How the Reds Brainwash

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP65-00756R000400050002-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 8, 1998
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: August 12, 1960
• Content Type: PREL

Approved For Release 1999/09/07 : CIA-RDP65-00756R000400050002-1
THE .WASH1N=RADAII;Y~N S;f# 12, -'IM-
How the
Reds Brainwash
Tine n..; cis.. a.$
CPYRGHT
if Prcisoner is Guilty
(Last of two articles.)
By MARSHALL DIcNEIL g
Scripps-Howard Staff Writer
Malevolent interroga-
tors of the communist
state police, some
schooled in dreadful
skills, can work their will
on a prisoner conditioned
by prolonged isolation.
'Apply mental and physical
pressures, then r e l a x i n g
them, t hen imposing them
again - questioning, ques
tioning, questioning - t h e
Russian police usually can
make a prisoner- say what
they, want him to say.
If he does, he has been
"brainwashed."
The techniques have been
described in a special report
by two medical doctors, for.
mer consultants to the de-
fense. department.
Drs. Lawrence E. Hinkle
Jr., and Harold G. Wolff, of
New York, called their an-
alysis "communist interroga-
tion and indoctrination of
'enemies of the state'." Copy.
righted, it was published in
the August, 1956, issue of
the American Medical Asso-
ciation's "archives of Neu-
rology and Psychiatry."
41 Nobody Knows
No on e here knows f o r
sure that American spy
plane Pilot Francis Gary.
Powers, has been "brain-
washed" by his Russian cap-
tors.
His father has been told
by experts here that he was,
probably kept in solitary
confinement for a 10 to 15
day "treatment."
If so, then some here be.
lieve It may have been part
of his "conditioning" for in.
terrogation and his Moscow
espionage trial scheduled
Aug. 17.
Moscow dispatches report
pilot Powers has pleaded
guilty to the espionage
charges.
Drs. Hinkle and Wolff say
the Russian State Police, the
KGB (The Committee for
State Security) "will not ex-
p o s e a prisoner to public
trial unless it is convinced
that he will go thru with his
confession as planned."
The communist police are,
of course, no t Infallible.
Some Russians put on trial
have recanted. But in any
event they doubtless were
subjected to t h e interroga-
tion techniques Drs. Hinkle
and Wolff described, Usually
the heels of carefully or-
nized total Isolation.
A human being,. removed
om all social contacts,
tiger.
Then he is ready for the
How It Begins
ficer In charge feels that'
e prisoner_ is ripe for it.
d shows evidence of de.
rsonal appearance."
g is carefully set. Usually,
terrogation is carried out
night. The interrogator
ay be dressed In full una-
rm. He may lay a cocked
stol on his desk.
"Suddenly, without expla-
rren interrogation room,
uipped with a desk and a
air for- the -interrogator
n be placed in a bright
ht, while the Interrogator
om..
restige, the interrogator
ill treat him as an inferior.
the prisoner is venal, the
terrogator may try to bribe
m w i t h promises of re-
rd for co-operation.
41 The Attitude
"Almost invariably," t h e
port says, "the interroga-
r takes the attitude that
"Almost Invariably the in-
rrogator does not accept -
amain and again, and to ela-
on them endlessly.
"Almost always he uses or is relaxed and smiling
Tea and cigarets are waitin
any discrepancies as Indies-: on the table. The interro
tions of lying and questions gator is sympathetic ahou
the prisoner at length about; the discomfort, sorry t h a
them. , the prisoner has had' such
And the prisoner does talk.: difficult time ... 'Let us re
The doctors explain why: lax and be friends ... wh
don't we get this Over wit
" . Taken from his cell so that everything can b
after a long period of Isola- 'settled and you can be re
tion, anxiety and despair leased?'
(he) usually.looks upon his
first Interrogation as a wel? "Prisoners," says. the
come break. The mere op. Hinkle-Wolff analysis, "fin
portunity to talk to someone- this sudden friendship an
is gratifying. Many -prison. release Of pressure - almos
ers . . , try to prolong (the irrestible. Nearly all o
interrogation sessions) for them avidly seize the oppor
the,companlonship they af? tunity to talk about them
ford." selves and their feelings . .
Most of them proceed fro
Sooner or later the inter- this almost automatically t
rogator expresses dissatis- giving the Information whit
faction with the answers of the interrogator seeks. Th
the prisoner. W h e n t h 6' Interrogator smiles and con
prisoner protest he has told gratulates him ..:'
all, the interrogator becomes
hostile. He can begin to ap.
ply further pressures.
"Continuous and repetitive
interrogation is an effective
and very common form of
pressure," Drs. Hinkle and
Wolff report. "Another .. .
is that of requiring the pris-
oner to stand thruout the in-
terrogation session or to
maintain some other physi-
cal position which becomes
painful . After 18 to 24
hours of continuous stand.
ing, there is an accumula-
tion of fluid in the tissues
of the legs ... The ankles
and feet of the prisoner
swell to twice their normal
circumference ... The heart
rate increases and fainting
may occur.
Sudden Change
"The interrogator will con-
tinue this pressure until he
feels that the prisoner is
nearly at the end of his rope
. he suddenly changes his
demeanor.
"The prisoner, r e t u r tied
once again to an interroga-
tion session that he expects
to be a repetition of torture
and villification, suddenly
.finds that the entire scene
has changed. The interroga?
l0
q New Session
That session is ended.
new one soon begins. Pre
sure and hostile questionin
is resumed. Again it I
carried to the point wher
the prisoner is near brea
down. Again It is relax
Alternately punishing an
rewarding the prisoner, th
interrogator c o n s t a n tl
presses him to revise and r
write his statement, his co
fession. Finally, it suits th
interrogator.
"When it has at last bee
agreed upon and signed," sa
Drs. Hinkle and Wolff, "th
pressure is relaxed ' f o
good'; but the prisoner co
tinues to live in his cell an
remains under the threat o
renewed pressure, until sue
time as he has been take
b e f o r e a. 'court,' has cot -
fessed, and has been "set -
tented'."
Men under the complet
control of communist polio
say the two doctors, hay
been made to say and d
many things which their ca .
tors desire.
In the common phra
They have been "bras
washed."
Approved For Release 1999/09/07 : CIA-RDP65-00756R000400050002-1