# Brainwashing?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainwashing/351624>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [April 6, 2006, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainwashing/351624 "2006-04-06T20:58:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2006, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainwashing/351624/1 "2006-04-06T20:58:10Z")

</div>

I recall reading, many years ago, an account of POW’s in the Korean war. My  
memory is a bit vague, but as I remember there was a psychological study done,  
including extensive interviews, on POW’s from a specific North Korean interment  
camp. This was supposed to have been an experiment intending to turn the POW’s  
into strong believers in the communist cause. As I recall they started out by treating  
the POW’s very humanely w/ good food, comfortable quarters, etc.  
They had english speaking instructors who were fairly subtle in coercing the  
prisoners. One of the early exercises consisted in having each man recite an mildly  
embarrassing event from their past. Apparently this went on for several days and  
there was even some camaraderie established including an atmosphere of humor. The  
sessions escalated to a point where the men had to tell a story or suffer a loss of  
privileges and/or some punishment. The stories became more and more personal and  
revealing. Some tried to fabricate stories, but even that proved to have negative  
impact on the individual, and if they were caught lying they also suffered punishment.  
The pressure became so great that some of the men actually went into deep  
depression and several died w/o any obvious reason, other than simply having lost all  
hope of ever being able to return to their former lives. Of course this process took  
place over many months.  
I seem to remember that the psychiatrist, who conducted and oversaw, this project  
was named Fox or Wolfe, something like that.  
Has anyone heard of this?  
I’ve tried to find a reference on the net, w/o success.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2006, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainwashing/351624/2 "2006-04-06T21:08:01Z")

</div>

Would this be what you’re looking for?

> [@](#):
>
> Hinkle, Lawrence E. and Harold G. Wolff, 1956. “Communist Interrogation and Indoctrination of ‘Enemies of the States.’” Chicago: American Medical Association. A.M.A. Archives of Neurology and Psychiatry, Vol 76. pp.115-174.

Found in the bibliography to [this article.](http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/cultsect/brainwashing.htm)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2006, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainwashing/351624/3 "2006-04-06T21:30:50Z")

</div>

> [@Ice Wolf](#):
>
> Would this be what you’re looking for?Found in the bibliography to [this article.](http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/cultsect/brainwashing.htm)

Yep, that’s it. Now I’m trying to find the actual study, may have to go to the library. Thanks.