Into Tibet

Mr. Laird delivered a lecture on his book, Into Tibet: The CIA’s First Atomic Spy and His Secret Expedition To Lhasa, published by Grove/Atlantic Inc. The book investigates the career of Douglas Mackiernan, the first CIA agent killed in the line of duty. Mr. Mackiernan was working to establish a covert intelligence pipeline from China to India to gather atomic intelligence for the United States. Mr. Laird argues that the agency’s activity hastened China’s invasion of Tibet, and the death of Mr. Mackiernan. Rather than risk a war with China, the U.S. government covered up their involvement with Tibet and refused to oppose the occupation. A question and answer period followed Mr. Laird’s remarks. close