denied Area 51's existence until 2013 when the FBI confirmed its existence in response to a Freedom of Information Act request. Since the 1950s it had been developing secret weapons and spy planes.
What technology did the government allegedly develop that allowed tunneling without debris?
-In 1972 the government bought a patent for a nuclear drill that could tunnel by melting rock, creating tunnels without rubble or debris on the surface.
What was the purpose of the secret bunker built under The Greenbrier hotel?
-It was an emergency relocation center built as part of the government's continuity of government program, to house Congress in the event of a nuclear attack.
How might the 'Black Budget' be used for underground projects?
-Up to $50 billion per year is allocated to classified programs, potentially including development of underground tunnels and facilities.
Why is underground warfare becoming more important?
-Adversaries like North Korea have thousands of underground bases. Underground complexes in urban areas are very difficult to attack, so the U.S. military is preparing for more underground conflicts.
How does the military train for underground combat?
-They use night vision, heat sensors, echolocation, and search dogs to navigate tunnels. New tech is designed specifically for underground warfare.
When did the U.S. government first start building underground structures?
-The government started constructing underground missile silos, nuclear testing sites, and bunkers in the 1950s at the onset of the Cold War.
What was the purpose of the 'continuity of government' program?
-It directed government branches to develop emergency relocation centers and plans to ensure government operations could continue after a nuclear attack.
Why might the U.S. have more underground bases than we know about?
-The U.S. has always tried to out-build its enemies. With thousands of bases elsewhere, it is likely the U.S. has many more undisclosed underground facilities.

Outlines

00:00

😱 The Cold War Origins of Secret Underground Military Bases

The video begins by describing the speaker's childhood during the Cold War and how the government built secret underground missile silos and nuclear testing facilities to defend against the Soviet threat. It hints that there may be even more underground activity that the public is unaware of.

05:02

👽 The Mysterious Area 51 Base Sparks Underground Theories

The government denied Area 51's existence until 2013. Rumors of alien activity led people to theorize about secret underground experiments happening there. This shows the government is good at keeping underground operations secret.

10:02

❓ Exploring How Massive Underground Bases Could Exist

The speaker visits a public tunnel project to understand how underground construction works. Removing the huge amounts of debris secretly would be impossible, implying advanced technology would be needed to build secret bases.

15:03

🤯 A Nuclear-Powered Drill to Melt Through Rock

A declassified patent reveals a hypothetical nuclear-powered drill that melts through rock and leaves no debris. If real, it could secretly create huge underground tunnels. An experiment shows the concept could work.

20:03

😨 Imagining the Purpose of a Vast Underground Network

The bunker under the Greenbrier hotel provides a glimpse at continuity of government preparations during the Cold War. This shows the motivation for an expansive underground system to preserve government functions.

25:05

💰 The Black Budget Funding Secret Underground Projects

Up to $50 billion annually goes toward classified military programs potentially including advanced underground technology. The U.S. is likely developing capabilities matching or exceeding enemies.

30:06

🕳️ Underground Warfare is an Emerging Military Priority

With enemies like North Korea building thousands of underground bases, underground warfare expertise is becoming more important for the U.S. military, necessitating advanced training.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡underground bases

The secret underground military facilities and tunnels that some believe exist across the US. The video explores evidence and theories about their potential locations, scale, and purpose, especially related to the Cold War and nuclear deterrence strategy.

💡Cold War

The state of geopolitical tension between the US and Soviet Union after WW2, lasting until the early 1990s. The threat of nuclear attack drove the development of secret underground bases as part of deterrence and continuity of government plans.

💡Area 51

The classified military base in Nevada that fueled theories about government secrecy and experiments on extraterrestrials. Later confirmed to have developed advanced aircraft, it exemplifies covert military projects.

💡nuclear drill

A theoretical drill technology patented by the government that uses extreme heat to tunnel rapidly through rock with no debris, allowing for secret underground construction undetected from the surface.

💡Black Budget

The $50 billion per year in classified defense spending that could potentially fund secret underground projects, with code names like 'tractor rut' hiding the real use.

💡missile silos

Reinforced underground structures built to house ICBMs ready for rapid launch, like the decommissioned Titan 2 complex explored early in the video as an example of covert Cold War infrastructure.

💡nuclear testing

Aboveground atomic bomb tests were moved underground in Nevada from public view once Soviet satellites could observe them, driving more secretive government tunneling projects.

💡fallout shelter

The bunker under The Greenbrier resort that was secretly built to house Congress in case of nuclear war, revealed only decades later, a real-world example of Cold War underground contingency plans.

💡declassified

Information about secret government projects is often later declassified and made public, like the confirmation of Area 51's existence and the shelter at The Greenbrier. This suggests even more underground activity remains classified now.

💡underground warfare

Modern and future warfighting is seen as increasingly happening in subterranean spaces like tunnels that enemies have built under cities. This is why new specialized military training facilities prepare soldiers for underground combat.

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Transcripts

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