Secrets
Most people believe that the United States government work very hard to keep secrets from the public. Roswell, The Montauk Projects, and MK-ULTRA are just a few conspiracies surrounding the U.S. government keeping secrets from the public. There is no doubt that Washington is keeping a few secrets from us, but why? While many of the conspiracies are easy to debunk, there are a few that seem legit. Here are 20 secrets about the CIA they definitely don’t want you to know.
Operation Mongoose
The CIA made dozens of attempts to assassinate the leader of Cuba, Fidel Castro. Their botched attempts included exploding cigars, poison milkshakes, and even
Ted Kaczynski
Ted Kaczynski, also known as the Unabomber, claimed that the CIA performed experiments that caused him to commit his violent acts. The CIA did sponsor a controversial study at Harvard University that Kaczynski participated in.
Operation Acoustic Kitty
The CIA wanted information on the Soviets, so they used hearing-augmented cats to eavesdrop on them. The cats were being cats and became easily distracted, so they scrapped the project.
Air America
When Air America was introduced as the U.S.’s newest commercial airline, people couldn’t wait to book a flight. It actually wasn’t a commercial airline, it was actually a front for the CIA’s covert mission in Indochina, and it smuggled weapons, soldiers, and drugs during the Vietnam War.
Lost
In the 1950s, the CIA wanted to win the rebellion in North Korea, so they sent dozens of agents into the country. They were airdropped, and none of them were ever seen or heard from again.
Missing Testing Device
At the height of the Cold War, CIA officials built a missile testing device near the Nanda Devi mountains in India. They were hoping to be able to monitor the Chinese missiles. Unfortunately, they lost it. The agency closed the mountain for nine years to find the device, but they never did.
Viagra
The CIA needed important information from an Afghan Chieftain who was impotent. They offered him thousands of Viagra pills to give them the information. His performance problems were rectified, and the CIA got their answers.
Demoralizing
During the Cold War, the CIA wanted to demoralize the Soviet men. To do this, they placed oversized American condoms around Russia and changed the label to read, “Medium.”
Torture Methods
The CIA is known for
Abstract Thinkers
The Cold War was about more than missiles. It was also about culture. To assert
Area 51
After years of speculation and conspiracy theories, the CIA finally confirmed the existence of Area 51 in 2013. They claim that it is just a testing site for top-secret aerial surveillance programs, but most people don’t believe them.
LSD
The CIA created LSD in the 1960s, but they needed to study it. To test subjects without their knowledge, they had magician John Mulholland teach their agents how to spike the drinks using sleight of hand.
Double Agent
Technical engineer, William Kampiles stole a top-secret spy manual to sell it to the Russians. To try to make things right, he told the CIA that he would become a double agent. They weren’t interested, and he was sentenced to 40 years in prison.
Animal Farm
After George Orwell died in 1950, the CIA bought the rights to his novel, Animal Farm. They adapted it into a film, and all of the communist characters were portrayed as pigs.
Paper Trail
Two CIA operative really messed up in 2003. They were posing as business executives in Italy and used their frequent flyer cards with their real identities at every hotel and restaurant they visited. This led the Italian authorities
Riddles
The CIA keeps secrets, everyone knows that. At the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, there is a statue of four faces, and each has an encrypted riddle. After almost 30 years, every riddle has been solved except for one.
Operation Paperclip
The crimes committed by the Nazi scientists during World War II were inhumane. This didn’t stop the CIA from bringing scientists back to America. They hoped to use them to create their own unique brand of brainwashing techniques called Operation Paperclip.
Coffee
CIA agents love their coffee. Therefore, it is no surprise that there is a Starbucks at the CIA Langley headquarters. The baristas are trained to recognize each agent’s face, so they never need to reveal their identity.
CIA Museum
The CIA
Infiltrated
The CIA, the FBI, and the NSA have all been infiltrated. The only agency that hasn’t been infiltrated is the Secret Service.
