Many a man has been impressed by the ingenuity of secret agent operations, and intrigued by the subterfuge, gadgets, and disguises required to pull them off. Much of what we think about when we think about spies got its start as part of the Office of Strategic Services, the American intelligence agency during World War II.
Here to unpack some of the history of the world of cloak and dagger operations is John Lisle, author of The Dirty Tricks Department: Stanley Lovell, the OSS, and the Masterminds of World War II Secret Warfare. Today on the show, Lisle explains why the OSS was created and the innovations its research and development section came up with to fight the Axis powers. We talk about the most successful weapons and devices this so-called “Dirty Tricks Department” developed, as well as its more off-the-wall ideas, which included releasing bat bombs and radioactive foxes in Japan. We discuss the department’s attempt to create a truth serum, its implementation of a disinformation campaign involving “The League of Lonely War Women,” and its promotion of a no-holds-barred hand-to-hand combat fighting system. We also talk about the influence of the OSS on the establishment of the CIA and controversial projects like MKUltra.
Resources Related to the PodcastCan You Trust Happiness Studies?
For a Better Work Out, Think Like a Kid
Beyond Lazy Learning — The Keys to Gaining and Retaining Knowledge
The 5 Shifts of Manhood
When the Game Was War — Lessons From the Greatest NBA Season of All Time
How to Develop Rugged Flexibility
Take Back the Weekend
Leadership Is Overrated
For Whom The Bell Tolls
How to Use the Principles of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to Overcome Obstacles in Business and Life
Is Cannabis a Safe Drug?
Advice on Making Love Last . . . From a Divorce Lawyer
Unlock the Power of the Unfocused Mind
The Life We're Looking For
The Psychology of Effective Weight Loss
The Most Insightful Personality Test
Why We Fight
Finally Learn to Say No
Set Your Future Self Up for Success
The Fourth Turning — How History's Crisis Period Could Unfold
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free