Joseph Stalin

Joseph Stalin (1878-1953), Soviet leader, is linked to UAP/UFO lore through a fringe theory in Annie Jacobsen's 2011 book 'Area 51: An Uncensored History of America's Top Secret Military Base.' The claim posits Stalin orchestrated the 1947 Roswell incident by deploying a remotely piloted Soviet craft with grotesque, child-sized aviators—allegedly engineered by Nazi scientist Josef Mengele—to incite U.S. panic akin to Orson Welles' 'War of the Worlds.' These 'human guinea pigs,' deformed with large heads and oversized eyes, reportedly crashed, prompting a U.S. cover-up. No primary evidence supports this; it's based on an anonymous source later named Alfred O'Donnell, criticized as gullible or recycled UFO myth by experts like Robert Norris. Stalin had no verified role in UFO programs or publications.