CIA Paramilitary Operations in Tibet 1957-1975

CIA Paramilitary Operations in Tibet is the story of how the US government – primarily through the CIA and often in cooperation with India – came to harness, nurture, and encourage Tibetan defiance in one of the most extreme covert campaigns of the Cold War. In particular, it details an important chapter in the CIA’s paramilitary history. In Tibet, new kinds of equipment – aircraft and parachutes, for example – were combat-tested under the most extreme conditions imaginable. New communications techniques were tried and perfected. In many cases, these lessons learned would be applied to other Cold War battlefields like Vietnam, Laos, and elsewhere. Tibet, therefore, became a vital proving ground for CIA case officers and their spycraft. 

CIA Paramilitary Operations in Tibet includes over 60 colour and black and white photographs of the participants in the campaign and the insignia of the organisations involved, along with specially commissioned colour artworks illustrating the aircraft employed in the skies above Tibet.

 "...a very readable book that provides not only a look at the events leading up to the events of the book, but also the men and equipment that were used." ModelingMadness.com

"Modelers and historians will enjoy this book...Ken Conboy has provided the Asia@War series a concise, well researched and easy to read book to help fill in gaps in the little-known covert wars in Asia. The supporting wars to America’s Cold War are now just coming into mainstream consciousness. These wars and operations were just as important as the main effort, and it is good to see these dedicated people get their due time in the limelight." IPMS/USA

"This heavily illustrated monograph covers the history of CIA's involvement in supporting anti-Chinese rebels in Tibet. The author includes a lot of detail..." Intelligencer: Journal of U.S. Intelligence Studies

"Conboy seems to do a good job of balancing his sources, not relying too heavily on any one person’s or group’s perspectives or memories...a useful study of a little-known aspect of American covert operations." The Journal of the Air Force Historical Foundation

"....This fascinating book can be heartily recommended to anyone with an interest in clandestine
operations, or just wanting to find out more about the region’s history." Steve Komor, Asian Air Arms Newsletter, 4th Quarter 2025