Short Stuff: Did a vampire legend help win the Cold War?
In this episode of Stuff You Should Know, the hosts explore how the CIA used Filipino folklore during the Cold War to combat communist insurgents. The discussion centers on the Aswang, a shape-shifting creature from Philippine mythology known for hunting humans at night, and how U.S. intelligence operatives exploited local beliefs in this supernatural being.
The episode details how CIA operative Edward Lansdale orchestrated a psychological warfare campaign against Huk rebels in the Philippines. This included staged "supernatural attacks" and other unconventional tactics designed to leverage cultural superstitions. The hosts examine how these covert operations used local folklore to influence village populations and undermine rebel activities during a critical period of the Cold War.
This is a preview of the Shortform summary of the Jan 14, 2026 episode of the Stuff You Should Know
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Filipino Folklore and the Legend of the Aswang
The Aswang, a fearsome creature from Philippine mythology, is known for its ability to shape-shift into various forms, including giant pigs, vultures, or dog-like creatures. This supernatural being is particularly feared for its hunting method: lurking on rooftops at night, it uses a proboscis-like tongue to consume its victims' internal organs, with a particular preference for pregnant women and children.
CIA Psychological Warfare Against Huk Insurgents
Edward Lansdale, working covertly for the CIA under the guise of an Air Force officer, was assigned to help the Philippine government combat the Huk rebels. The rebels, who had previously fought against Japanese forces in WWII, were now opposing legislation that favored U.S. economic interests. Lansdale employed unconventional psychological warfare tactics, including broadcasting curses in Tagalog from planes and painting the "Eye of God" on suspected Huk sympathizers' homes. Most notably, he leveraged the deeply-rooted fear of the Aswang in Filipino culture to turn villagers against the rebels.
Morally Questionable and Gruesome CIA Methods
The CIA's psychological warfare campaign took a dark turn when they trained Filipino commandos to stage horrific scenes mimicking Aswang attacks. These operatives would kidnap Huk fighters, disembowel them, and leave their bloodless corpses with puncture wounds in their necks. While this method deviated from traditional Aswang folklore, it effectively exploited local superstitions to instill terror and undermine the Huk insurgency, revealing the extreme measures the CIA employed during the Cold War.
1-Page Summary
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Actionables
- Explore local folklore to create engaging stories for children by researching mythical creatures from various cultures and adapting them into bedtime tales or storybook characters. This can foster creativity and cultural awareness while providing unique entertainment for kids.
- Develop critical thinking by analyzing historical events where beliefs were manipulated, like the Aswang story, and discussing with friends or family how similar tactics are used in modern media or politics. This can sharpen your ability to discern fact from fiction and recognize when fear is being used as a tool for influence.
- Enhance your understanding of psychological influence by starting a journal to document instances where you notice fear being used in advertising, news, or social media. Note your emotional response and the intended action the influencer wants you to take, helping you become more aware of and resistant to such tactics in your daily life.
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Filipino Folklore and the Legend of the Aswang
Aswang: A Terrifying Philippine Creature That Feeds On Humans
The Aswang is a grotesque creature from Philippine mythology, known for its vampiric tendencies.
Aswang Can Take the Form of a Giant Pig, Vulture, or Dog-like Creature
This fearsome entity is famous in Filipino folklore for its shape-shifting abilities. It has been described as being capable of adopting various forms, such as a giant pig, a giant vulture, or a dog-shaped monster. As a versatile predator, the Aswang instills fear across generations with its transformative prowess.
Aswangs Lurk on Rooftops, Using a Proboscis-Like Tongue to Consume Victims From Within
The Aswang is particularly notorious for targeting vulnerable individuals such as pregnant women and children. It is said that this humanoid atrocity lurks on rooftops at night. When it find ...
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Filipino Folklore and the Legend of the Aswang
Additional Materials
Actionables
- Explore local folklore by visiting a cultural museum or historical society to learn about mythical creatures from your own region. By understanding the myths that shape your local culture, you can gain a deeper appreciation for the stories that have been passed down through generations, much like the Aswang in Philippine folklore.
- Create a themed book club focusing on mythological horror to explore various creatures like the Aswang from different cultures. This can be a fun way to connect with friends or meet new people who share an interest in mythology and horror, and it can broaden your understanding of how different societies deal with the concept of fear and the unknown.
- Write a short story or piece of cr ...
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Cia Psychological Warfare Against Huk Insurgents
CIA Hired Edward Lansdale to Undermine the Huk Rebels in the Philippines
Edward Lansdale, with a background as an ad man and psyops specialist for the OSS, precursor to the CIA, was covertly working under the guise of an Air Force officer and advisor to Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay. The assignment in the Philippines was anchored on U.S. support for Magsaysay's government, which faced opposition from the Huk rebels, a group that had initially fought the Japanese in WWII but later contested the post-war Philippine government due to legislations favoring U.S. economic interests.
Lansdale Used Tactics Like Broadcasting Curses and Painting the "Eye of God" to Intimidate Huk Sympathizers
Lansdale's approach to psychological warfare included unorthodox methods. Notably, he broadcasted curses in Tagalog from low-flying planes, aiming to intimidate villagers into withdrawing their support for the Huk movement. Moreover, he employed psychological intimidation by painting an ominous symbol known as the "Eye of God" on the homes of those suspected of Huk sympathies.
Lansdale and CIA Used Filipino Aswang Folklore to Turn Villagers Against Huk Rebels
Edward Geary Lansdale's expertise in psychological warfare was evident in how he tapped into local culture and superstitions t ...
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Cia Psychological Warfare Against Huk Insurgents
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Actionables
- You can enhance your persuasive communication by incorporating elements of storytelling that resonate with your audience's cultural background. For instance, if you're giving a presentation on environmental conservation, you might weave in local legends or myths about nature to create a more compelling narrative that connects with your audience on a cultural level.
- Improve your marketing tactics by using symbols and imagery that have a strong emotional or cultural significance to your target demographic. If you're promoting a health campaign, consider using symbols that are widely recognized within the community to evoke feelings of care and protection, such as a guardian figure or a healing emblem from local folklore.
- Use the power of suggestion to subtly influence behavior in your personal or professional life ...
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Morally Questionable and Gruesome CIA Methods
In a bid to counter Huk insurgents in the Philippines, the CIA adopted a strategy that not only leveraged local folklore but also ventured into acts of extreme brutality.
CIA Trained Filipino Commandos to Impersonate Aswang, Disemboweling Huk Fighters, Leaving Drained Corpses
The CIA trained commandos in the Philippines undertook a dark form of psychological warfare by targeting Huk fighters, a revolutionary movement. These commandos were sent to kidnap the fighters, upon which they would then disembowel them, hollow them out, and subsequently leave the cadavers behind, bloodless and staged to mimic an attack by the Aswang—a creature akin to a vampire in Filipino mythology, feared as a night terror by local folklore.
CIA Exploited Aswang Legend, Using Dracula-Like Tactics to Drain Victims' Blood
The inhumane measures taken by these CIA-trained operatives included putting puncture holes in the necks of the Huk fighters and draining them of blood. This particular horror, while evocative of the Western Dracula mythos, deviated from the traditional representation of the Aswang. Nevertheless, the unmistakable implication of such grotesque acts was to instill terror in the hearts of the living and leverage that fear against the Huk insurgents.
CIA's Ruthless Cold War ...
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Morally Questionable and Gruesome CIA Methods
Additional Materials
Actionables
- Explore the power of storytelling by creating a fictional narrative that incorporates elements of local folklore and myth. By writing a short story or novella, you can delve into how myths can influence behavior and beliefs. For example, invent a modern-day legend that addresses contemporary issues, weaving in mythical creatures or events, and share it on a blog or social media to see how it resonates with readers.
- Develop a board game that simulates psychological warfare tactics. Design the game mechanics around the idea of using fear and misinformation to achieve objectives, similar to how the CIA used local folklore. This could be a way to understand the impact of psychological strategies in conflict without engaging in actual violence. You could test the game with friends and use their feedback to refine the rules and objectives.
- Start a podcast club with friends or communi ...
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