The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is known for its involvement in gathering intelligence and conducting covert operations. However, amidst its vast collection of classified documents, there is a lesser-known category called "CIA documents on magic." These documents shed light on the agency's interest in exploring the potential use of magic during the Cold War era. During the 1950s and 1960s, the CIA became intrigued by the possibility of utilizing psychic phenomena in intelligence operations. This interest stemmed from reports of Soviet research into parapsychology and the potential use of psychic spies. The agency aimed to understand the extent of the Soviet Union's capabilities and, if feasible, develop its own psychic warfare program.

CIA Declassifies Oldest Documents in U.S. Government Collection

The Central Intelligence Agency today declassified the United States Government's six oldest classified documents, dating from 1917 and 1918. These documents, which describe secret writing techniques and are housed at the National Archives, are believed to be the only remaining classified documents from the World War I era. Documents describing secret writing fall under the CIA's purview to declassify.

"These documents remained classified for nearly a century until recent advancements in technology made it possible to release them," CIA Director Leon E. Panetta said. "When historical information is no longer sensitive, we take seriously our responsibility to share it with the American people."

One document outlines the chemicals and techniques necessary for developing certain types of secret writing ink and a method for opening sealed letters without detection. Another memorandum dated June 14, 1918 - written in French - reveals the formula used for German secret ink.

"The CIA recognizes the importance of opening these historical documents to the public," said Joseph Lambert, the Agency's Director of Information Management Services. "In fiscal year 2010 alone, the Agency declassified and released over 1.1 million pages of documents."

The documents will be available on CIA.gov and in the CIA Records Search Tool (CREST) at the National Archives in College Park, Maryland. CREST currently houses over 10 million pages of declassified Agency documents. Since 1995, the Agency has released over 30 million pages as a result of Executive Orders, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the Privacy Act, and mandatory declassification reviews.

Records of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

The primary mission of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is to develop and disseminate intelligence, counterintelligence, and foreign intelligence information to assist the president and senior U.S. government policymakers in making decisions relating to the national security. The CIA does not make policy; it is an independent source of foreign intelligence information for those who do. The CIA may also engage in covert action at the president's direction in accordance with applicable law.

The CIA was established effective September 18, 1947, pursuant to the National Security Act (61 Stat. 495). The National Security Act charged the CIA with coordinating the nation’s intelligence activities and correlating, evaluating and disseminating intelligence affecting national security. The head of the CIA, the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI), held responsibilities for the entire Intelligence Community. The agency traces its lineage to the following organizations:

• Office of the Coordinator of Information (OCOI, 1941-42)
• Office of Strategic Services (OSS, 1942-45)
• Strategic Services Unit (SSU), Office of the Assistant Secretary of War (1945-46)
• Central Intelligence Group, National Intelligence Authority (NIA, 1946-47)

In December 2004, the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act restructured the Intelligence Community by abolishing the position of Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) and created the position the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (D/CIA). The Act also created the position of Director of National Intelligence (DNI), which oversees the Intelligence Community and the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC).

As of 2013, the CIA is separated into four basic components: the Directorate of Intelligence, the Directorate of Science and Technology, the National Clandestine Service (formerly the Directorate of Operation), and the Directorate of Support. In addition, the agency includes separate staff offices that deal with public affairs, human resources, protocol, Congressional affairs, legal issues, and internal oversight.

More information is available on the CIA's website.

Accessing the Records

Given the sensitive nature of its work and the length of time before they can be declassified, most CIA records are retained by the agency for a longer period of time than for most other agencies. Even after the records are transferred to the National Archives, many remain classified for a long period of time.

For this reason, it is a good idea to contact the National Archives (NARA) before planning a research visit to use CIA records. Please see this FAQ for more information.

Records in NARA's custody

To locate information on records in the National Archives please see the Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives and the National Archives Catalog.

In addition to original records, the CIA has deposited collections of copies of selected documents relating to special topics in the National Archives. In most cases, those documents have been redacted to remove information considered sensitive at the time of transfer.

Access

Some CIA documentation is available for ready use. Described below are records digitized by the National Archives and the CIA's system for making records declassified under the provisions of the executive order on declassification available to the public.

In addition, the FOIA page on the CIA's website provides access to many more documents.

Digitized Records

The National Archives has digitized and placed online the following special topic collections that have been deposited by the CIA.

RG 263 Entry A1-22: Intelligence Publication Files, 1946-1950.
National Archives Identifier 6882518.

RG 263 Entry A1-23: Records of Team A and Team B Estimates of the Soviet Offensive Threat, National Intelligence Estimate (NIE).
National Archives Identifier 6882876.

RG 263 Entry A1-27: Articles from "Studies in Intelligence."
National Archives Identifier 6922330.

RG 263 Entry A1-29: National Intelligence Estimates and Related Reports and Correspondence.
National Archives Identifier 6942952.

RG 263 Entry A1-30: The Law And Custom Of The National Intelligence Estimate.
National Archives Identifier 6948604.

RG 263 Entry A1-37: "Allen Welsh Dulles As Director Of Central Intelligence, 26 February 1953-29 November 1961."
National Archives Identifier 6948411.

This page was last reviewed on July 11, 2018.
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CIA's Lost Magic Manual Resurfaces

At the height of the Cold War, the Central Intelligence Agency paid $3,000 to renowned magician John Mulholland to write a manual on misdirection, concealment, and stagecraft. All known copies of the document — and a related paper, on conveying hidden signals — were believed to be destroyed in 1973. But recently, the manuals resurfaced, […]

At the height of the Cold War, the Central Intelligence Agency paid $3,000 to renowned magician John Mulholland to write a manual on misdirection, concealment, and stagecraft. All known copies of the document -- and a related paper, on conveying hidden signals -- were believed to be destroyed in 1973. But recently, the manuals resurfaced, and have now been published as "The Official CIA Manual of Trickery and Deception." Topics include working a clandestine partner, slipping a pill into the drink of the unsuspecting, and "surreptitious removal of objects by women."

This wasn't the first time a magician worked for a western government. Harry Houdinisnooped on the German and the Russian militiaries for Scotland Yard. English illusionist Jasper Maskelyne is reported to created dummy submarines and fake tanks to distract Rommel’s army during World War II. Some reports even credit him with employing flashing lights to "hide" the Suez Canal.

But Mulholland's contributions were far different, because they were part of a larger CIA effort, called MK-ULTRA, to control people's minds. Which lead to the Agency's infatuation with LSD, as David Hambling recounted here a few weeks ago:

*In the infamous Operation Midnight Climax, unwitting clients at CIA brothels in New York and San Francisco were slipped LSD and then monitored through one-way mirrors to see how they reacted. They even killed an elephant with LSD. Colleagues were also considered fair game for secret testing, to the point where a memo was issued instructing that the punch bowls at office Christmas parties were not to be spiked. *

The Boston Globe has put together a great visual summary of some of Mulholland's best tricks for the CIA: the shoelace pattern that means "follow me"; the hidden compartment to smuggle in an agent; the best ways to appear dumb and non-threatening. Because there's no better misdirection than appearing to be a fool.

ALSO:

• Vets Sue CIA Over Mind Control Tests
• Pentagon's Psychic Vision Revisited
• Psychic Spies, Acid Guinea Pigs, New Age Soldiers: the True Men .
• Secret Strobelight Weapons of World War II
• Russia Expands Inflatable Arsenal
• Inside the Army's Far-Out Acid Tests

The CIA made a Magic: The Gathering-style card game for training agents, and we played it

The agency aimed to understand the extent of the Soviet Union's capabilities and, if feasible, develop its own psychic warfare program. To explore this field, the CIA initiated various projects, such as Project Stargate and Project Grill Flame. These projects aimed to investigate psychic phenomena, including telepathy, remote viewing, and the ability to predict future events.

This tabletop game of intelligence strategy examines the difficulty of dealing with ‘the system’

Agents were trained in these techniques, and experiments were conducted to assess their effectiveness in gathering intelligence. CIA documents on magic reveal the agency's skepticism towards these psychic abilities initially, as they viewed them as pseudoscience. Nevertheless, the CIA recognized the importance of fully exploring such possibilities, especially if the Soviet Union possessed similar capabilities. These documents also highlight the CIA's interest in the practices of stage magicians and illusionists. The agency recognized that magicians possessed certain skills that could aid in intelligence operations. Techniques like misdirection, sleight of hand, and manipulation of perception were studied, with the intent of applying them in covert operations. The "CIA documents on magic" reveal an intriguing aspect of the agency's history, showcasing its open-mindedness and willingness to explore unconventional avenues. Although the practical applications of magic in intelligence operations remain questionable, these documents illustrate the agency's commitment to uncovering any potential advantage in the face of the Soviet threat. In the years since these projects were conducted, the CIA's interest in magic and psychic phenomena has waned. However, these documents provide a unique insight into an often overlooked chapter in the agency's history, where the line between science and the supernatural became blurred in the pursuit of gaining an edge in the Cold War..

Reviews for "Magic Infiltration: CIA's Secret Operations Using Illusion and Deception"

1. John Doe - 1 star - I was really disappointed with "CIA Documents on Magic". The title made it sound like it would provide some insightful information about the CIA's involvement with magic, but all I found were random documents that didn't really have much to do with magic at all. It felt like a misleading title just to attract attention. I was expecting more depth and analysis, but instead, it was a collection of unrelated files that left me feeling unsatisfied.

2. Jane Smith - 2 stars - While "CIA Documents on Magic" had an intriguing premise, I found the execution to be lackluster. The documents themselves were interesting, but there was a lack of context or analysis provided. It felt like they were simply thrown together without much thought or effort put into organizing them. Additionally, the book lacked any new or groundbreaking insights into the CIA's involvement with magic. Overall, I was left wanting more substance and coherence from this book.

3. Sarah Johnson - 2 stars - I expected "CIA Documents on Magic" to be an eye-opening exploration of the CIA's involvement with magic, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The documents included were interesting, but they lacked any sort of cohesive narrative or analysis. I was hoping for a deeper dive into the topic, but instead, it felt like a random collection of files that left me more confused than informed. It lacked the critical analysis I was anticipating and left me feeling disappointed.

4. Michael Thompson - 1 star - "CIA Documents on Magic" was a complete letdown. The title gave the impression that I would be reading some groundbreaking revelations about the CIA's connection to magic, but it was nothing more than a haphazard compilation of unrelated documents. There was no analysis or explanation provided, making it difficult to understand the significance or relevance of the documents presented. It felt like a missed opportunity to shed light on a potentially fascinating topic, and I wouldn't recommend wasting your time on this book.

CIA's Fascination with Magic: Unveiling Their Classified Files