Archive

What Cold War CIA Interrogators Learned from the Nazis

Trippy

At a secret black site in the years after the end of WWII, CIA and US intelligence operatives tested LSD and other interrogation techniques on captured Soviet spies—all with the help of former Nazi doctors. An excerpt from Annie Jacobsen’s Operation Paperclip, published this week.

articles/2014/02/11/what-cold-war-cia-interrogators-learned-from-the-nazis/140210-jacobsen-nazi-tease_ysv3oo
Everett Collection

It was 1946 and World War II had ended less than one year before. In Top Secret memos being circulated in the elite ‘E’ ring of the Pentagon, the Joint Chiefs of Staff were preparing for ‘total war’ with the Soviets—to include atomic, chemical, and biological warfare.

We think “subscriber” would look good on you. Join now to unlock access.

Don't miss this subscriber exclusive article. 

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.