Operation Paperclip is recognized as one of the most controversial
intelligence programs in modern history. An ambitious post-war endeavor by the United States to poach the very best scientific minds from a defeated Germany, the operation remained classified during the early years of the Cold War and was only revealed by investigative journalists in the 1970s.
What became clear was that the US had compromised morality and a sense of justice for geopolitical gain and a military edge. The rewards, however, were considerable, not least because Operation Paperclip helped put the first human being on the moon.
So, how exactly was this extraordinary operation devised, and why did it raise so many moral and ethical questions? In this gallery, we revisit one of the most notorious US government programs to evolve from the Second World War, and profile key protagonists. Click on to continue reading.