Operation Paperclip | 1

As it follows an eclectic group of vigilantes in their mission to rid America of Nazi war criminals, the Amazon original drama series Hunters references Operation Paperclip, a secretive government program that brought the Third Reich’s most brilliant -- and often villainous -- minds to the United States after World War II.

Hunters is a work of fiction. But Operation Paperclip was real. As the Cold War heated up, America rushed to recruit Hitler’s best scientists, specialists, and engineers before they could fall into Soviet hands.

Operation Paperclip contributed to American advancements in rocketry, aviation, military technology, and chemical weapons. Still, difficult questions remain. Did the ends justify the means? Can science and technology be separated from politics? And, in the name of creating a better future, is it wise to ignore the past?

In PAPERCLIP, comedian Michael Ian Black joins historian Monique Laney to examine this little-known -- and truly shocking -- piece of American history, one episode at a time.

This is a paid podcast funded by Amazon Studios. The Los Angeles Times newsroom was not involved in the production of this podcast. The views expressed on this podcast are not necessarily the views of Amazon Studios or the Los Angeles Times.