Back in the summer of 2015, something called Jade Helm 15 caught everyone’s attention and not in a good way. This military training exercise ended up fuelling a ton of conspiracy theories throughout the U.S. What should have been a regular training meant to prep special ops forces for real combat situations turned into a hotbed of paranoia about martial law, government takeovers, and even end-of-the-world scenarios.

Jade Helm 15 was set up by the U.S. Army Special Operations Command and included about 1,200 troops from four branches of the military. It was supposed to simulate hostile environments similar to those overseas. Despite its ordinary objective, the exercise was blown way out of proportion, becoming the center of wild speculations and fake news.

A lot of the chaos came from a map used in the planning documents of the exercise. This map labelled areas like Texas, Utah, and parts of California as “hostile,” with New Mexico tagged as “uncertain” and “leaning hostile.” Even though these labels were just part of the game plan, they were misunderstood and spread like wildfire on the internet. People started believing the government was about to label these regions hostile for real and bring in martial law.

Adding fuel to the fire, Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered the Texas State Guard to keep an eye on the exercise. He said it was to calm the worries of Texans and ensure their safety, but many thought he was just playing into the conspiracy theories.

This circus didn’t stay in Texas. It went national, with folks like Jon Stewart taking jabs at the scenario. He even poked fun at Abbott, likening the Texas State Guard to a tiny dog barking at a big one. Politicians got involved too, with some asking for more info from the Pentagon and others calling for trust in the military.

Theories surrounding Jade Helm 15 ranged from kind of believable to completely out there. Some thought it was a secret plot to round up political opponents, seize guns, or establish martial law. Others went as far as thinking it was linked to a plot to disarm Americans and impose population control. The name “Jade Helm” itself got scrutinized, with guesses about it referencing China or being an acronym for a military A.I.

Things got so hyped up that three men were arrested by the FBI for planning to fight back against the exercise with weapons and homemade bombs. They genuinely believed Jade Helm was a cover for starting martial law.

The drill also sparked fears about FEMA camps, with conspiracy theorists believing it was a test run to force people into internment camps. None of these fears panned out, of course, as the exercise ended without a hitch.

Some folks even tied Jade Helm 15 to apocalyptic predictions, thinking the exercise was a practice run for martial law in the wake of a catastrophic comet or asteroid impact. This was based on false claims that the exercise’s end date matched up with predictions of such events. But NASA and other scientists debunked these ideas pretty quickly, saying there was no real threat.

Interestingly, Russian misinformation campaigns also played a part in stirring up the hysteria. Former CIA Director Michael Hayden later revealed that Russian bots and alt-right media outlets had spread false info, making many Texans think Jade Helm was part of a larger plot by President Obama to round up dissidents.

When all was said and done, Jade Helm 15 wrapped up quietly in September 2015. The military called it a success but didn’t share specific lessons learned right away. The whole episode left folks talking about how quickly misinformation can spread and gain traction, showing just how important critical thinking and reliable information sources are in today’s digital world.