11. Operation Paperclip and Hidden Nazi Scientists
In the aftermath of World War II, the U.S. government launched Operation Paperclip, recruiting hundreds of former Nazi scientists to advance American military and space technology. Their troubling wartime activities were deliberately concealed, with background checks sanitized to serve Cold War interests. By hiding these pasts, authorities preserved the narrative of American moral superiority while benefiting from the scientists’ expertise. This secrecy shielded war criminals from accountability and rewrote key chapters of history. Learn more at History.com.
