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It’s clear that conspiracy theories thrive in nearly every part of the world. In this post, we’ll dive into some of the most bizarre theories, both old and new, to come from Asia. Fueled by anti-Western sentiments, mysticism, or sheer absurdity, these outlandish conspiracy theories demonstrate that Asia certainly has its share of eccentric and extreme ideas.
10. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini Was The Son Of A British Explorer
Earlier, we discussed how certain Iranian conspiracy theorists have blamed the British for secretly influencing Iran’s politics, including the events of the 1979 revolution. This theory takes it a step further, claiming that the British backed the fiery Islamic leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini because he was actually the child of a British man named William Richard Richardson.
According to this theory, Williamson was a 19th-century adventurer who traveled the globe before eventually settling in Iran, where he became involved with the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. During his time there, he converted to Islam and took two wives, one of whom would later give birth to the future Iranian leader. As the story goes, the young and rebellious Khomeini was schooled by an ayatollah who, together with other religious figures, helped him escape a death sentence by elevating him to the rank of an ayatollah and smuggling him out of Iran. In return, Khomeini allegedly had them all killed upon his return to power, ensuring that his true parentage would remain a secret.
9. Vietnam Still Holds American POWs
Even though the devastating Vietnam War ended many years ago, one persistent rumor has yet to fade: the claim that numerous American POWs are still alive and being kept captive in Vietnam. Sparked by films like the 1983 movie Uncommon Valor, this theory suggests that both the US and Vietnamese governments are fully aware of the POWs' plight but either remain silent or are deliberately concealing the truth.
Advocates of this theory, particularly the families of those missing, highlight the US government's inconsistent or unreliable records on the missing soldiers, along with what they believe are credible sightings of these POWs and distress signals left behind in various areas. Despite multiple investigations concluding that the missing prisoners are most likely dead by now, those who believe in the theory continue to insist that they should not be written off without definitive proof.
8. Mao Zedong Was A Pawn of Yale
To be fair, the notorious Chinese leader Mao Zedong did indeed work for Yale, serving as the editor for the Chinese branch of the university's student journal in 1919. However, one conspiracy theory suggests that Mao was actually a subordinate to Yale’s powerful secret society, the Skull and Bones.
This theory claims that Yale University’s elite established a branch in China to gain control over the highly profitable opium trade. In collaboration with the CIA’s predecessor, the OSS, they supposedly used Mao Zedong and his communist forces to fend off rival threats to their monopoly, such as the Boxers and the nationalists under Chiang Kai-shek. The plot took an unexpected turn, though, when Mao turned against them after the communists triumphed in the Chinese Civil War in 1949. This betrayal forced both the Yale establishment and the CIA to ally with Chinese triads to maintain their illicit activities.
7. Malala Is A CIA Operative
You may recall Malala Yousafzai, the young Pakistani schoolgirl who was shot in the head by the Pakistani Taliban (yes, they resorted to shooting young girls) in October 2012 because she advocated for girls' education. Although Malala survived the attack and has since become a tireless advocate for women's rights and education, her global fame has led some of her fellow countrymen to turn against her. They claim Malala is part of a CIA or Western conspiracy aimed at undermining Pakistan.
This belief is particularly widespread in Malala’s hometown of Swat Valley, where conservative locals view the incident as a scheme by her family to gain fame. While there is some historical context to Pakistanis being wary of Western influence (after all, the CIA did recruit a local doctor to help locate Bin Laden), this particular conspiracy theory lacks any real logic. Perhaps the only thing more absurd is the fact that the Pakistani Taliban vowed to attempt to kill her again.
6. Israel’s Nuclear Weapons Caused The Tsunami That Hit Fukushima
At this point, we’ve all heard conspiracy theories linking superweapons to the creation of hurricanes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters. Now, there’s a claim suggesting that a similar event occurred during the catastrophic meltdown at Fukushima’s nuclear power plant in 2011, with Israel being blamed this time around.
One version of the story claims that Japan had been secretly aiding Iran with its nuclear weapons program, manufacturing enriched uranium for them at Fukushima. To put an end to this, the Israelis supposedly planted a nuclear device off Japan’s coast, triggering the earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Another version of the theory posits that Israel initially assisted Japan with its nuclear program, on orders from President Bush and Vice President Cheney, to counter China’s growing influence. But when Japan began supporting the idea of an independent Palestinian state, Israel allegedly retaliated by triggering the tsunami and even unleashing the Stuxnet virus on the plant as a final act of revenge.
5. North Korea Was Behind The Boston Bombings
Alongside the outlandish theory that the Boston Marathon bombings of April 2013 never took place, there’s another claim suggesting that North Korea was the mastermind behind the attack. Proponents of this theory argue that North Korea carried out the bombings to mark the 101st birthday anniversary of its founder, Kim Il-Sung, and to follow through on its earlier threats of attacking US soil.
Naturally, North Korea’s official state media quickly denied any involvement in the bombings, rejecting the conspiracy theory and dismissing any connections to Al-Qaeda. According to the North Korean government, their country would never resort to covert operations to strike the US, as they have the capability to confront their enemies directly. For them, the true conspiracy is a smear campaign by US conservatives, aimed at tarnishing North Korea’s reputation on the global stage.
4. The US And The Taliban Are In Cahoots
We already mentioned how some conspiracy theorists believe that the US and North Korea are actually working together. In that same vein, there are actually those who believe that the US is also working with the Taliban in Afghanistan. This view has been taking root among ordinary Afghans who believe that the US is funding the Taliban in order to achieve its own ends—including having a buffer against Iran, China, and Russia. They like to point out that the numerically and logistically superior American and NATO forces could easily finish the Taliban off yet they do not do so, meaning they really have a hidden agenda. Even Afghan president Hamid Karzai has bought the conspiracy theory; in March 2013, he accused the US and the Taliban of collaborating in a series of false flag attacks as justification for an indefinite US presence in the region.
3. Ancient India Suffered A Nuclear Attack
Some conspiracy theorists argue that ancient civilizations may have had access to atomic bomb-like technology. They believe that divine or extraterrestrial beings passed on this advanced knowledge to these ancient societies, which may have used it as described in texts like the Mahabharata. The Mahabharata itself mentions a weapon described as a "projectile charged with all the power of the Universe," which some interpret as a reference to nuclear weaponry.
Proponents of this theory highlight certain archaeological sites with unusually high levels of radiation, with one of the most famous examples being a city found in Rajasthan, India. According to the theory, this city was struck by a nuclear attack around 8–12 millennia ago, killing an estimated 500,000 people. The radiation levels in the area have remained dangerously high ever since, leading to an abnormally large number of cancer and birth defect cases among the population. Interestingly, similar theories also suggest that the Great Lakes in North America could be the result of an ancient atomic blast.
2. The United States and Taiwan Created the SARS Virus
In addition to the long-standing claims that the US was responsible for creating the AIDS virus, there have been allegations that the US was also behind the SARS outbreak that affected Asia between 2002 and 2004. This outbreak was particularly severe in China, where it caused the deaths of more than 300 people. The theory gained traction after two Russian scientists suggested that the virus seemed to be a blend of multiple viruses and couldn't have occurred naturally, fueling rumors of US and Taiwanese involvement.
Some conspiracy theorists support the Russian scientists' findings by suggesting that Taiwan, one of the alleged creators of the SARS virus, experienced far fewer casualties due to having access to the cure. Meanwhile, China found itself the subject of its own conspiracy, with Taiwan accusing its rival of not only creating the virus but also conducting a widespread cover-up to hide the true scale of the outbreak.
1. Did MacArthur Accept a Bribe to Free the Philippines?
There is considerable speculation that Quezon's payment to MacArthur was intended to secure the safe evacuation of Quezon and his family to the United States. Furthermore, the money was likely meant to serve as a reminder to MacArthur to fulfill his promise of returning to the Philippines. However, his eventual campaign to liberate the country resulted in significant destruction and sparked criticism for straying from the previously successful, less violent island-hopping strategy.
MacArthur's controversial campaign of liberation ultimately caused massive damage to the Philippines, earning him criticism for deviating from the more effective island-hopping strategy that had been employed earlier in the war, a tactic that had avoided large-scale devastation.
