Ep 7. Blood & Conspiracy

As the search for Yamashita's treasure continues, the team gathers evidence pointing towards a conspiracy to hide the gold. In episode 7 of Lost Gold of World War II, titled "Blood & Conspiracy", the treasure hunting crew uncovers clues connecting American POWs, the CIA, and Yamashita's loot.

The episode starts with the crew exploring underground tunnels in the Philippines linked to the imperial Japanese army and brutal massacres. The team discovers evidence of a secret torture chamber where POWs were held captive and interrogated. The walls were still stained with blood, and makeshift furniture gave a glimpse into the lives of prisoners in forced captivity. Artifacts found in the area pointed towards Yamashita's treasure, and the team was convinced that the area was significant to the treasure's location.

Back at the investigation center, lead investigator John Casey and historian Paul Newton learned about a conspiracy involving the United States' Central Intelligence Agency and Yamashita's gold. The team was in shock as they uncovered the details of Operation Gold Rush. The CIA's involvement in the recovery of Yamashita's treasure was not known to the public until the 1980s and became one of the most controversial operations ever conducted by the American government.

As the team dug deeper, they discovered connections between Operation Gold Rush and the deaths of several treasure hunters who had attempted to find Yamashita's gold in the past. The history of treasure hunters in the region was short and cut short by untimely deaths. The team surmised that the CIA had a hand in these murders, leaving no witnesses to their involvement.

Further research led the team to a US Army veteran who had served in the Philippines at the time of Operation Gold Rush. The veteran, who had remained silent about his involvement in the operation for years, revealed critical information about the CIA's role in a secret airfield used to transport the gold out of the Philippines. The team had found a connection between the bloodshed of American POWs and Yamashita's treasure.

As the episode came to a close, the team took a deep dive into the implications of their findings. If the CIA was involved in Yamashita's gold, then it would mean that they had access to the largest ever haul of looted treasure. The treasure's location could also hold evidence of the atrocities committed by the Japanese army during World War II, including war crimes and human rights violations. The implications of the conspiracy could change history.

"Blood & Conspiracy" was a crucial episode in unraveling the mysteries surrounding Yamashita's treasure. The team had to confront the harsh realities of war, including POWs, torture, and murder. But they also uncovered the sinister involvement of the CIA, making it clear that the search for the treasure would not be easy or without danger. The revelations made in episode 7 only added to the growing anticipation of what else the team would uncover in their quest for the Lost Gold of World War II.