Historian Links Satanic Ritual Killings to Vietnam Veterans and CIA Operation Phoenix
"The tendency of army officers who have been through hell to become uh or to get recruited into the occult seems to be a phenomenon. We saw this after after the Vietnam war where there was a massive spike in satanic ritual killings and this is what led into the satanic panic. But the satanic panic in America was being done because there actually was this greater preponderance of actual satanic ritual activity all across America...And a lot of that seems to have been correlated to the return of broken men who had to do terrible things, you know, like Operation Phoenix which was overseen by who? Colonel Michael Aquino, the second in command of the Church of Satan."
About this episode
The Duran hosts Alexander Mercouris and a co-host interview historian Matthew Ehret about the rehabilitation of Nazi ideology in conspiracy-minded communities and the deep historical connections between occultism, intelligence agencies, and political power from the late 19th century through today. Ehret discusses his new documentary 'Black Sun Rising' and accompanying 200-page report examining how figures like Nick Fuentes and films like 'Europa' are reframing Hitler as heroic while portraying Stalin and Russia as villains. The conversation traces intellectual and occult movements from the 1870s onward, examining how Bismarck's rational, peace-oriented German leadership was displaced by mystical nationalist movements including Theosophy, New Templarism, and various occult orders. Ehret and Mercouris explore how British intelligence, particularly through figures like Aleister Crowley, weaponized occult networks for espionage and political manipulation, including alleged involvement in the Lusitania sinking. Mercouris reveals firsthand knowledge from his time at the Royal Courts of Justice about contemporary neo-Nazi occult groups operating in Britain with police awareness but without intervention, often led by former army officers. The discussion extends to post-Vietnam occult activity, connecting CIA Operation Phoenix commander Colonel Michael Aquino to both the Church of Satan and later US Army Intelligence programs that incorporated occult ideology into elite military training. Ehret raises concerns about Palantir's growing control over Western military AI and surveillance, noting CEO Alex Karp hired the grandson of British fascist leader Oswald Mosley after reciting a 1939 Mosley speech from memory. Throughout, both emphasize how trauma, elitism, and flights from reality enable occult ideologies to penetrate power structures, with direct continuities between early 20th century movements and contemporary tech and military leadership.
Key takeaways
- Matthew Ehret warns that conspiracy communities are increasingly rehabilitating Hitler and Nazi ideology through content portraying him as heroic and Russia as the true villain of WWII.
- Alexander Mercouris reveals from his Royal Courts experience that neo-Nazi occult groups led by former British army officers actively operate in Britain with police knowledge but without intervention.
- Palantir UK CEO Louis Mosley, grandson of fascist leader Oswald Mosley, was hired after CEO Alex Karp recited a 1939 fascist speech from memory, raising concerns about ideology in surveillance tech leadership.
- Historian claims Aleister Crowley was British intelligence operative who orchestrated Lusitania sinking as false flag to draw America into WWI by ensuring Germans learned ship carried weapons.
- Colonel Michael Aquino, Church of Satan second-in-command who led CIA Operation Phoenix killing 40,000 Vietnamese civilians, later shaped US Army Intelligence occult training programs in the 1980s.
- Both speakers trace continuity from late 19th century occult movements like Theosophy and New Templarism through intelligence agencies to contemporary power structures in military and technology sectors.
- Bismarck's rational, peace-oriented leadership of Germany was displaced by mystical nationalist movements that helped create conditions for WWI, a pattern both see recurring today.