Operation Midnight Climax

In the winter of 1939, Finland faced overwhelming odds. The Soviet Union was invading with hundreds of thousands of troops. Standing in their way was an unlikely defender: a shy farmer and expert marksman who would later become known as “The White Death.” But behind the myth was simply a reserved man fighting for his homeland. Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason EnglishWritten by Lucas ReillyStory Editor is Virginia PrescottSenior Producers are Josh Fisher and Emilia BrockAdditional Production by Edeliz PerezStory Editor is Virginia PrescottEditing and Sound Design by Jesse NighswongerMixing and Mastering by Jesse NighswongerResearch and Fact-Checking by Austin Thompson and Lucas ReillyOriginal Music by Elise McCoy and Jesse NighswongerShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producers are Virginia Prescott and Jason English Give it up for our excellent cast who brought this one to life! Featuring Miska Kajanus as Simo Häyhä  Additional voices provided by Tuomas Ahva,Jukka Hurme, Tuomas Brock, and Tuukka Rantanen Special thanks to Sirpa Ristimäki-BrockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What was it really like to come to America through Ellis Island? For millions of immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this little spit of land in New York Harbor was the gateway to a better future … IF they could pass a physical exam. To get the real-life experience of coming through Ellis Island, Bob calls up historian Vincent Cannato (author of American Passage: The History of Ellis Island – A Sweeping Epic of Immigration at the Nation's Landmark Port of Entry). From quick and dirty medical exams to some weird name changes, Cannato separates fact from fiction, and explains why Ellis Island is synonymous with American immigration. We’ll also explore how Ellis Island marked a turning point in American immigration policy — with power shifting from the states to the federal government. And why is Ellis Island viewed with such nostalgia while Angel Island in San Francisco Bay is not? We’ve got all that and more in this episode!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emma has never felt the sun on her skin. Born with a rare condition that makes UV light dangerous, she lives by sunscreen, meters, and moonlight. But she’s also part of a community finding extraordinary ways to make ordinary childhood possible. And thanks to new research, the future may actually be bright. Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Jake RossenSenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Jonathan WashingtonAdditional Editing by Mary DooeMixing and Mastering by Josh FisherOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producer is Jason English Question? Comment? Want to share your favorite episode? You can always reach us at [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good artists borrow, great artists steal. Apparently, Thomas Jefferson got the memo. It turns out some North Carolinians penned their own Declaration of Independence nearly a year before TJ scribed his.  So, if Thomas Jefferson stole (borrowed/homaged) the language for the Declaration of Independence, why have we never talked about this? Well, there was one heck of cover up!  To get the full story, we call up David Fleming, author of Who's Your Founding Father?: One Man’s Epic Quest to Uncover the First, True Declaration of Independence. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1978, Soviet geologists flying over Siberia spotted something impossible: a family living in total isolation, untouched for decades by the modern world. But when outsiders finally reached their remote cabin, the family’s hidden world began to change forever. Special thanks to Rebecca E. Marshall for letting us share clips from her documentary, The Forest in Me. We also want to shout out the film's composer, Xylouris White. You can stream The Forest in Me right now on MUBI. Listen to Very Special Episodes wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's episode is a tour of New York’s secret history with a very special guest! Greg Young of the beloved Bowery Boys podcast joins us to prove the world is a very interesting place, if you just know where to look. There's hidden history in subway grates, SoHo stores, Central Park statues, and Hamilton lyrics.  * Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Dana SchwartzSenior Producer is Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Jonathan WashingtonAdditional Editing by Mary DooeMixing and Mastering by Josh FisherOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaSocial Clips by Yarberry MediaExecutive Producer is Jason English In an upcoming episode, Zaron will be giving the Very Special Places treatment to San Francisco. If there's a city or town you'd like us to visit, email [email protected]. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Was it the rise of hitchhiking? Lead in the water pipes? Or was it something a little darker in our culture? Bob rings up private investigator and host of the podcast Hell & Gone: Murder Line — Catherine Townsend — to learn why there were so many serial killers in America during the 1970s. From Ted Bundy to the Night Stalker and John Wayne Gacy, we dive into the “golden age” of serial killers to see how difficult it was to catch predators in a world before DNA testing, cell phones, and surveillance cameras. But that also begs the question: Are there fewer serial killers today? Listen, and find out!  GUEST: Catherine Townsend, host of Hell and Gone: Murder Line and Red Collar Listen to Bob Crawford's American History Hotline wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During its first 50 seasons, Saturday Night Live has welcomed legendary actors, superstar athletes, and notable politicians. But for one memorable night in 1977, Lorne Michaels turned the show over to an 80-year-old amateur.  * On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Follow Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday. Search 'Very Special Episodes' on your favorite podcast platform. * Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Jake RossenProduced by Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Chris ChildsMixing and Mastering by Chris ChildsOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producer is Jason English Special thanks to Connie Crawford for sharing her story. And thanks to the great Bill Carter for stopping by! You can read more of his work at LateNighter, or check out his many classic books.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sidney Gottlieb thought he’d erased all traces of Operation Midnight Climax and MK-ULTRA from the government’s collective memory. While the world will never know the full extent of the CIA’s experimentation with LSD, an unlikely source revealed many of the victims. These breakthroughs came courtesy of George White, who testified from beyond the grave. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the walls closed in on Operation Midnight Climax, George White took lessons he’d learned from a world-class magician to explore the last uncharted frontier of the psychonaut — the general public. It’s how White would make San Francisco’s sanity disappear. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After Frank Olson’s death in New York, George White had to move his whole operation to San Francisco. And the CIA added a twist: while they’d been occupied with using LSD as a mind-control drug, now they wanted him to weaponize sex. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For 70 years, people have debated what happened to Frank Olson at the Hotel Statler. Did the CIA’s grand experiment with LSD lead to the sanctioned execution of a government employee? For George White, Frank Olson’s death would change everything. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we wanted to share a bonus mini-episode. Here’s how George White’s LSD adventures tied in with the CIA’s increasingly bizarre attempts to assassinate Fidel Castro. We’ll be back with a new installment next Wednesday. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the CIA’s LSD experiments went increasingly rogue, an aspiring actress realized what George White had done to her. But unlike others who’d complained, she reported White by name to the New York Police Department. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To immerse himself in his CIA role, George White needed a new identity. In Greenwich Village, he set up a safehouse and became Morgan Hall, a struggling artist. But it wasn’t long before the wrong kind of people started showing up at his door — including the FBI Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If George White could manipulate the mafia with an old-fashioned wartime truth serum, what could he do with something more potent? What secrets could he uncover with the full support of the CIA and a supply of LSD? The world was about to find out. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 1950s, the CIA conducted highly controversial research on mind-altering drugs to prepare for brain warfare with global superpowers. But after a checkered past, George White’s off-the-books Operation Midnight Climax took whatever flimsy rulebook the CIA had and threw it out the window. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.