Stealing scientific secrets: American cold war efforts to use scientists as spies

Abstract

ABSTRACT In the wake of World War II, scientific advancements seemed integral to national security. They also spelled the potential demise of national security if an adversarial country achieved those crucial advancements first. To keep abreast of these foreign developments, the United States government implemented a series of programs designed to send scientists abroad, or bring foreign scientists into the country, with the intention of eliciting secrets. Specifically, the State Department and the Central Intelligence Agency co-opted the ostensibly international and collaborative nature of science for intelligence gains. This paper analyses and explains these Cold War programs to use scientists as intelligence gatherers.