That Time the CIA Funded the Dalai Lama

Channel: SideQuest - Animated History
Uploaded by SideQuest - Animated History on 20210312
Categories: Entertainment
Tags:

The CIA has been involved in quite a lot of "international interventions", some more successful than others. Many are familiar with their adventures in Latin America, but few know that they were also involved in Tibet... and that is what we'll explore in this episode of SideQuest. EDIT: To clarify, the Tibetan Resistance existed p

This video, titled "That Time the CIA Funded the Dalai Lama" by SideQuest - Animated History, explores the historical relationship and intervention by the CIA in Tibet. Historical Context and Early Relations [00:18] Tibet is located in the middle of Asia, historically creating an empire that spanned from Bangladesh to Mongolia. Over the centuries, its power fluctuated alongside neighboring China. [00:54] In the 13th century, Genghis Khan and the Mongols invaded China and made Tibet a vassal state after it peacefully surrendered. [01:45] When the Chinese Empire eventually collapsed, Tibet proclaimed independence and operated as a theocracy ruled by the Dalai Lama (where "Dalai" means ocean in Mongolian and "Lama" means guru in Tibetan). [02:17] In 1949, China was united under communism by Chairman Mao, who sought to bring Tibet back into the fold. Initial CIA Contact and Rejection [02:29] The CIA watched nervously as the People’s Liberation Army marched on Lhasa. American representatives approached the Dalai Lama—who was only 15 years old at the time—offering money, weapons, and political support for an independent Tibet on the condition that he immediately flee to India, Sri Lanka, or Thailand [02:54]. [03:07] Hoping to avoid bloodshed, the young Dalai Lama rejected the CIA's offer, stayed in Lhasa, and surrendered. Tibet was reintegrated into China [03:12]. [03:18] Initially, relations appeared relatively friendly; the Dalai Lama was made a Vice Chairman in the People’s National Congress [03:22]. Escalation and Rebellions [03:50] Tibet's promised autonomy failed to materialize under communist rule, causing relations to deteriorate rapidly. [04:04] The Dalai Lama's older brother maintained secret contact with the CIA, visiting America in 1951 to help facilitate commando training for Tibetans in the Rocky Mountains [04:09]. [04:20] CIA-funded and trained resistance fighters launched multiple uprisings throughout the 1950s, culminating in a major rebellion in 1959 that resulted in the deaths of approximately 2,000 Chinese soldiers [04:31]. [04:37] Following the brutal suppression of the rebellion by the Communists, the Dalai Lama finally accepted the CIA's aid and fled to India [04:44]. CIA Funding and Eventual Termination [04:48] Throughout the 1960s, the CIA funded the Dalai Lama with about $1.7 million per year and helped establish Tibetan embassies in New York and Geneva to support international lobbying efforts. [05:01] American support ended in 1972 when President Nixon resumed diplomatic relations with China and cancelled all funding for Tibet [05:09]. Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kffbalXTTLo That Time the CIA Funded the Dalai Lama SideQuest - Animated History · 493K views

Viewer Discussion & Comments

@davidfoster7034

It just struck me the benefits of publishing your failures and suppressing your involvements in successful operations if you are a intelligence agency.

@CharlesHarpolek4vud

If you ever thought the CIA would do absolutely anything, You are right.

@TheMsgodzilla

No mention of serfdom in Tibet? Where 95% of the Tibetans were slaves under Dalai Lama, the monks and the Tibetan elites?

@Veriox22

This channel is the perfect example of quality over quantity

@moon_raven0495

Nice the monopoly man teaching me history

@Bonzi2

I wrote about this in English class back in school and was told off for being a political instigator. I think I was politically suppressed!

@alxa4739

I like how the CIA guy is Philip Seymour Hoffman

@crownroyal2155

DIDN'T NO ONE NOTICED THE DALAI LAMA'S GOLD ROLEX!!!!

@tranquility6789

Ah yes tongue succ man

@Canuck07

The CIA might come knocking after this one 🙈

@SuperSanic..

CIA lama

@MrEdHasibuan1996

didn't even mention the British involvement once. quite amazing actually, considering you have to ignore so many events in between Qing dynasty and the modern times

@BigBroTejano

While Tibet was “technically” a theocracy under the rule of the Dalali Lama, people tend to forgot that the Dalali Lama was only one of the leaders of Tibet’s various Buddhist sects. Or the fact that Tibet at the time of its annexation by China had a hereditary monarchy that also went into exile.

@behar225

This aged like fine wine

@TechieWidget

You could have mentioned that Mongolia was the only country at the time that recognized Tibet as a sovereign state during the period when they were de facto independent from Republic of China. Without recognition or support from many states or major powers like USA or USSR prior to 1949, I think their ability to be independent and recognized on the world stage was doomed from the start. In an alternate history where Nationalists won the Chinese Civil War, Chiang would have done the same thing Mao did in our timeline as a follow up to the Sino-Tibetan conflict of 1930-1932.