EOTO #2 Reaction: False Flags

     The term that stuck out to me during the group presentations was False Flags. This stuck out because I had not heard of this term before the presentations. It was interesting to learn about the dirtier side of war politics since they mostly get covered up or dismissed as rumors.

    As Annie Bench described, "it's a military or political action carried out with the intention of blaming it on an opponent. This is often done as a pretext for war, with nations staging attacks on themselves to receive the "go ahead" to attack." 

The subsequent actions will only exacerbate the tension, so the operations may have significant consequences. A government uses False Flags to carry out its intended plans for an attack without facing opposition from its citizens, thus, fabricating a support ruse.

    Bench uses the example of "Nazi Germany during WW2. Hitler was looking for a final straw before invading Poland, so staged a raid on the Gleiwitz Radio Tower. A short message claiming the tower was now in "Polish Hands" was broadcasted, and a body of a civilian dressed as a Polish soldier was left behind. The next day, Hitler cited the attack, among others, in a speech and instructed the invasion of Poland." 

    She backs this example connecting with false flags by saying, "this is one example of how false flags can have large implications on society as a whole. When used in a time of intense turmoil and a multi-country war, a false flag can be the cause of millions of deaths."

    Overall, I liked Bench's presentation because she informed me of what False Flags are while also keeping my attention during her presentation by using real-life examples and visual images.