1
The Intricacies of Operation Paperclip
Introduction:
After Germany's liberation, the United States focused on Japan and sought German
expertise to build glider bombs. Herbert Wagner, a German engineer who created the HS-293
guided missile, arrived in the U.S. with two assistants. Despite Wagner's Nazi affiliations, the
U.S. concealed his past to retain his valuable knowledge. These scientists set the stage for
Operation Paperclip, which recruited German scientists from the Third Reich.1
Bringing Nazi-associated scientists posed a moral dilemma, but it provided stability and
advanced technology to the U.S. military. With Japan and Russia pursuing German scientists, the
U.S. could not fall behind, allowing enemies to benefit risked national security and ceding
superiority. This paper explores the tension between morality and necessity, discussing
individuals involved in Nazi crimes and their contributions to the U.S. It examines Operation
Paperclip's background, the immorality of overlooking war crimes, and the necessity for the U.S.
military and space exploration.
Background:
As World War II neared its end, the United States and Britain actively searched Nazi
Germany for military and scientific assets that could benefit their nations. The Combined
Intelligence Objectives Subcommittee (CIOS) was an American group tasked with gathering
war-related documents and materials from Germany and interrogating German scientists. The
1 Hunt, Linda. Secret agenda: The United States Government, Nazi scientists, and Project Paperclip, 1945-1990.
New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1991.
2
CIOS comprised experts in various fields like mathematics, engineering, physics, chemistry, and
members from different U.S. departments and administrations. However, the military teams
called T-Forces secured the targets and retrieved equipment for the CIOS examination. As the
number of targets increased, the CIOS sought assistance from universities, private industries,
research institutions, and others to aid in the process.2
President Harry S. Truman authorized Operation Overcast on August 25, 1945, through
Executive Order 9604. Initially a wartime program for scientific and industrial investigations, it
evolved into a postwar commercial-industrial exploitation initiative. Various private
organizations like the American Chemical Society, the American Petroleum Institute, the Society
of Automotive Engineers, and government officials supported the establishment of Operation
Overcast. Its purpose was to advance the United States in science and technology by utilizing the
German scientific and industrial information obtained through exploitation programs. On March
4, 1946, Operation Overcast underwent a name change known as Operation Paperclip. The name
was derived from the selection process employed, where files of German scientists were
reviewed, and selected individuals were marked with a paperclip for easy identification.3 Under
Operation Paperclip, approximately 1,600 German scientists and their families were relocated to
the United States.4 The Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency (JIOA) oversaw the operation,
aiming to harness the expertise of these German scientists to advance the U.S. military, science,
and technology during the Cold War. There was a sense of urgency as the United States sought to
2 Gimbel, John. “Project Paperclip: German Scientists, American Policy, and the Cold War.” Diplomatic History 14,
no. 3 (1990): 343–65. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24911848.
3 Annie Jacobsen, "Operation Paperclip”. Politics and Prose. YouTube, 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=HHs5M3pyd3Q&ab_channel=PoliticsandProse.
4 Jacobsen, Annie. Operation Paperclip: The Secret Intelligence Program that brought Nazi scientists to America.
New York: Back Bay Books, Little, Brown and Company, 2015.
3
acquire the most valuable German scientists before Russia could do so, as they feared that Russia
might utilize their knowledge and technology to threaten America and its allies.5
Although President Truman had forbidden the transfer of any Nazi members or active
Nazi supporters, the JIOA and the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) manipulated the records of
some German scientists to conceal their questionable backgrounds. These organizations
considered the scientists too valuable to the United States' development to be left behind.
Intelligence agencies, including the CIOS, also recognized the significance of German
technology, such as advanced windmills, twin-engine diesel engines, kerosine material, jet
fighter planes, and more.6
Controversy:
There are claims that those brought to the United States through Operation Paperclip
were not heavily involved in the crimes of the Third Reich. However, a closer examination of
select cases suggests otherwise. Despite President Harry S. Truman's policy that prohibited the
consideration of staunch Nazis for Operation Paperclip, accurate personal files of all individuals
involved were not consistently presented or kept unaltered.
One such individual who evaded the rules of Operation Paperclip and Truman's policy
was Luftwaffe Colonel Hubertus Strughold. He came to the United States via Operation
Paperclip and gained recognition as the "Father of American Space Medicine." Strughold held a
prominent position as the wartime head of the Luftwaffe's Institute for Aviation Medicine. His
5 “Records of the Secretary of Defense (RG 330).” National Archives and Records Administration. Accessed July 9,
2023. https://www.archives.gov/iwg/declassified-records/rg-330-defense-secretary.
6 Gimbel, John. “Project Paperclip: German Scientists, American Policy, and the Cold War.” Diplomatic History 14,
no. 3 (1990): 343–65. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24911848.
4
work in aviation physiology was highly regarded not only within the scientific community but
also among the U.S. military forces. However, Strughold's connection to cruel experiments
conducted on inmates at Dachau Concentration Camp raised concerns. These experiments
involved freezing prisoners, causing their deaths, and attempting to revive them. Furthermore, he
used mecscaline to discover its effect on the human brain. Strughold's Institute also conducted
experiments on young children from psychiatric asylums. While Strughold initially claimed to
have only heard about the freezing experiments, investigations revealed his close association
with individuals involved in these atrocities. Two reports submitted by the CIOS regarding the
freezing experiments, the individuals involved, and suspicions surrounding Strughold were
directed to the army's war crimes staff. However, before any action could be taken, Strughold
was brought to the United States in 1947 through Operation Paperclip, protected by the U.S.
Army Air Forces. Due to inadequate trials and proceedings, Strughold escaped punishment and
continued his research in the United States.7
SS-Brigadeführer Walter Schieber was another exception to President Truman's policy
regarding Operation Paperclip transferees with significant criminal backgrounds. Despite his
involvement as the chief of the Armaments Supply Office and deputy to Albert Speer, Schieber
was allowed to work for the United States. He had assisted in communication and industrial
production related to tabun and sarin gas. Schieber also had a close connection with Otto
Ambros, working as the liaison between the Armaments Ministry and I.G. Farben. During the
war, Schieber conducted cruel experiments on concentration camp prisoners. In one experiment,
he deprived 150 prisoners of proper food, replacing it with an artificial paste from old clothing.
7 Campbell, Mark
R., Stanley R. Mohler, Viktor A. Harsch, and Denise Baisden. The Controversy of Hubertus
Strughold during World War II, n.d.
5
The purpose was to observe the effects of food shortages, resulting in the deaths of 116 prisoners.
8Schieber established a friendship with U.S. Army Brigadier General Charles Loucks, who was
intrigued by Schieber's proximity to Heinrich Himmler. Although the U.S. Army initially denied
Schieber's entry into the United States, Loucks hired him for scientific research under the Army's
Chemical Corps.9 Schieber contributed to the U.S. development of sarin gas and worked there
for a decade. He later joined the CIA, with the agency altering his records to conceal his high
rank in Nazi Germany. General Loucks mentioned attending a classified conference with
Schieber in his diary. The Department of Defense denied Schieber's involvement in Operation
Paperclip.
Despite their known lies and horrific backgrounds, Germans brought to the United States
through Operation Paperclip were accepted into the country. They were entrusted with prominent
positions in critical and classified American organizations and administrations. The lies and
cover-ups surrounding their past crimes were disregarded, potentially endangering American
intelligence and national security. Rather than placing these transferees in less influential roles
where their actions could pose a significant threat, American authorities obscured their past
crimes and deceptions. The focus was primarily on the value these German scientists brought to
scientific and technological development, overshadowing the potential dangers they posed.
These risks included the possibility of sharing classified information about the United States,
8 Elhassan, Khalid. “10 Nazi War Criminals Who Escaped Justice Because They Were Useful to the US.” History
Collection, April 15, 2021. https://historycollection.com/10-nazi-war-criminals-who-escaped-justice-because-theywere-useful-to-the-us/10/.
9 Chen, C. Peter. “Walter Schreiber.” WW2DB. Accessed July 9, 2023. https://ww2db.com/person_bio.php?
person_id=856.
6
such as plans, personnel information, recent scientific discoveries, and technological
advancements.
Benefits:
Operation Paperclip was not about providing Nazi criminals with a second chance, but
they were valued by the United States primarily for their military advantage and scientific
expertise. Wernher von Braun, the German scientist behind the V-2 missiles used by the Nazis,
and his team initially focused on space exploration and engineering rather than military
applications.10 11
During the 1950s and 1960s, the United States and Russia were engaged in the space
race. Vice President Lyndon Johnson emphasized the importance of being the first nation to
reach space, emphasizing its significance within the context of the Cold War. Thanks to the
German rocket scientist team led by Wernher von Braun, stationed at NASAs Marshall Space
Flight Center, America rose to prominence in the global space industry. Their expertise in
constructing long-range rockets during World War II translated seamlessly into their work at
NASA. Head scientists from Peenemünde became directors at Marshall Space Flight Center, and
the same was true for Kurt Heinrich Debus, a prominent German scientist who worked at
Kennedy Space Center. However, NASA failed to thoroughly investigate the backgrounds of
these scientists before employing them, and their pasts were not widely publicized. The focus
10 Crim, Brian E. Our Germans: Project Paperclip and the National Security State. JOHNS HOPKINS UNIV Press,
2020.
11 Magazine, Smithsonian. “How Much Did Wernher von Braun Know, and When Did He Know It?”
Smithsonian.com, January 1, 2008. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/a-amp-s-interviewmichael-j-neufeld-23236520/.
7
was on hiring intelligent individuals with potential in space development, and the German rocket
scientists were seen as valuable assets to NASA.12
While rocketry in space exploration was an impressive achievement, it also presented a
significant danger if placed in the wrong hands. The Soviet Union, like the United States,
secured German scientific institutions and industrial centers. The Soviets dismantled and
destroyed the collected materials and structures to avoid sharing them with their allies. The
testing of the Soviet atomic bomb in August 1949 incorporated both Russian and German
intelligence. This combination of knowledge posed a more significant threat to the United States,
as German ideas could be more easily understood and implemented. The United States had its
own German scientists who could contribute similar ideas and levels of intelligence and
experience.13
Over time, the severity of the Russian threat became increasingly pronounced. Nikita
Khrushchev, who served as the First Secretary of the Soviet Union, openly criticized Stalins'
atrocities and implemented a de-Stalinization policy to prevent a recurrence of authoritarian rule.
During the Cold War, Khrushchev sponsored the Soviet Space Program, symbolizing the strength
of their military capabilities by stating, "And now we are demonstrating to the whole world that,
having taken power into his hands, the worker who became literate, who gained knowledge, and
mastered science, did not only master it in order to preserve it at the same level at which it was
before, but he also developed, advanced the science and achieved such heights that our country
could beat every country in the world and was the first to break into space and the human came
12 Hunt, Linda. Secret agenda: The United States Government, Nazi scientists, and Project Paperclip, 1945-1990.
New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1991.
13 Crim, Brian E. Our Germans: Project Paperclip and the National Security State. JOHNS HOPKINS UNIV Press,
2020.
8
back."14 This emphasized their dominance in rocketry and its potential to both contribute to
space exploration and pose a threat to enemy nations. In 1957, Russia achieved a significant
milestone by successfully launching Sputnik I, the world's first artificial satellite into Earth's
orbit.15 The Russians were acutely aware of their advancements in rocket technology and its
capacity not only for further propelling them in the space race but also for potential destructive
purposes against adversaries. Concomitant to the Sputnik's launch, Khrushchev issued threats
regarding an invasion of West Berlin while boasting an annual production rate of 250 rockets
armed with hydrogen bomb warheads.16
Operation Paperclip's scientists were called into action as the Russian threat intensified.
The American industrial leader David Sarnoff emphasized the importance of acquiring scientific
information and the scientists themselves. This prevented the Russians from gaining a potential
advantage in offensive warfare. The United States brought the German scientists on board to
deny the Russians access to their knowledge and to safeguard America and its allies from
potential attacks.
MKUltra:
The connection between Operation Paperclip and MKUltra is rooted in the transfer of
German scientists to the United States, who then became involved in the CIA's MKUltra
14 “Transcribed Notes Dictated by Nikita Khrushchev While at Pitsunda on the Eve of Gagarin’s Flight.” Transcribed
Notes Dictated by Nikita Khrushchev while at Pitsunda on the Eve of Gagarin’s Flight | Wilson Center Digital
Archive. Accessed July 9, 2023. https://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/document/transcribed-notes-dictated-nikitakhrushchev-while-pitsunda-eve-gagarins-flight.
15 “Sputnik, 1957.” U.S. Department of State. Accessed July 9, 2023. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1953-1960/
sputnik.
16 New Evidence on the Berlin Crisis 1958-1962. Accessed July 9, 2023. https://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/
files/media/documents/publication/CWIHPBulletin11_p5.pdf.
9
program. The scientists brought to the United States through Operation Paperclip also possessed
valuable knowledge and experience in areas such as pharmacology, psychology, and human
experimentation. Their expertise was considered crucial for the CIA's pursuit of mind control
techniques, interrogation methods, and behavior modification. The German scientists had
previously conducted research and experiments under the Nazi regime, which included unethical
practices and human rights violations. Operation Paperclip served as a crucial link that facilitated
the infusion of Nazi knowledge into the MKUltra program, shaping its direction and providing it
with a disturbing scientific foundation.
While the specific extent of the German scientists' involvement in MKUltra is not fully
documented, as much of the information about the program remains classified or has been
destroyed, its influence in the operation was still prominent. Stephen Kinser, an award winning
author and foreign correspondent, discussed the history of MKUltra in his novel Poisoner in
Chief: Sidney Gottlieb and the CIA Search for Mind Control. Kinser states that the Americsn
researchers “spent many hours questioning German scientists about mescaline eperiments that
had been performed on prisoners at the Dachu concetration camp. Those experiments had mixed
results, but Nazi doctors beleived mescaline might have unexplored potential,” (84). Moreover,
“…the experiments…nazi docotors conducted at concentration camps were lineal ancestors of
MK-ULTRA,” (137). 17
The connection between Operation Paperclip and MKUltra highlights the utilization of
German scientists' knowledge and expertise acquired through Operation Paperclip in the pursuit
of the CIA's mind control research. It underscores the complex and morally fraught intersection
17 Kinzer, Stephen. Poisoner in chief: Sidney Gottlieb and the CIA search for Mind Control. New York: St. Martin’s
Griffin, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group, 2020.
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of Cold War objectives, scientific advancement, and the ethical considerations surrounding
human experimentation.
Conclusion:
Operation Paperclip represented a complex moral dilemma for the United States as it
sought to harness the scientific and technological expertise of German scientists from the Third
Reich. While the transfer of Nazi-associated scientists raised ethical concerns due to their
involvement in war crimes and atrocities, the United States prioritized its national security and
technological advancement. By concealing the pasts of these scientists and overlooking their
crimes, the U.S. gained access to valuable knowledge and expertise that proved instrumental in
military and space exploration endeavors.
Controversy surrounds Operation Paperclip due to the involvement of individuals like
Hubertus Strughold and Walter Schieber, who had direct connections to war crimes committed
during the Third Reich. These individuals evaded scrutiny and were given prominent positions in
American organizations, posing potential threats to national security. The prioritization of
scientific and technological advancement overshadowed the moral considerations and risks
associated with their backgrounds. However, Operation Paperclip also provided significant
benefits to the United States. The expertise of German scientists in the field of rocketry and
space exploration played a pivotal role in elevating the United States to a leading position within
the global space industry. Through their contributions to various programs at NASA, these
scientists strengthened the United State’s standing in the space race with the Soviet Union.
11
Moreover, the connection between Operation Paperclip and the CIA's MKUltra program
reveals the involvement of German scientists in the pursuit of mind control techniques and
interrogation methods. While the extent of their contributions remains unclear, their specialized
knowledge in pharmacology, psychology, and human experimentation added a new dimension to
MKUltra's research.
In summary, Operation Paperclip represented a morally complex decision by the United
States. The pursuit of scientific and technological advancement, coupled with concerns about
national security and the threat posed by Russia, led the U.S. to overlook the crimes of Naziassociated scientists. While this decision yielded significant benefits in military and space
exploration, it also raised ethical questions and potential risks. The legacy of Operation Paperclip
serves as a reminder of the intricacies between morality, necessity, and the pursuit of scientific
progress.
12
Bibliography
Campbell, Mark R., Stanley R. Mohler, Viktor A. Harsch, and Denise Baisden. The Controversy
of Hubertus Strughold during World War II, n.d.
Chen, C. Peter. “Walter Schreiber.” WW2DB. Accessed July 9, 2023. https://ww2db.com/
person_bio.php?person_id=856.
CRIM, BRIAN E. Our Germans: Project Paperclip and the National Security State. JOHNS
HOPKINS UNIV Press, 2020.
Gimbel, John. “Project Paperclip: German Scientists, American Policy, and the Cold War.”
Diplomatic History 14, no. 3 (1990): 343–65. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24911848.
Elhassan, Khalid. “10 Nazi War Criminals Who Escaped Justice Because They Were Useful to
the US.” History Collection, April 15, 2021. https://historycollection.com/10-nazi-warcriminals-who-escaped-justice-because-they-were-useful-to-the-us/10/.
Hunt, Linda. Secret agenda: The United States Government, Nazi scientists, and Project
Paperclip, 1945-1990. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1991
Jacobsen, Annie. Operation Paperclip: The Secret Intelligence Program that brought Nazi
scientists to America. New York: Back Bay Books, Little, Brown and Company, 2015.
Kinzer, Stephen. Poisoner in chief: Sidney Gottlieb and the CIA search for Mind Control. New
York: St. Martin’s Griffin, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group, 2020
13
Magazine, Smithsonian. “How Much Did Wernher von Braun Know, and When Did He Know
It?” Smithsonian.com, January 1, 2008. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-spacemagazine/a-amp-s-interview-michael-j-neufeld-23236520/.
New Evidence on the Berlin Crisis 1958-1962. Accessed July 9, 2023. https://
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CWIHPBulletin11_p5.pdf.
“Records of the Secretary of Defense (RG 330).” National Archives and Records Administration.
Accessed July 9, 2023. https://www.archives.gov/iwg/declassified-records/rg-330defense-secretary.
“Sputnik, 1957.” U.S. Department of State. Accessed July 9, 2023. https://history.state.gov/
milestones/1953-1960/sputnik.
“Transcribed Notes Dictated by Nikita Khrushchev While at Pitsunda on the Eve of Gagarin’s
Flight.” Transcribed Notes Dictated by Nikita Khrushchev while at Pitsunda on the Eve
of Gagarin’s Flight | Wilson Center Digital Archive. Accessed July 9, 2023. https://
digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/document/transcribed-notes-dictated-nikita-khrushchevwhile-pitsunda-eve-gagarins-flight.
Annie Jacobsen, "Operation Paperclip”. Politics and Prose. YouTube, 2014. https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHs5M3pyd3Q&ab_channel=PoliticsandProse.