There is a strange piece of weird history involving the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and blow-up dolls. During the Cold War, the CIA reportedly developed many unconventional weapons and tools for covert operations and psychological warfare. One of these was a life-sized blow-up doll filled with explosives designed to be used as a decoy or a distraction.

The Blow Up Dolls Of The CIA

According to some accounts, the CIA designed the dolls to be dropped from a plane or tossed from a car. The doll would attract attention and cause confusion, allowing CIA operatives to escape or carry out their mission undetected.

It is unclear how effective the blow-up dolls were as a weapon. And there is little concrete evidence to support the claim that they were ever used as one. However, it is known that the CIA has a long history of developing and using unconventional weapons and tools for its operations. Therefore it is not entirely implausible that they might have considered using blow-up dolls as a blow-up distraction at some point. Pun intended. One thing is true, though, don’t put anything past the CIA operations.

More Wild CIA Plots

1. Project MKUltra: A program that involved the CIA using drugs, hypnosis, and other methods to control individuals’ minds and alter their behavior. Some say that this project is still ongoing.

2. The “Devil’s Bible”: A plan to create a fake version of the Bible. Placed in communist countries to undermine the perceived moral authority of the Soviet Union.

3. The “Acoustic Kitty” project: An attempt to turn cats into covert listening devices by surgically implanting microphones and transmitters in their ears.

4. The “Stinking Cadaver” plot: A plan to assassinate Cuban leader Fidel Castro by planting a chemically treated diving suit with a decomposed body inside, hoping that Castro would be blamed for the death.

5. The “Cuban Twitter” project: An effort to create a social media platform to foment dissent and unrest in Cuba.

6. The “Mongoose” operation: A plan to assassinate Castro that involved training Cuban exiles to carry out sabotage and guerrilla operations on the island.

7. The “Potato Famine” plot: A scheme to use genetically modified potatoes to create a famine in the Soviet Union to weaken the country.

8. The “Exploding Cigars” plot: An attempt to assassinate Castro by planting a bomb in a cigar.

9. The “Invisible Ink” plot: A plan to use invisible ink made from urine to communicate secret messages during World War II.

The Cold War

I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention the various rumors possibly connecting the CIA to JFK’s assassination. But like most of the above, many of these stories remain unverified. The world of espionage remains shrouded in secrecy, and it isn’t easy to separate fact from fiction.

However, it is clear that the CIA went to great lengths to gather intelligence, especially during the Cold War. During this time, the United States and the Soviet Union were engaged in a complex and often contentious relationship as they sought to assert their respective global influence and protect their national interests. Again, deception was often a key element of these efforts.

Both countries typically employed elaborate disinformation campaigns to spread false or misleading information about each other. Sound familiar? Some examples of these covert actions include propaganda, sabotage, and psychological warfare.

Secret Operations And Espionage

As we know, deception and covert action are not unique to the Cold War. Governments and other actors have used them throughout history to gain an advantage or achieve specific objectives. However, the scale and scope of these activities during the Cold War were unprecedented. They played a significant role in shaping global politics and the course of history.

It is not out of the question that the CIA used blow-up sex dolls for operations. In fact, according to Walter McIntosh, the head of the CIA’s disguise unit from 1977 to 1979, they did use them as decoys. Mr. McIntosh shared with the Washington Times in 2015 that the sex dolls looked like men. They would rig them up with airbag technology to pop out of a container like a child’s “jack-in-the-box” or JIB. According to Mr. McIntosh;

“A CIA officer en route to a secret meeting with his spy would take a JIB in his car, deflated and sealed inside a hidden package. The CIA driver would slowly add distance between the agents and their KGB shadows until the night hours. Eventually, the operative in the passenger seat would crack open his door as the car rounded a corner and slipped out, disguised as an ordinary Muscovite. The driver would then trigger the JIB, putting a lifelike dummy in the passenger’s place and fooling the KGB.”

Use With Discretion

He went on to say;

“What was a bit embarrassing was my several returns for additional dolls as we went through quite a few in preparing a prototype. As I was buying four or five at a time and often over a period of a few weeks, I am sure I got quite a reputation.”

So, in conclusion, Weird History: The Blow-Up Dolls of the CIA may be true. As Mr. McIntosh stated, the CIA did use blow-up dolls to distract and run cover for their agents. But that is about all we kind of sort of know about this particular CIA operation.